He also spoke about “chapters” in the UK and Nigeria’s shared history that have “left some painful marks” and described how history not only documented past events but was a “lesson” in moving “forward together”. The glittering Windsor Castle banquet followed a day of ceremonial welcomes, carriage rides and a sit-down meeting between the King and president. Nigeria is a former British colony which resisted its foreign rulers with nationalists claiming the UK destroyed traditional governance systems, forced the amalgamation of diverse ethnic groups and presided over economic exploitation. “There are chapters in our shared history that I know have left some painful marks. Mr Tinubu’s trip is the first state visit to the UK by a leader of the west African nation in 37 years, and also the first incoming state visit by a Muslim leader during Ramadan in almost a century.

Source: The Guardian March 18, 2026 21:58 UTC