At an event that kept participants waiting for about an hour 45 minutes, the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan, were yesterday hosted at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja as part of a bid to promote Invictus Games, a sport event for military personnel wounded in action.
Lasting for about 30 minutes, Harry and Meghan, who arrived at the Defence Headquarters quietly in four SUVs, reviewed a military quarter guard mounted in their honour before a close out session at the headquarters.
Received amid pomp and pageantry with cultural troupes and wives of military officers, who were dressed in printed ankara, Harry and wife had a conversation with a former participant at the Invictus Games, Peacemaker Azuegbulam, before being ushered into the Chief of Defence Staff’s office by wives of the service chiefs, where he spent about 30 minutes holding a private meeting.
After the meeting, the Duke and Duchess took their time to have a handshake with dozens of wives of military officers who were in a single file after which they left.
It was gathered that they were setting out for Laduna, where he would be visiting wounded soldiers. The couple, who arrived the Defence Headquarters at around 1.45pm, had visited school children at the Lights Academy in Abuja.
Meghan told the students they were “honoured to be visiting Nigeria.” The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had announced last Thursday that Prince Harry would be arriving Abuja yesterday to visit wounded soldiers.
Prince Harry is respected among world militaries for launching the Invictus Games in 2014, a sport event for military personnel wounded in action.
The game first took place in London in 2014. The word Invictus is Latin for unconquered, chosen as an embodiment of the fighting spirit of the wounded, injured and sick service personnel and what they can achieve, post-injury.
The sport has helped to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect for those who serve their country in the military.
