Nigeria-born British heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, met with the Queen of England after he spoke in front of the Royal Family during a service to celebrate Commonwealth Day on Monday.
The Britain’s unified heavyweight world champion, who proudly also represents his Nigerian background, was chosen to give a reflection at the Westminster Abbey.
Joshua said, “My name is Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua and, like many of you here, I’m a child of the Commonwealth.
“I was born in Watford and my heritage is Nigerian. I come from the Yoruba people, who are the largest and some might say the loudest ethnic group in all of Africa. I’m proudly Nigerian and proudly British…
“These days, we hear so much about division and difference that some might be tempted to see that as a bad thing. But on the contrary, it’s a beautiful thing. A thing to be celebrated and cherished, and a great source of peace and stability.
“I feel opportunity should be there for the taking along with hard work, dedication and perseverance, regardless of one’s background.
“We need to strive harder collectively in order to create unity. It takes a village to raise a child. And in the same vein it takes a whole community to act and stand together to tackle some of the challenges we are confronted with today.”
“So here’s to fish and chips, egusi soup and pounded yam. To the UK and Nigeria, and the children of the Commonwealth.”
Joshua briefly met and spoke one-on-one with the Queen after the speech.
This is Joshua’s first time of meeting the monarch, as his previously-awarded Member of the British Empire, MBE and Officer of the British Empire, OBE, had been presented to him by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.
