●Queen Elizabeth, Lady Diana, Thatcher Welcome Nigerian President
Nigerian President Alhaji Shehu Shagari arrived at Victoria Train Station in London in 1981 to begin a historic four-day State Visit to the United Kingdom, marking a new chapter in diplomatic relations between the two Commonwealth nations.
President Shagari, who was warmly received by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, was accompanied by a distinguished Nigerian delegation. The welcome ceremony was attended by key members of the British Royal Family, including Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh; Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales; and Lady Diana Spencer, his fiancée and future Princess of Wales. Also present were Baroness Phillips and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
The ceremonial arrival featured a full guard of honour and a 21-gun salute, underscoring the significance Britain attaches to the visit of Nigeria’s first executive president under its Second Republic.
During the visit, President Shagari is expected to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Thatcher on matters of trade, investment, and Commonwealth cooperation, as well as Nigeria’s role in African regional stability. He will also meet British business leaders, address members of Parliament, and attend a State Banquet hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
This visit comes amid growing economic ties between the UK and Nigeria and serves as a reaffirmation of the enduring bonds forged through history, shared values, and mutual interests within the Commonwealth.
The Nigerian president’s presence in the UK is viewed by analysts as a symbolic gesture of Nigeria’s post-civil war democratic resurgence and its commitment to international diplomacy.
