Invited by Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Megan Markle, landed in Abuja on Friday, May 10 for a three-day trip to Nigeria. The couple visited Kaduna and, of course, ended their visit with a trip to Lagos, the centre of excellence, on Sunday, May 12.
The royals’ primary goal was to promote the Invictus Games Foundation, which “offers a recovery pathway for international wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women.” Prince Harry served the British Army in Afghanistan and founded the Invictus Games Foundation in 2014.
In Kaduna, Prince Harry visited the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital. He toured at least six wards and shook hands with about 50 wounded soldiers.
During their time in Abuja, the couple participated in a volleyball game and attended a reception hosted by the Chief of Defence Staff. The Duchess also co-hosted a Women in Leadership event with the director-general of the World Trade Organisation, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
In Lagos, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited a secondary school, the State Governor House and the Lagos Polo Club.
Here, Ikeja Record provides the details of the couple’s trip to the centre of excellence, Lagos.
Making giants in Ilupeju
The royal couple’s first port of call in Lagos was Ilupeju Senior Grammar School. There, the couple watches basketball practice and Prince Harry even got on the court, bounced some balls and shot a hoop.
The basketball court at the school was unveiled in 2021 as part of a youth basketball clinic founded by Masai Ujiri’s Giants of Africa. Ujiri is the British-born Nigerian/Kenyan-Canadian professional basketball executive and Vice-Chairman of the Toronto Raptors.
“We are grateful to be joined by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at this basketball clinic here in Lagos,” Ujiri said, as reported by ThisDay newspaper. He added:
“Basketball has the power to unite communities and inspire young people to reach their full potential. Teaming up with the Archewell Foundation, we look forward to creating experiences for young people, empowering them to become leaders, while also fostering pathways to opportunity and hope.”
The Archewell Foundation, a non-profit organisation created by Prince Harry and Meghan, and Giants of Africa are set to construct a basketball court in Abuja.
Prince Harry said
“What you guys are doing here at Giants of Africa is truly amazing,” Prince Harry said at the basketball event. “The power of sport can change lives. It brings people together and creates community”.
The Duchess of Sussex said she had first heard about Giants of Africa when she lived in Toronto:
I lived in Toronto for seven years and that was the first time I’d heard of Giants of Africa – talk about full circle– never did I think we would be able to be here all those years later supporting the expansion of this incredible organisation, through our foundation the Archewell Foundation. We’re so grateful and proud of all the work that you’re doing”.
A stately welcome
The next port of call was the State House in Marina. The royal couple were received by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu during a closed-door meeting.
“It was a pleasure to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and share the vibrant culture of Lagos with our esteemed guests,” the Governor said.
According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, they discussed the importance of mental health, especially for military personnel:
I commend the Duke and Duchess for spotlighting this crucial issue. Their commitment to supporting our heroes in uniform is truly inspiring.
We also discussed the amazing work they are doing with the Invictus Games and the valuable global insights that will be beneficial for us.
We’re excited about the potential collaborations that could help our veterans and active military members feel more supported. Looking forward to potential opportunities to host the Invictus Games in Nigeria and to showcase the resilience and spirit of our people.
At the State House press briefing, the Duchess of Sussex wore a yellow dress that covered her toes. She also had a greenish aso-oke material draped across her shoulder. Prince Harry wore a light-coloured suit, white shirt, black tie and pants.
Enjoying a game of polo
The couple’s final stop was at the Lagos Polo Club in Ikoyi, one of Nigeria’s oldest and most prestigious social clubs.
According to Vanity Fair, Prince Harry is an avid polo player and the couple are reportedly working on a professional polo show with Netflix.
At the Club, the couple attended a reception celebrating Nigeria: Unconquered, the Nigerian charity working alongside the Invictus Games Foundation to support wounded servicemen.
According to Vanity Fair, the Duchess of Sussex wore a dress by Johanna Ortiz and a pair of Heidi Merrick sunglasses. Prince Harry wore a dark suit.
The reception included a pre-game parade, featuring children dressed in polo gear and wielding Nigeria’s green-white-green flag, and older children riding on horseback, People reported.
Then the couple watched a polo match between two teams, Duke vs. Duchess. The duchess’s team won 5–3. The couple participated in awarding medals to the players after the match and Prince Harry delivered an impromptu speech expressing his gratitude at the hospitality he had received in Nigeria.