Zainab James A US soldier Launches Public Search for Nigerian Father After Decades of Separation

A 31-year-old US Army soldier, Zainab James, has taken to social media in an emotional search for her long-lost Nigerian father, identified as Lateef Quadri

On  a Facebook post Sunday, Zainab shared several old photographs of her father and late mother, Claudine James. Among the images was a touching photo of Claudine while she was pregnant with Zainab, offering a glimpse into a family history she has long yearned to know more about.

Zainab revealed that she never got the chance to meet her father, who she believes is originally from Nigeria. Her post, now attracting attention online, was both a call for help and an expression of deep longing to reconnect with her roots.

According to Zainab, her mother, Claudine, passed away years ago, leaving behind little information about her father apart from his name. She hopes that someone who knows Lateef Quadri or his family can come forward to help her locate him.

“This is a piece of my life I have been missing for so long,” she wrote, appealing to the public to share any information that could reunite her with her father.

Her search has since been met with an outpouring of sympathy and encouragement from people across Nigeria and beyond, with many sharing her post in hopes of finding clues.

For Zainab, this is more than just a search — it is a journey to reclaim a part of her identity and connect with the family she hasn ever known.