Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Nigeria last month, partly due to Meghan’s recently discovered Nigerian heritage.
During their visit to Iwo, Meghan was honored with a traditional Chieftaincy Title from the Oluwu of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, a traditional ruler in Nigerian society. Additionally, the Oluwu bestowed upon Meghan the Yoruba name Adetokunbo.
After the trip, Meghan wrote to Oba to express her gratitude for the name and the hospitality extended to them.
The letter sent by the Duchess was obtained by the Western Post and in it, Meghan writes: “Your Imperial Majesty, Thank you for your warm welcome to Nigeria. I am deeply humbled by your blessing of the traditional Yoruba name, Adetokunbo. I treasure the name and appreciate your trust in me to carry it with grace and dignity.”
The mum-of-two concluded: “Our visit to Nigeria was important for many reasons, but not least because it gave us an opportunity to explore and understand my heritage, which extends to our children. We look forward to coming back home one day.”
Meghan concluded her letter, which featured her official cypher, with her signature, “Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.” During their trip, the couple also visited a school. Speaking to People, the Duchess shared how deeply the children impacted her.
“I saw myself in them,” she explained. “I see the potential in all of these young girls—and, by the way, in these young boys as well. It’s what we see in our own children—to give them that promise and excitement for their futures.”
Harry also spoke passionately about the importance of such trips, emphasizing the value of physically engaging with the communities they deeply care about. “Trips allow us to focus on the things that mean so much to us,” he explained, noting that genuine change stems from “being on the ground.”
The couple’s foundation, Archewell, recently partnered with the Geanco Foundation to lead surgical missions, promote maternal health, and provide scholarships to young female victims of terrorism in Nigeria.
Reflecting on their extensive charity work, Meghan highlighted that their mission through Archewell is to “show up, do good,” emphasizing their commitment to “taking action and using our unique platform to uplift and unite communities.”
