President Bola Tinubu has called on the United Kingdom to maintain and strengthen support for Nigeria in addressing terrorism, emphasising that bilateral cooperation remained pivotal to the security and stability of West Africa.

Speaking at a state banquet at Windsor Castle, yesterday, Tinubu highlighted the decades-long historical ties between Nigeria and Britain, describing the two nations’ shared history, culture, and institutions as a strong foundation for collaboration on security, economic, and social issues.

Addressing an audience that included King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, the president described the occasion as historic, noting that he was the first Nigerian leader to speak at Windsor Castle, a symbol of Britain’s continuity and governance traditions.

On regional security, Tinubu pointed to terrorism challenges in the Sahel and West Africa, noting that Nigeria carried a significant responsibility in safeguarding regional stability.

He said partnership with the United Kingdom remained essential for intelligence sharing, training, and coordinated counterterrorism measures.

The president also disclosed that his visit to the UK included a scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer later today, where discussions would focus on security cooperation, economic collaboration, and strengthening trade and investment ties.

“Our West African region faces complex terrorism challenges with roots in the Sahel. Nigeria carries an enormous responsibility to help safeguard regional stability.

“In confronting these threats, partnership with the United Kingdom remains essential and I look forward to my meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer tomorrow (today)” he stated.

Tinubu traced Nigeria’s legal and institutional frameworks to British influence, highlighting the adoption of English common law in the judiciary, parliamentary traditions in legislative structures, and administrative models in the civil service.

He said these foundations had helped Nigeria build a stable and resilient democratic system while adapting British models to the Nigerian context.

The president also celebrated the Nigerian diaspora in the United Kingdom, noting their contributions to the National Health Service, business, education, and sports.

He cited Nigerian-trained doctors and nurses as critical to the success of UK’s healthcare system and highlighted prominent Nigerian-descended athletes including footballers, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze, rugby star Maro Itoje, and boxing champion Anthony Joshua, as living symbols of the enduring connection between the two nations.

Tinubu emphasised Nigeria’s potential as a nation of young, dynamic people and innovative entrepreneurs, even as he expressed confidence in the country’s ability to harness its human and natural resources for economic growth and social development.

The Nigerian leader noted that collaboration with the UK through the Commonwealth of Nations provided an additional platform for strengthening trade, investment, education, and governance links across 56 member states.

Tinubu reflected on Nigeria’s history, recalling the support extended by the United Kingdom during the country’s pro-democracy struggle in the 1990s.

He personally acknowledged that his life and those of other pro-democracy advocates were protected while in exile in the UK, with the Metropolitan Police providing surveillance to safeguard him against threats from the military junta.

“Your Majesty, I wish to express Nigeria’s deep gratitude to this great nation for the refuge and support it extended during the dark years of military dictatorship.

“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 following threats from agents of the junta.

“That solidarity remains etched in our collective memory, and it is deeply humbling for me to stand before Your Majesty today as the President of a democratic Nigeria,” Tinubu said.

Discussing historical ties, Tinubu also highlighted shared values, including respect for democracy, rule of law, and civic responsibility, noting that British thinkers such as John Locke, Edmund Burke, and Thomas Hobbes, had influenced democratic principles that underpinned governance in both countries.

At the same time, he cited British literary figures, including William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, whose work has shaped the English language globally, which remains Nigeria’s official language and a bridge for trade and cultural exchange.

Besides, economic cooperation featured prominently in Tinubu’s remarks, noting that Nigeria and the UK were working together to expand trade, attract investment, and support innovation in multiple sectors.

He highlighted Nigerian entrepreneurs and businesses as vital drivers of growth, particularly in agriculture, technology, and creative industries, while stressing UK’s role as a longstanding partner in these efforts.

He expressed the hope that despite its many problems, Nigeria was on the verge of renaissance.

“Despite these challenges, Nigeria approaches the future with hope and confidence. We are a nation of diverse and vibrant people, of young people dreaming big, of entrepreneurs with a global outlook, and of a hopeful people determined to realise their full potential,” he stressed.

Tinubu, therefore, expressed gratitude to the United Kingdom for its historical support and for nurturing the enduring friendship between the two nations.

He invited attendees to raise a toast to the continued partnership, reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to working with the UK in building security, prosperity, and mutual understanding.

King Charles: Nigeria Has Shown People of Different Faiths Can Live Together in Peace

British monarch, King Charles III, has said Nigeria has shown that people of different faiths could live together in peace, harmony and shared purpose.

Speaking last night in London at a state dinner in honour of President Bola Tinubu, the monarch recalled earlier in the day when “you and I witnessed one such example of how we are learning from one another when we met leaders of the British Christian and Muslim communities.”

According to him, “The gathering was a deeply meaningful symbol of what Nigeria has long shown: that people of different faiths can, do, and must live alongside one another, in peace, in harmony and in shared purpose.

“It was also a timely reminder of the importance of standing with you – and in us strengthening your Quick Reaction Forces, or in providing food, nutrition and protection services in Northern Nigeria – when challenges disturb the age-old balance between these communities.”

The monarch also told President Tinubu that Nigeria was an economic powerhouse, a cultural force and an influential diplomatic voice from a continent that is playing an increasingly important role in the world.

He stated: “In a vastly interconnected global environment, one that is changing at unimaginable speed, that leadership brings responsibility – and opportunity. I heed the Yoruba wisdom – and forgive me if I say it in English… that ‘rain does not fall on one roof alone’.

“As you observed so astutely before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in 2024, ‘if we didn’t have this global alliance… of fifty-six member states, 2.7 billion people and a combined G.D.P. forecast soon to surpass twenty trillion U.S. dollars… there would be a need to create one’.

“I believe firmly that, when rain clouds gather, we can tighten the grip of friendship between us and, in so doing, reinforce the central role of the Commonwealth in our shared future.”

He further talked about examples of living bridge especially economic ties that joined Britain and Nigeria together.

His words: “As the connections between our nations deepen every day, so too do the economic ties. Your visit has provided the opportunity to celebrate the fact that Nigeria is investing in Britain’s future as much as Britain is investing in Nigeria’s – leading Nigerian banks have chosen the City of London as a global base, examples of the best Nigerian companies have listed on London’s Stock Exchange, and U.K. Export Finance is supporting investment in Nigeria’s ports.

“In education, British schools and universities are opening their doors in Nigeria, and British and Nigerian technology companies are forming ever closer partnerships. I was pleased to see that visitors from Nigeria spent £178 million in Britain in 2024, and 251,000 people from Britain travelled to Nigeria and spent just as much, in return.

“In January of this year, Nigeria became the United Kingdom’s biggest export market in Africa and whilst I hear that in Nigeria the phrase ‘Made in U.K.’ has always symbolised the highest quality, it evidently now has a distinctively Nigerian flavour…

“The friendship between our two countries, Mr President, is a partnership of equals that has brought us both enormous benefits. It has been described to me as a deeply spiritual connection – beyond churches and mosques – a deep bond through which we have strengthened our shared security, ensured our economies are more prosperous, and empowered each other to believe in a more hopeful future.

“The many dynamic connections between our two nations have deep roots and yet I do not pretend that those roots are without a shadow. There are chapters in our shared history that I know have left some painful marks. I do not seek to offer words that dissolve the past, for no words can. “But I do believe, as I know you believe, Mr President, that history is not merely a record of what was done to us – it is a lesson in how we go forward together to continue building a future rooted in hope and growth for all, and worthy of those who bore the pains of the past.” (This Day)