Britain's Queen arrives in Nigeria for Commonwealth summit

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, December 04, 2003

Britain's Queen arrives in Nigeria for Commonwealth summit

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II arrived in the Nigerian capital Abuja, two days ahead of the Commonwealth summit, on her first visit since the country won its independence

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Britain's Queen Elizabeth II arrived in the Nigerian capital Abuja, two days ahead of the Commonwealth summit, on her first visit since the country won its independence

President Olusegun Obasanjo met the Queen at Nmamdi Azikwe International Airport on the first day of a state visit which will include Friday's ceremony to mark the opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Goverment Meeting (CHOGM).

Later Wednesday, the Queen was due to make a speech a a banquet thrown in her honour by Obasanjo, who has had a 1,500-seat hall constructed specially to welcome his royal visitor, back in Nigeria for the first time since 1956.

Some 47 years have passed since the Queen last came to Nigeria, during which time it has suffered through civil war, military dictatorship and corrupt rule, still to emerge in the 21st century as the world's biggest black nation.

The Commonwealth summit will open on Friday and carry through until Monday.

The royal couple are due to leave Nigeria on Saturday.

Source: Agencies

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