During her recent visit to Nigeria, Meghan Markle faced substantial criticism from Nigeria's First Lady, Ury Tanbu, for what was perceived as inappropriate fashion choices.
In a speech marking President Bola Tanbu's first year in office, the First Lady subtly criticized Meghan's wardrobe, emphasizing the important contributions of women to society. Addressing the crowd, she highlighted the need for cultural preservation and respect for traditional values.
The First Lady remarked, "We must salvage our children. They dress in ways that forget our Nigerian beauty. What they showcase is not our fashion. We're not at the Met Gala, yet nakedness is everywhere, while men are well-clothed. We must convey that nakedness is unacceptable in our culture. It’s not beautiful at all. These are beautiful girls who should be confident in themselves, not trying to mimic American film stars who don’t understand our roots. Why did Meghan come here looking for Africa? We must remember who we are and not lose our identity."
First Lady Tanbu's comments suggested that Meghan Markle, despite her title as Duchess, is lost and searching for identity, proposing that Nigerians should influence her rather than the other way around. She criticized Meghan as a poor role model, emphasizing her convictions that could challenge even the WTO director. Interestingly, the First Lady avoided mentioning Meghan's royal status directly but referenced the Met Gala, an event Meghan hasn't attended, and criticized her acting career. She argued that Meghan's version of feminism leads women to shame themselves and expose their bodies while men do not reciprocate.
In just 1.25 minutes, the First Lady conveyed Meghan's perceived disrespect for Nigerian culture. A clip of the speech circulated on social media, with one user noting, "Meghan Markle managed to create an international incident. We warned her about the clothes." Another person agreed with the First Lady, while a third posted, "She should really respect other people's culture and should apologize to the country." Additional comments criticized Meghan for her perceived lack of respect, with one remarking, "She disrespected them by coming in there half-naked in front of children. She doesn’t have respect for anyone, and I'm glad she's being called out."
During her visit to Nigeria, Meghan Markle wore various high-end outfits and accessories, reportedly spending nearly £120,000 on jewelry and new clothes from brands like Carolina Herrera, Alazur, and Johanna Ortiz. This lavish spending drew criticism due to the severe poverty in Nigeria, where over 112 million people live in destitution despite the country being Africa's largest economy. Critics argue that Nigeria's wealth disparities are exacerbated by political corruption and misallocation of resources, highlighting that the annual earnings of the richest Nigerian man could potentially lift 2 million people out of poverty.
