Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, embarked on a visit to Nigeria to promote the Invictus Games, an initiative founded by the Prince to aid in the rehabilitation of wounded and sick service members and veterans.
The royal couple’s first-ever visit to West Africa comes at the invitation of the Nigerian military, with their arrival in the capital city of Abuja on Friday morning confirmed by defence spokesman Brigadier General Tukur Gusau.
During their visit, Prince Harry and Meghan will meet with wounded soldiers and their families, with the aim of boosting morale and wellbeing.
Nigerian officials have hailed this engagement as a significant opportunity for the recovery of Nigerian soldiers.
“This engagement with Invictus is giving us the opportunity for the recovery of our soldiers,” Abidemi Marquis, the Director of Sports at Nigeria’s DefenCe Headquarters, told reporters on Thursday.
Founded in 2014 by Prince Harry, who himself served in Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter copilot gunner, believed that the Invictus Games will provide wounded veterans and service members the challenge of competing in sports events akin to the Paralympics. Nigeria participated in last year’s edition of the games.
Additionally, the royal couple will attend basketball and volleyball matches and meet with local non-governmental organizations in Abuja and Lagos that receive their support.
Meghan will co-host an event on women in leadership with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization, according to their spokesman Charlie Gipson.
The news of Meghan’s visit has stirred excitement among Nigerians who closely follow her life and association with the British royal family.
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The Nigerian military has emphasized the significance of the Invictus Games in aiding the recovery of thousands of personnel engaged in the fight against Boko Haram Islamic extremists since 2009.
Abidemi Marquis, the military’s sports director, highlighted the positive impact of the recovery program on soldiers stating, “Eighty percent of our soldiers that have been involved in this recovery programme are getting better (and) their outlook on life is positive.
“The recovery programme has given them an opportunity to improve their personal self-esteem, to improve their mental health and emotional intelligence,” he added.
