Nigeria's First Lady Warns They 'Don't Accept Nakedness' Weeks After Meghan Markle's Visit Wearing Revealing Outfits
Nigeria's First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, delivered a speech slamming "nakedness" weeks after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry visited the African country.
Tinubo spoke at an event in Abuja to mark the first year of her husband President Bola Tinubu's administration. In her remarks, she reminded the teenagers and young ladies to dress modestly and not "try to emulate film stars from America."
"We have to salvage our children. We see the way they dress. We are not having the Met Gala. And everyone, the nakedness, is just everywhere and the men are well-clothed," she said, per the Daily Mail.
"So we have to do something. Tell them we don't accept nakedness in our culture. That is not beautiful. It's not beautiful at all."
Some immediately speculated that the speech had something to do with the Duchess of Sussex, who some felt showed off too much skin during her and Prince Harry's three-day trip to Nigeria earlier this month.
"Ouch! The First Lady of Nigeria definitely talking about Meghan Markle's outfit to the school at Abuja where the first lady lives. That Met Gala inference stung! Very Brutal!" one tweeted.
"When the First Lady of Nigeria puts your name, nakedness and ignorance about your identity in the same sentence...Ouch!!!" another added.
Ouch! The First Lady of Nigeria definitely talking about Meghan Markle’s outfit to the school at Abuja 😭😭😭😭😭where the first lady lives.
— The office at 𝖂𝖎𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖋𝖊𝖑𝖑 (@winterfell_home) May 25, 2024
That Met Gala inference stung! Very Brutal! pic.twitter.com/h7tYQ0iFim
My heart is so full. We feasted so well in the last 3 days! Here’s a compilation of all the outfits Meghan wore in Nigeria. Which is your favorite?#SussexSquad #PrincessMeghan#PrinceHarryandMeghaninNigeria pic.twitter.com/qXO61IHtL5
— Jocelyn (@Jocelyn62509) May 12, 2024
Tinubu mentioned Markle in her speech. However, she wasn't critical of the former actress and only used her as a reference to tell the audience that Nigerians always know who they are.
"They do not want to mimic and try to emulate film stars from America. They don't know where they come from," she continued. "Why did Meghan [Markle] come here looking for Africa? That is something we have to take home with [us]. We know who we are. Don't lose who you are."
Markle's fashion during her visit to Nigeria received mixed responses. Some felt she was showing too much skin, while others argued that she just dressed fine because it was very hot during their visit.
The duchess donned a backless gown called "Windsor" on her first day in Nigeria. The peach hue frock by Heidi Merrick was cinched at the waist and featured a high neck and a plunging opening exposing her back and sides.
She also rocked a striped sundress with cut-outs and high leg slit when she and Prince Harry watched an exhibition volleyball match. The "Suits" alum wore a white strapless gown when she attended a reception with the Nigerian chief of defense Christopher Musa.
On another outing, Markle opted for a red dress with spaghetti straps and a ruffled bottom by the Nigerian brand Orire, when she co-hosted the Women in Leadership panel with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization.
Fashion expert Susie Nelson, who owns Modes and More, said Markle didn't consider the royal rules and protocols in her fashion probably because she "is no longer a working royal." Nelson pointed out that the Merrick dress with an open back would not have been seen if it was an official royal tour.
"A royal official would have taken note of Nigerian travel site suggestions that modesty in clothing is preferred. I believe Nigeria is predominantly a Muslim country," Nelson told the Mirror.
However, fashion stylist Sarah Nearis approved of Markle's dresses. For her, the selection was a smart choice.
"Meghan displayed her sense of style ranging from chic maxi dresses to perfectly fitted suits. While there is really no dress code in Nigeria, people have been asking if Meghan bared too much skin while attending multiple events or if she broke any of the formal dress codes that the royal family must follow," Nearis told the Mirror.
"I thought Meghan's style for this trip was timeless, effortless and chic -- and she usually doesn't disappoint. One thing to note is that she was very much dressing for the temperatures in Nigeria which was were in the high 30's (Celsius) and very humid. Maybe she could have added a scarf for a little more coverage, but I thought she was respectful and elegant."
