The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, kicked off their visit to Nigeria with a heartwarming game of sitting volleyball in Abuja. The couple spent time with Nigeria Unconquered, a team compiling the country’s Invictus Games team, before attending a reception hosted by the Nigerian military’s chief of defence staff.
Harry and Meghan were given scarves in the green and white colors of Nigeria before watching the game, where Harry even joined in to play with the team. The players were army veterans, many wounded in battle against the country’s Islamist insurgency, including former Nigerian soldier Peacemaker Azuegbulam, who lost his leg in combat against Boko Haram.
The Duke and Duchess then attended a reception with drummers and traditional dancers, where Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairwoman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, praised Meghan’s Nigerian heritage and presented the couple with outfits made of aso oke, a hand-woven cloth from southwest Nigeria.
During his address, Harry shared a touching story from his visit to a military rehabilitation center in Kaduna, highlighting the resilience and spirit of the wounded service personnel he met. The audience was shown a video of a 3D render of a proposed Invictus Centre in Abuja, emphasizing the importance of the Invictus Games in supporting wounded, sick, and injured service personnel.
The visit to Nigeria is part of the couple’s commitment to supporting veterans and promoting the power of sports in rehabilitation and recovery. Meghan was also presented with a bouquet of roses by six-year-old Royalty Ojeh, daughter of the founder of Nigeria Unconquered, Bobby Ojeh, further cementing the warm reception they received during their visit.