The Invictus Games, which Prince Harry founded to aid in the rehabilitation of sick and injured service members and veterans, and mental health for young people affected by conflicts are the two main reasons for Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, arrivied in Nigeria on Friday amid fanfare and dancing.
The couple, who was invited by the country’s military to visit the West African nation for the first time, started their three-day visit by visiting the Lightway Academy school, which is trained by their Archewell foundation to help young girls impacted by conflicts in Nigeria. Later, they met with military officers from the country.
According to Nigerian officials, Harry and Meghan will also be meeting with injured soldiers and their families as a gesture of solidarity to boost the spirits of the troops, particularly those engaged in a 14-year battle against Islamic extremists in the northeast of the nation.
After serving as an Apache helicopter copilot and gunner in Afghanistan, Harry launched the Invictus Games in 2014 to provide injured veterans and active service members with the opportunity to compete in Paralympic-style sports. Nigeria was one of the countries that took part in the previous year’s games.
Excited students and teachers greeted the pair with a dancing troupe at the Abuja school, where they started off the first-ever mental health summit held by the local non-profit GEANCO, which partners with their foundation.
“We must recognize those incredible dancing skills!” stated Meghan. “My hubby was eager to get up!”
After that, they entered the classrooms and engaged with the kids, who displayed robot cars that they had constructed.
They discussed mental health with the schoolchildren and shared stories of Archie and Lilibet, their own kids.
It is true that there is sometimes a stigma associated with mental health issues worldwide. Too many individuals are reluctant to discuss it, according to Harry. “So, after today, will you swear to us that you won’t be afraid or uncertain about your mental health?”
Make contact with injured soldiers
According to Nigerian officials, Harry and Meghan’s visit with injured soldiers and their families is an attempt to boost the soldiers’ spirits and general well-being.
“We have the chance to recover our soldiers because of this engagement with Invictus,” Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters’ head of sports, Abidemi Marquis, told reporters on Thursday.
After serving as an Apache helicopter copilot and gunner in Afghanistan, Harry launched the Invictus Games in 2014 to provide injured veterans and active military personnel with the opportunity to compete in Paralympic-style sports.
The itinerary for the couple
They will meet with local non-governmental groups in Abuja and Lagos that they support during their visit, as well as go to basketball and volleyball games.
The World Trade Organization’s Director General, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, will co-host an event on women in leadership with Meghan, according to their spokesperson Charlie Gipson.
In Nigeria, where Meghan’s life and connection to the British royal family are highly publicized, word of her arrival caused considerable excitement.
Effect of the match
The Nigerian military has promoted the Invictus Games as a potential aid in the recuperation of hundreds of its soldiers who have been engaged in combat with local Boko Haram Islamic extremists and their affiliates since the war was initiated in 2009.
The military’s sports director, Marquis, stated, “80% of our soldiers who have been involved in this recovery program are getting better (and) their outlook to life is positive.”
“The recovery program has given them an opportunity to improve their personal self-esteem, to improve their mental health and emotional intelligence.”
