King Charles III says Nigeria has “profoundly enriched” the British culture in more ways than one.
The monarch spoke on Wednesday while delivering a speech at
the state banquet hosted in honour of President Bola Tinubu and his wife,
Oluremi Tinubu.
The president and the first lady are in the United Kingdom
for a state visit — the first by a Nigerian leader in 37 years.
King Charles III described the bond between Nigeria and the
UK as enduring, adding that Britons “cherish their personal connection to
Nigeria”.
“We in the United Kingdom are blessed that so many people of
Nigerian heritage, having chosen Britain as their home, are now at the heart of
British life through excelling at the highest levels of business, technology,
academia, law, science, sport, literature and the arts, and public service,” he
said.
“I have met so many of these quiet heroes in our schools,
businesses, National Health Service and universities, including countless young
people who have flourished through the work of my King’s Trust over the last
fifty years. Only last week, I was delighted to host a rather lively group of
them for a ‘Jollof and Tea’ party at St. James’s Palace. I was firmly assured
that the Jollof was only the best: Nigerian, of course… or perhaps Ghanaian or
Senegalese. Diplomatically, I cannot remember!
“But who could have imagined that, when I first visited
Nigeria thirty-six years ago today, so many of those I might have met would
have gone on to have such an impact in the United Kingdom. From Afrobeats
filling our concert halls and Nollywood captivating our screens, to stars
competing in our Premier League and adjudicating our highest courts, so much of
Britain’s culture is, in truth, profoundly enriched by Nigeria.
“Whether they are Nigerians who have chosen Britain as their
adopted place to invest, trade or study, or Britons who cherish their personal
connection to Nigeria, they all represent a living bridge of over half a
million people who connect our nations, Mr President, and help make our
cultures richer, our shared security stronger and our economies more
prosperous.”
King Charles III added that the state visit is an
“opportunity to celebrate the fact that Nigeria is investing in Britain’s
future as much as Britain is investing in Nigeria’s”.
“The friendship between our two countries, Mr President, is
a partnership of equals that has brought us both enormous benefits. It has been
described to me as a deeply spiritual connection – beyond churches and mosques
– a deep bond through which we have strengthened our shared security, ensured
our economies are more prosperous, and empowered each other to believe in a
more hopeful future,” the monarch said.
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