On June 12, 1973, Queen Elizabeth (April 21, 1926 – September 8, 2022) hosted General Yakubu Gowon (91) and his wife, Victoria (80), for a State visit at Buckingham Palace.

The visit lasted till June 15. The Queen also hosted President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari (February 25, 1925- December 28, 2018) from March 17 to March 20, 1981. I covered the visit for The Punch at that time.

The hotel I was, in Central London at that time, housed the National chairman of the NPN, Chief Augustus Meridith Adisa Akinloye (August 19, 1916 – September 18, 2007) and the National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Suleiman Takuma (April 14, 1934 – September 4 2001).

The fear of the two men was that the UPN supporters would organise in London to disrupt the state visit of President Shehu Shagari.
In interviews I had with them they were so sure that the UPN supporters would sabotage the visit. Their fears did not come to pass, as most Nigerians in London at that time wore native attires with Nigeria’s flags. The state visit was successful in that cold weather.

On May 9, 1989, Queen Elizabeth hosted General Ibrahim Babangida (85) and his wife, Mariam (November 1, 1948 – December 27, 2009) at the Buckingham Palace. The visit ended on May 12, 1989. Nigeria and South Africa are the only countries so far to be hosted in Buckingham Palace, three times, among African nations. Whereas Congo has been hosted once, same with Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Sudan, Senegal, Morocco, Malawi, Liberia, Kenya, Ghana, Egypt and Ethiopia.

President Jacob Zuma of South Africa and his wife, Thobeka Mabhija Zuma, were hosted between March 3 to March 5, 2010. President John Kuffour of Ghana and his wife, Theresa Kuffour, were hosted between March 13 to 15, 2007. President Thabo Mbeki and his wife, Zanele Dlamini Mbeki were hosted between June 12 and 15, 2001. President Nelson Mandela of South Africa was hosted between July 9 to 12, 1996.
President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe was hosted between May 17 to 20, 1994. President Abdou Diouf of Senegal and his wife, Elizabeth were hosted between November 8 to 11, 1988. King Hassan of Morocco was hosted between July 14 to 17, 1987.

President Hastings Kamuzu Banda was hosted between April 16 to 19, 1985 President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia and his wife, Betty, were hosted March 22 to 25, 1985. President Daniel Arap Moi of Kenya was hosted between June 12 to 15, 1979. President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania was hosted between November 18 to 21, 1975. President Mobutu Sese Seko of Congo and his wife, Antoinnette, were hosted between December 11 to 14, 1973.

President Abboud of Sudan was hosted between May 26 to June 4, 1964. President William Taubman of Liberia and his wife, Antoinette were hosted July 10 to 13, 1962 and Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia October 14 to 16, 1964.

The hosting by King Charles of President Tinubu is no doubt a plus for Nigeria. This country is still a great country in spite of what we have gone through and we are going through now. When President Tinubu was sworn-in on May 29, 2023, the expectation was that Nigeria will be closer to London than any other country. Apart from being our colonial master, we speak the English Language. The British along with the Vatican brought the Christian religion to us. Apart from that, the British/Nigeria relationship had always been very strong.

Over three million Nigerians are presently in the United Kingdom. London was the headquarters of NADECO in the days of General Sani Abacha GCFR (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998). Even the then Senator Bola Tinubu was living in London during his NADECO years in the same house with my late friend, Dapo Durosinmi-Etti.

But since being sworn-in, courtesy of Gilbert Chagoury (80), the President has moved closer to the Elysee Palace in Paris and extended a little bit of friendship to the Arab world. He has played less role on the African continent, sometimes sending his Vice, Alhaji Kashim Shettima Mustapha (60) GCON to attend ceremonies in the continent. Maybe the March 18 visit will change the Presidents’ attitude towards London.

On January 11, 1976 in Addis Ababa at an extra ordinary meeting of Organisation of Africa Unity (OAU), General Murtala Mohammed GCFR (November 8, 1938 – February 13, 1976) spoke on Africa’s struggle. “Africa has come of age. It is no longer under the orbit of any extra continental power. It should no longer take orders from any country, however, powerful. The fortunes of Africa are in our hands to make or mar. For too long have we been kicked around; for too long have we been treated like adolescents who cannot discern their interest and act accordingly.

For too long has it been presumed that the African needs outside “experts” to tell him who are his friends and who are his enemies. The time has come when we should make it clear that we can decide for ourselves; that we know our own interests and how to protect those interests; that we are capable of resolving African problems without presumptuous lesson in ideological dangers, which more often than not have no relevance for us, not for the problem at hand”. The speech was no doubt volcanic. It was a landmark speech.
I have listened to arguments that Nigeria’s golden period in foreign affairs was during the era of General Murtala Muhammed GCFR, whose 50th assassination anniversary was just observed. No doubt, it was a golden period.

I still want to believe that Nigeria’s golden era in foreign affairs was during the years of Alhaji Tafawa Balewa especially in 1965 when Nigeria hosted the Commonwealth conference. He was put on the cover of TIME MAGAZINE, the American weekly, on December 30, 1960. He travelled to the United States of America between July 25 to 28 1961.

For that electrifying trip, the then US Vice President, Lydon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908- January 22, 1973) personally came to welcome him and his entourage at the airport in Washington. He was the voice of Africa at that time. The pride of the continent. Alhaji Tafawa Balewa gave us our deserved pride.

To be continued tomorrow.