Nigeria’s First Lady is taking a stand against any “nakedness” in local fashion, following Meghan Markle’s recent visit to the country where she was criticized for her revealing ensembles.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of President Bola Tinubu, addressed the West African nation during the first anniversary of her husband’s administration and took aim at the scantily clad fashions being popularized by American stars. Tinubu focused her speech on Nigeria’s young women to encourage them not to emulate what they see coming out of the Western world, The New York Post reported.
“We have to salvage our children,” she declared. “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.”
“Tell them we don’t accept nakedness in our culture. That is not beautiful. It’s not beautiful at all,” Tinubu added.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, advised young girls not to emulate US celebrities after Meghan Markle's visit to Nigeria: “They are all beautiful girls but they should be confident to know they are. They don't want to be like…even they are mimicking and trying to emulate… pic.twitter.com/iV7emHj4Vs — Episodes (@episodesent) May 28, 2024
While the First Lady didn’t publicly criticize the Duchess of Sussex’s fashion choices while in Nigeria, she did reference her visit as a way to instill pride in Nigerian women and their ability to influence style.
“Why did Meghan 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,” Tinubu said.
“They’re all beautiful girls, but they should be confident in who they are. We are fashionable, we see what is going on.”
Tinubu ended with a call to action urging elder Nigerian women to bring their families and local communities together to ensure the prosperity of their nation.
“When mothers stand with you, the house is in order,” she said. “Looking ahead, we must endeavor to become the unifying force in our homes and our communities, to bring about greater prosperity for our nation.”
‘We do not want nakedness in our culture’: Nigeria’s first lady slams U.S. celebs after Meghan Markle visit https://t.co/ggd9o13t8u pic.twitter.com/NZAJfWdBKx — New York Post (@nypost) May 27, 2024
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were in Nigeria for three days earlier this month to promote the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games. While there, Markle shared her roots in the country following a DNA test that revealed she is 43% Nigerian.
During their visit, Markle was criticized by the media for the expensive and revealing clothes she wore at public events with some calling out her outfits that “bared too much skin” or needed “more modesty.” Some claimed she wouldn’t have shown so much skin if Buckingham Palace had organized the events.
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