King Charles III has celebrated Nigeria’s deep impact on British culture, declaring it has “profoundly enriched” the UK in countless ways.
The King made the remarks on Wednesday during a state banquet honouring President Bola Tinubu and his wife, Oluremi Tinubu.
The visit marked the first by a Nigerian leader to the UK in 37 years. Charles highlighted the “enduring bond” between the nations, noting that Britons deeply “cherish their personal connections 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 was 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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