Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has been given an Igbo name, Ifeoma, during her visit to Nigeria. She described it as “humbling” to learn through a genealogy test that she is partly Nigerian while meeting with women in the West African nation.
On her second day in Nigeria, where she was visiting for the first time with Prince Harry to promote mental health for wounded soldiers and young girls, Meghan proudly referred to Nigeria as “my country.” She added, “It’s been eye-opening to learn more about my heritage.”
In October 2022, Meghan had announced on her podcast that a DNA test revealed she is “43% Nigerian.” She recounted that her first reaction was to share the news with her mother. “Being African American, part of it is really not knowing so much about your lineage and background … and it was exciting for both of us,” she said at the event in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
When the CEO of EbonyLife Media Group, Mo Abudu asked the audience to suggest a Nigerian name for Meghan. Someone shouted “Ifeoma,” from the enthusiastic crowd. Ifeoma is an Igbo name meaning ‘a treasured thing.’ Another person also suggested “Omowale,” a Yoruba name meaning ‘the child has come home.’
The Duchess of Sussex shared her surprise and joy, saying, “Never in a million years would I understand it as much as I do now. And what has been echoed so much in the past day is, ‘Oh, we are not so surprised when we found out you are Nigerian.'” She made these remarks at an event on women in leadership, co-hosted by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a renowned Nigerian economist and the head of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Meghan praised Nigerian women, saying, “It is a compliment to you because what they define as a Nigerian woman is brave, resilient, courageous, beautiful.”
Meghan joined female leaders, including Okonjo-Iweala, to discuss the importance of mentorship for young women and the career challenges women face in Nigeria, where top leadership and political roles for women are uncommon. She emphasized the importance of role models for young girls, using Okonjo-Iweala as an example. “You need to come back home, you need to, at least, be a familiar face for the next generation to say, ‘Oh she looks like me and I can be that’,” Meghan said.
Okonjo-Iweala shared her thoughts on breaking barriers as the first woman and first African to lead the WTO, stating, “When I will feel right is when we stop saying, ‘the first woman to do this … to do that.’ I have very mixed feelings about being the first woman because I think women should have been there already.” She also credited mentors who supported her career, including her tenure as Nigeria’s finance minister.
Earlier in the day, Meghan watched as Prince Harry and his Invictus Games team lost to the Nigerian military’s team in a sitting volleyball game. The match featured soldiers recovering from injuries sustained in the country’s fight against Islamic extremists and other armed gangs in the conflict-battered north.
After the match at the Nigerian Armed Forces’ Mess in Abuja, Harry and Meghan interacted with players, their families, and a group of women who gifted Meghan Nigerian fabric.
“We are friends and family supporters of Harry and Meghan,” said Peace Adetoro, 57, a member of the group. “They are a beautiful couple and we love them so much. We support them 100%.”
