Meghan Markle's claim to Nigerian heritage stirred up skepticism among some Nigerian women following the Sussexes' recent three-day visit to Nigeria.
This skepticism came to light when a video resurfaced online featuring three Nigerian women discussing Markle's assertions on the "Right Direction" podcast, hosted by Lace Iamu. The participants, including Josephina J, a UK educator; Isosa Eddie Guer, a Nigerian marriage counselor; and Rosetta Etwe, a social worker, dissected Markle's statement from an Archewell podcast in October 2023.
In that podcast, Markle mentioned having 43% Nigerian ancestry. However, the three women expressed doubt about the authenticity of her claim. Josephina J admitted feeling shocked by Markle's assertion and questioned the accuracy of her claimed Nigerian ancestry percentage. She suggested that Markle may have selected Nigeria to spotlight positive aspects, but stressed the need for proof.
When the host probed why the women weren't receptive to Markle being Nigerian like them, it unearthed a deeper discussion about conduct and affiliation with the royal family. Isosa Eddie Guer pointed out the stark contrast between what's expected of a Nigerian woman marrying into royalty and Markle's actions, indicating that her behavior didn't align with Nigerian cultural norms.
Isosa emphasized that Markle's actions contradicted the expected behavior of a Nigerian woman marrying into royalty, highlighting the importance of respecting traditions and family ties. She noted that Markle's only similarities with Nigerian women seemed to be physical appearance and fashion sense.
Josephina J echoed similar sentiments, citing Markle's conduct as evidence against her claim to Nigerian identity. She emphasized the responsibility Markle should have taken in guiding Prince Harry's decisions regarding his royal duties, indicating that her failure to do so undermined her credibility as a Nigerian woman.
Rosetta Etwe expressed doubts about Markle's sincerity in embracing Nigerian culture, suggesting that Markle might have chosen to identify as Nigerian without fully understanding or respecting Nigerian customs and values. She emphasized the difficulty of changing established narratives and the risk of becoming an outcast for attempting to do so.
Overall, the discussion highlighted a disconnect between Meghan Markle's claims of Nigerian heritage and the expectations and values of Nigerian culture, raising questions about her authenticity and understanding of Nigerian identity.
