Glamsquad Magazine November 2022

What a Great Time to be Nigerian: Meghan Markle Reveals Her Roots Amenna Daayo Meghan Markle has revealed that a DNA genetic ancestry test she carried out a couple of years ago revealed she is 43% Nigerian! Wow, that is a high percentage! The Duchess of Sussex made the revelation during the latest episode of her podcast, Archetypes. After revealing that her roots were linked to Nigeria, the Duchess expressed her desire to learn more about the country, its tribes, and traditions. The revelation made it clear that Meghan had kept this information a secret for some years. However, the editors at <strong>Glamsquad</strong> believe that sitting with a highly accomplished Nigerian may have triggered some sensors – that prompted Meghan to reveal her roots in pride. The episode where Meghan revealed her Nigerian heritage had the renowned Nigerian- American writer Ziwe Fumudoh in attendance. So, we may be right about our assertion – well, we believe we are – and no one can 32 www.glamsquadmagazine.com

tell us otherwise! “I just had my genealogy done a couple of years ago,” Markle had stated. Then when her guests asked her to share what the results entailed, she said, “I just had my genealogy done a couple of years ago, I’m 43% Nigerian.” A visibly surprised Ziwe Fumudoh asked, “Are you serious? This is huge. Igbo, Yoruba, do we know?” Answering the question, the Duchess of Sussex said, “I’m going to start to dig deeper into all of this because anyone that I’ve told, especially Nigerian women, are just like, what?” The podcast revelation was the first time Meghan opened up about her ancestral background to the public. However, it is obvious that Meghan is now more concerned about Nigerians and issues concerning Nigerians. A recent press release confirmed that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry donated to support victims of the devastating floods experienced in Nigeria due to heavy rain and water released from a dam in neighbouring Cameroon. More than 600 people have been killed, and around 1.4 million have been displaced in the floods, which destroyed 440,000 hectares of farmland across Nigeria. Save the Children Nigeria tweeted: “More than 1.5 million children are at risk after devastating flooding in Nigeria. “Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Archewell Foundation has donated to Save the Children “ I just had my genealogy done a couple of years ago, I’m 43% Nigerian. in Nigeria as our teams deliver life-saving supplies to affected families.” This revelation tees us perfectly for the release of the book by Prince Harry, titled ‘Spare’. The publishers say it is a tell-all book that will be controversial and have some hard revelations. The memoir will be released on January 10, 2023. Only time will tell how many more revelations await us in the book. Well, we are ready! You will recall that this is not the first time a famous figure is tracing their roots to Nigeria. Shirley Veronica Bassey, the famous Welsh singer. Best known for her career longevity, powerful voice, and recording the theme songs to three James Bond films, she was born to a Nigerian father. LeVar Burton - the famous American actor, director, producer, presenter, and author. Bishop T. D. Jakes – Head Pastor of The Potter’s House church, and many others have traced their roots to Nigeria. It is a great time to be a Nigerian, don’t you agree? Disclaimer: Many reports claim that the William sisters – Serena and Venus- have Nigerian roots. Well, we can confirm to you that this is not true. They are Africans, for sure – but not Nigerians. www.glamsquadmagazine.com 33