Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sarafa Tunji Ishola, has disclosed that the country is looking forward to a more robust relationship with Great Britain.
Ishola stated this in a live CNN programme, The Exchange, on Friday, ahead of the official coronation of King Charles III.
He listed the priority areas of the relationship to include business activities and cultural programmes while describing the over-a-century-old relationship between Nigeria and UK as quite significant.
The envoy hailed King Charles for his contribution to the fight against climate change even when he was Prince of Wales, adding that Nigeria sees the king as someone with human empathy and “ready to look at the issues.”
Ishola said: As Prince of Wales, you agree that he was very active in the area of climate change. As far as we are concerned in Nigeria, we cherish his kingship because, within the context of climate change, we are working on this green world project that is working on the afforestation of our desert area.
“And among many other things, he’s been to Nigeria a couple of times. Most importantly we see him as somebody who is ready to look at the issues and who has human empathy. That is what is important. Once human empathy is there, then other things can flow from there.
“We are quite optimistic. Of course, that optimism comes from the fact that the president of Nigeria is here with a very powerful delegation. And that signifies the fact that, as far as Nigeria is concerned, we look forward to a more robust relationship with Britain, particularly in the areas of business activities and exchange cultural programmes.”
Speaking on the agitation for an official apology from the UK Royalty to its former colonies, Ishola said the repatriation of artifacts to Nigeria by the UK is a great effort at “correcting certain challenges of the past,” adding that Nigeria will not be “engaged in unnecessary agitation.”
He said: “I must tell you that this agitation started even before the demise of the queen. It’s just a level that has been raised that is seen as an agenda for the incoming king.
“The issue of reparation, if you recall, has been on the table. Of course, there are issues, but I always believed that wherever you have challenges, agitation and conflict, the best thing is to sit at the table and look at the issues from various perspectives with a bit of common ground.
“I must take this opportunity to appreciate the fact that our artifacts are being returned. Cambridge started it, Aberdeen has done it. So many are following suit in the next couple of months.
“So, all of these efforts are correcting certain challenges of the past. In Nigeria, we don’t get engaged in unnecessary agitation. We present our issues, and they are discussed, mutually agreed and we move on.”
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