Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle dey come Nigeria?

Di Nigeria Defence Headquarters don tok say Prince Harry and im wife, Meghan Markle go visit Nigeria on Friday to meet wit some wounded Nigerian sojas.

Dis three-day visit na part of events to mark di 10th year anniversary of di 'Invictus Games' wey Prince Harry na one of di founders in 2014.

Di 'Invictus Games' na sporting tournament wey involve different kind of sports for sojas wey get injury or dey wounded in di course of dia service. Both serving and retired servicemen fit take part in di games.

Prince Harry bin dey motivated to start di events afta im witness di 'Warrior Games' for America in 2013, and experience how sports fit help in physical and psychological healing. 'Invictus' na latin word for 'unconquered'.

As part of dia program for Nigeria, Prince Harry and Meghan go meet wit di Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, on Friday, and dem go also visit one school togeda, bifor dem go visit some wounded soldiers for hospital.

"Dem go proceed to Kaduna to visit di Nigerian Army Reference Hospital wia some Nigerian sojas dey collect treatment. Dem go also use di opportunity to visit di Executive Governor of Kaduna State," Abidemi Marquis wey be di Director of Sports for di Defence Headquarters tok on Thursday.

"On Saturday, we go get a novelty match between di CDS team and di Duke team. E go be a volleyball match in di morning, and na opportunity to engage di wounded and injured sojas, and thereafter dem go tok wit some wounded sojas and dia families and oda serving service men."

Sunday go see di former royal couple travel to Lagos to visit a charity wey dem bin dey support to commission one basketball court wey dem build for di school. Dem go den meet wit di Lagos State govnor for a reception.

Di Defence HQ emphasise say di visit "na on di invitation of di Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria, na private visit e be no be state visit".

Marquis also tok say Meghan Markle dey excited to use di opportunity to visit and explore Nigeria especially as a recent DNA test suggest say she get 43% Nigerian ancestry.

Nigeria's participation for Invictus games

Although di Invictus Games dey for im 10th Anniversary dis year, Nigeria first take part in di games in 2023 for Düsseldorf in Germany.

Dis make Team Nigeria di first African nation to dey represented in di international sporting event.

"For di last Invictus Games in Germany, for di very first time Nigeria participate, we win a gold and a bronze medal," oga Abidemi Marquis tok.

"Na we be di only nation wey dey participate for di first time wey win medal."

Dominic Reid, di CEO of di Invictus Games Foundation, tok say "wen Nigeria join di Invictus Games community, di intention na to use di Invictus Endeavours Programme to fund sport recovery opportunities for Nigeria".

Now, di Nigeria defence hierarchy dey set dia targets higher as dem dey explore di possibility of hosting di games in di nearest future.

Team Nigeria dey expected to also participate in di next edition of di Invictus Games wey go be for Vancouver-Whistler, Canada, in February 2025.



Nigeria na di first African kontri to participate in di Invictus Games and dia first participation na di 2023 edition wey hold for Düsseldorf, Germany.