The First Lady of Nigeria took aim at the “nakedness” of American film stars just days after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s visited the country.
The couple, who visited in their capacity as private citizens, spent three days in Nigeria celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu, 63, made the comments during a speech celebrating her husband’s first year in office and discussed her hopes for the modesty of Nigerian women and girls.
She did so while slamming the “nakedness” of “film stars from America”, with representatives for the First Lady later confirming that she was not referring to Meghan specifically.
The First Lady said Nigerian women and girls “do not want to mimic and try to emulate film stars from America” with their “nakedness.”
“The message here is we have to salvage our children. We see the way they dress,” she said.
The First Lady continued: “They keep forgetting that Nigeria, we are beautiful. You can see what they showcase on the stage, I said, ‘We are fashionable, we see what is going on.’
“We are not having the Met Gala. And everyone, the nakedness, is just everywhere and the men are well-clothed.
“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.
“And they’re all beautiful girls, but they should be confident in 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.
“Why did Meghan come here looking for Africa? That is something we have to take home with. We know who we are. Don’t lose who you are.”
The First Lady’s comment about American film stars comes after Meghan claimed that she is 43 percent Nigerian and described the nation as “my country”.
She made the revelation on her visit, where she expressed her joy at being able to learn more about her heritage.
Speaking at an event on women in leadership in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, Meghan said: “Never in a million years would I understand [Nigeria] as much as I do now.
“And what has been echoed so much in the past day is, ‘Oh, we are not so surprised when we found out you are Nigerian’.
“It is a compliment to you because what they define as a Nigerian woman is brave, resilient, courageous, beautiful.”
The first lady, meanwhile, appeared to wait until after Meghan had left the country to criticise her apparent lack of clothing.
