Dr Richard Montgomery, the British High Commissioner in Nigeria says people of Nigerian descent have contributed immeasurably to the development of the UK.
Montgomery said Nigerian businesses, art, and political leaders had contributed immensely to the UK.
He said this on Wednesday night in Abuja, at a reception held to mark the 76th birthday anniversary of the British monarch, King Charles III.
King Charles was crowned king of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms on May 6, 2023.
The British envoy said the monarch’s birthday party was an opportunity to celebrate his life and contributions.
He said the occasion was an opportunity to celebrate the breadth and depth of bilateral relations and look forward to a bright, confident future for both countries.
According to him, the friendship with Nigeria is underpinned by shared history and values, Commonwealth membership, and strong people-to-people ties.
“Tonight, we celebrate His Majesty, King Charles III on his 76th birthday – his second birthday party since his coronation in 2023.
“The British High Commission in Abuja thanks our stakeholders, partners, and friends for the work done together.
“We look forward to strengthening and deepening our partnerships further.
“Our commitment to support Nigeria is evidenced in the recent visit of our Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, to Nigeria which was his first visit to Africa since taking office in July,” he said.
He said that during Lammy’s visit, both countries signed a strategic partnership to strengthen their bilateral relations.
Montgomery said that the King’s birthday was Nov. 14, but was officially celebrated on June 17 when the King’s birthday parade, known as “Trooping The Colour” was held in London.
“This year, for our celebrations in Abuja, we are highlighting the UK/Nigeria partnership across many areas of close collaboration, from trade to security.
“We are also highlighting this relationship through our flagship soft-power campaign, “Jollof and Tea”, which aims to celebrate the strong links between the UK and Nigeria.
“The campaign cuts across a range of cultural areas, such as music, sports, art, literature, food, fashion, education,” he said.
The envoy said that the relationship between King Charles and Nigeria had been long enduring, adding that the monarch had made four visits to Nigeria between 1990 and 2018.
He said King Charles also met with President Bola Tinubu at the Buckingham Palace in September – a development that testified to the close ties between Nigeria and the UK.