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Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex and wife of Prince Harry William, has penned an appreciation letter to Osun State monarch, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, Oluwo of Iwo,
for the warm hospitality he accorded her during a recent visit to Nigeria.
In a statement by the monarch’s Press Secretary, Alli Ibrahim, on Saturday, June 1, 2024, Oluwo revealed that Markle's letter was to acknowledge the Yoruba name, Adetokunbo he gave her during her trip to Nigeria.
In mid-May, the royal couple were on a three-day working visit to Africa's most populous country to show support to wounded veterans and meet with relevant stakeholders.
“Oluwo was invited as the only Yoruba Oba to give her a royal reception at Delborough Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos. Therein, Oba Akanbi bestowed on her a Yoruba name and presented gifts of Ofi and royal beads,” Ibrahim said.
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After taking a genealogy test to learn more about her family's ancestry in 2022, the Duchess of Sussex disclosed that she is 43% Nigerian.
Meanwhile, Markle told Oluwo that she treasured her new Yoruba name, adding that the visit to Nigeria provided her the opportunity to explore and understand her heritage.
“Thank you for your warm welcome to Nigeria. I’m 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.
“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 soon,” her letter to Oluwo, as quoted in the release, partly read.