Nigerians that participated at King Charles lll coronation

Nigeria, the Giant of Africa houses some of the most resilient, intelligent, hardworking, hospitable, and amazing people in the world. 

All over the world, they are found making waves in different careers. From medicine to business, law, technology, ICT, engineering, writers, and several other fields. 

Recently, King Charles lll was coronated as the 40th monarch of the United Kingdom alongside Queen Camila at Westminster Abbey in London. Again, in a high-class coronation, some people with Nigerian backgrounds played some notable roles during the event.  

Dame Elizabeth Anionwu was part of the Royal procession at King Charles’s coronation. She was charged with the responsibility of carrying the Sovereignty Orb during the procession. The Orb symbolises both the state and the Church under the protection and the domain of the monarch.

In 1979, Anionwu became the United Kingdom’s first sickle-cell and Thalassemia nurse specialist, helping establish the Brent Sickle Cell and Thalassemia Counselling centre. She holds the Order of Merit, was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).

Anionwu was born to an Irish mother and a Nigerian father. She began her nursing career inspired by a nun who cared for her eczema. And at 16, she started work as a school nurse assistant in Wolverhampton.

Eva Omaghomi, the British-Nigerian cultural anthropologist, was the Director of Community Engagement with King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

She served as Senior Strategic Advisor to The Prince’s Trust Global Group, managing global communications for over 50 countries, and receiving the Kindness in Leadership Award. She was also recognised as one of the “15 Ones to Watch” by New African Woman magazine and in 2017, was invested as a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) by Her Majesty the Queen.

Omaghomi is from Delta State, Nigeria. She is a graduate of the University of Lagos and holds a degree in accounting. She also holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Anthropology and Anthropology of Media from the University of East London and SOAS University of London respectively.  

Kenneth Aphunezi Olisa was appointed the High Bailiff of the sanctuary of Westminster Abbey in 2021 and took part in the King’s coronation in that role. He is the first mixed heritage Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London and founded the AIM-listed technology merchant bank Interregnum and now leads Restoration Partners.

Olisa was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2010 Birthday Honours for services to homeless people in London, a Commander of the Order of St John in 2017, and a Knight Bachelor in the 2018 New Year Honours for services to business and philanthropy.

Olisa was born in 1951 to a Nigerian father and a British mother in Nottingham. He went to Nottingham High Pavement Grammar School and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge where studied Natural Sciences then Social, Management, and Political Science. 

Rev Tosin Oladipo was appointed the chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury in May 2021. He was responsible for carrying the staff of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby at King Charles’s coronation.

He is responsible for developing Archbishop Justin’s priority of prayer and religious life, particularly through the community of St Anselm. Tosin has previously served as part of the leadership team at SAINT, a resource church in East London, with specific responsibility for outreach, prayer, and the development of interns.

He has overseen community engagement and the revitalisation of St Mary’s Leyton, as part of a partnership between Chelmsford and London dioceses. He was also responsible for the work of the Lighthouse project, which has distributed over 300,000 meals to less privileged people since the start of the pandemic.

Before going into ministry, Tosin had worked for 15 years in digital and tech start-ups. He holds a BA in Politics and International Relations and BA in Theology/Theological Studies from the University of Reading and St Mellitus College respectively. 

Ade Adelekan is the Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police who led the operation, known as Golden Orb at the King’s coronation at Westminster Abbey. The operation, which was one of the most significant and largest security deployments the force has led, had more than 29,000 police officers deployed during the coronation period.

Before the coronation, Adelekan said ‘’The Met police is honoured to be policing such an internationally important event across the capital.’’

These among other Nigerians have continued to bring delight to the country and Africa at large.