Britain’s Prince Harry and wife, Meghan Markle who were on 3 – day tour to Nigeria to promote the Invictus Games for wounded Military veterans, rounded off their trip with a visit on Sunday to Lagos, the nation’s commercial hub.
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, a retired Captain in the British Army founded the Game in 2014.
At the last part of their trip, Britain’s royal couple were hosted by the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The couple were treated to a lunch by eminent Nigerians at ‘The Delborough Lagos’ Sunday afternoon, where the Duke expressed enthusiasm for Nigeria’s rich culture and communicated their satisfaction and gratitude at the unrivalled generosity of Nigerians.
The Duke of Sussex arrived with his wife on Friday in Nigeria’s capital Abuja where they visited a school event on mental health, in a trip that also saw the prince meet wounded Nigerian soldiers in the country’s northwest.
While in Nigeria, Prince Harry and Meghan, who first arrived in Abuja to meet with Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, also visited Kaduna State. The couple took part in various sporting activities that included a basketball event with the Giants of Africa Foundation in Lagos, an organisation that helps youth through engagement in the sport.
“The power of sports can change lives, it brings people together and creates community and there are no barriers which is the most important thing,” the prince said.
Their visit also took them to schools where they interacted with the children and kicked off an inaugural summit on mental health care.
They spoke to the students about mental health, and about their own children, Archie and Lilibet.
“In some cases around the world … there is a stigma when it comes to mental health. Too many people don’t want to talk about it,” Harry said. “So will you promise to us that after today, no more being scared, no more being unsure of mental health?”
The Duchess of Sussex also was a guest at a Women’s Leadership programme where the Director General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, Dr.(Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was in attendance.
The Duke and the Duchess, visiting the West African nation, Nigeria, for the first time on the invitation of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, began their three-day visit by going to the Lightway Academy, which receives support from their Archewell Foundation to train young girls affected by conflicts in Nigeria, before going on to meet with the nation’s military officers.
Harry, a former army captain who flew helicopters in Afghanistan, founded the Invictus Games 10 years ago to help bring wounded veterans into sporting events to aid with their recuperation.