Nigeria: Meghan Markle talks about the importance of mentoring for women

The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle discovered through a genealogy test that she is part Nigerian.

Visiting the country for the first time on the occasion of the summit on women leaders organized by Nigerian economist and director of the World Trade Organization Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the princess spoke about the revelation of her heritage : "When I did my genealogy and I discovered my heritage, the first thing I did was call my mother because I wanted to know if she was aware of it and I think that being Part of being African American is not knowing much about your lineage, your past, where you come from specifically and it was exciting for both of us to discover more and understand what that really means never in a million years will I understand as much as I do now, standing here, and what has been said to me over and over in recent days by men and women is, “Oh! We weren't surprised when you found out you were Nigerian, oh no, no, no" and I say that mostly as a compliment to you all because what you define as a Nigerian woman is a brave person , resilient, courageous, powerful, beautiful." she declared. 

The Duchess of Sussex announced in her podcast in October 2022 that she was “43% Nigerian”. At the event, Meghan Markle joined female leaders to discuss the importance of mentorship for young women and the professional challenges facing women in Nigeria.

“I often find that whatever trips I have taken, whether to Nigeria or any other country in the world, when women reach the pinnacle of success, they leave. But we have to come back in the country, you have to at least be a familiar face for the next generation to say, "Oh, she looks like me, and I can do the same thing." success is not defined by the fact of having gone out, of having gone elsewhere, but by the fact of always wanting to come back home, because this is how we can contribute to changing any kind of generational model which could be suffocating..." explained Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex. 

This trip to Nigeria, accompanied by her husband Prince Harry, was organized with the aim of promoting the mental health of soldiers and young girls.