We use essential cookies and third-party cookies for content.

Pallade Veneta - Prince Harry, Meghan visit Nigeria for Invictus drive

Prince Harry, Meghan visit Nigeria for Invictus drive

POLITICS 10.05.2024
Prince Harry, Meghan visit Nigeria for Invictus drive
Prince Harry, Meghan visit Nigeria for Invictus drive / Photo: Kola SULAIMON - AFP

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle visited Nigeria on Friday as part of his promotion of the Invictus Games, the sporting event he founded for wounded military veterans.

Change text size:

The couple arrived Friday in the Nigerian capital Abuja where they visited a school to open an event on mental health for students there in a trip that will also see the prince meet with wounded Nigerian soldiers.

Greeted by a drum and dance group from the Igbo ethnic group, Prince Harry and Meghan toured the Lightway Academy where they were welcomed by pupils.

"If you take anything away from today, just know that mental health affects every single person," he told students, wearing a traditional Nigerian bead necklace around his neck.

"The more you talk about it the more you can kick stigma away."

Meghan joined the Duke of Sussex on the stage before they left for a meeting with Nigerian military commanders as part of the Invictus programme.

"I see myself in all of you," she told the children to applause.

Excited pupils waved the couple off outside the academy.

"It was really cool. I just wanted to touch him," said student Nnena Edeh, 13, as the prince left the school. "It was really inspiring."

Prince Harry was in London on Wednesday to mark the 10th anniversary of the games. As with all his trips to the UK since he moved to the United States in 2020, his visit prompted fresh speculation over a reconciliation with his family.

Harry, a former army captain who served as a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan, founded Invictus in 2014. Since then the games have expanded, boosting rehabilitation through sports.

He was invited to visit by Nigeria's military command.

Last year, former Nigerian soldier Peacemaker Azuegbulam, who lost his leg in combat, became the first African to win a gold at the games in Germany.

Nigeria’s military said on Thursday that Harry would take part in a sporting event in the capital and also travel to Kaduna in Nigeria’s northwest to visit a military hospital and speak with troops wounded in combat.

He would later travel to the country's economic capital Lagos.

Nigeria’s military forces are battling armed groups on several fronts.

A grinding jihadist insurgency in the northeast has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced another two million more since 2009.

 

F.Dodaro--PV

Featured

Ex-Joint Staff Chief Yoshida Warns U.S. Politics Has Become a 'Variable' in Indo-Pacific Security

Yoshihide Yoshida, the former highest-ranking uniformed officer in Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, has described U.S. politics as a “variable” amid Washington’s increasing prioritization of national interests over liberal international values. In a recent interview, the president of the National Defense Academy warned that preventing a hot war in the Indo-Pacific remains the region’s most critical security challenge.

Kuwaitis Elected to Senior Leadership Roles at ALECSO

Kuwait has secured two senior leadership positions within the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) following its General Conference in Muscat. Minister of Education Sayed Jalal Al-Tabtabaei welcomed the elected officials upon their return, describing the outcome as a testament to Kuwait's diplomatic influence and the trust placed in its national talent by other Arab nations.

Arizona Superintendent-Elect Teresa Leyba Ruiz Outlines Agenda on Vouchers, Teacher Retention, and AI

Teresa Leyba Ruiz has been elected Arizona’s next Superintendent of Public Instruction, defeating State Treasurer Kimberly Yee in a race focused on public education funding and accountability. In her first detailed interview since the November 5 election results were certified, Ruiz outlined her immediate priorities for the Department of Education, including the closure of the controversial Empower Hotline, a push for greater transparency in the state’s expanded school voucher system, and new guidelines for artificial intelligence in classrooms. Ruiz emphasized that her administration will prioritize supporting public schools and stabilizing the teacher workforce over ideological litigation.

Arlington sentinel rebukes Pete Hegseth entourage for laughter near memorial

A US Army sentinel guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery instructed members of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s entourage to remain silent after laughter was heard during a Veterans Day visit.

Change text size: