US soldier launches search for her Nigerian father she’s never met before

A United States Army officer, Zainab James, has publicly appealed for help in finding her Nigerian father, whom she believes is named Lateef Quadri.

Zainab, born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1994, said her father was not present when she was born but played a role in one special detail, choosing her name. Her mother, the late Claudine James, was Jamaican, born on December 9, 1969, in Montego Bay.

According to Zainab, Claudine became friends with her father’s sister while they both worked in a jewelry store.

In a heartfelt Facebook post on Sunday, August 10, 2025, Zainab described her search as “a real shot in the dark” but said she was determined to try. She posted old photographs of her mother with male friends from the store, hoping one of them might be her father.

“Hey all! My mom (pictured) got pregnant with me in 1993 — I was born 1994 — while living in Brooklyn, New York. I’m looking for my father or any of his family. All I know is he was Nigerian, possibly named Lateef Quadri or something like that,” she wrote.

“They didn’t have a long-term relationship as he wasn’t present at my birth, but he did choose my name. No one in my family met him either. Apparently, she was friends with his sister who worked in a jewelry store with her.”

Zainab said she is hopeful that someone in Nigeria or abroad may recognise the name, remember her father’s sister, or have information about the family. Her appeal has started gaining attention online, with people sharing the post in hopes of helping her trace her roots.