President Bola Tinubu recounted on Wednesday how Britain sheltered him and other pro-democracy activists during Nigeria’s military dictatorship, evoking the deep historical ties between the two nations during a state banquet at Windsor Castle.
Speaking before King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, President Tinubu described the United Kingdom as a refuge within threats from Nigeria’s junta in the 1990s.
“Like many Nigerians involved in the pro-democracy struggle, I found safety here, and I recall that my residence was placed under Metropolitan Police surveillance for protection,” he said.
“That solidarity remains etched in our collective memory.”
President Tinubu, on a state visit to Britain, called it a “profound honour” to address guests at Windsor Castle, which he said has symbolized continuity for nearly 1,000 years.
He stressed shared foundations in governance, crediting Britain’s Magna Carta, philosophers like John Locke and Edmund Burke, and literary giants such as Shakespeare and Dickens.
Nigeria’s courts, he noted, draw from English common law, while its parliamentary system reflects centuries-old British constitutional practices.
The Nigerian leader also praised the contributions of the Nigerian diaspora in Britain to fields like health care and sports, and emphasized Nigeria’s role in combating terrorism in West Africa.
He called for continued partnership between the nations.
Raising a toast, President Tinubu said: “To the special bond between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, and to the bright future that we shall build together. God bless His Majesty the King. God bless Nigeria. God bless the United Kingdom.”
