On September 8, 2022, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who served as Nigeria’s first Head of State and Queen of Nigeria from 1960 to 1963, died at the age of 96.
According to Buckingham Palace, the monarch passed away peacefully at Balmoral Castle in Scotland — the demise marks the end of the longest reign in British history — 70 years on the throne.
Following Nigeria’s independence from Britain on October 1, 1960, Queen Elizabeth II remained Nigeria’s Head of State until the country became a republic on October 1, 1963. During that period, she was represented in Nigeria by the Governor-General.
She visited Nigeria twice during her reign — first in 1956 as Princess Elizabeth, and again in 2003 as Queen, where she met with successive Nigerian leaders including President Olusegun Obasanjo.
In a statement issued by the Presidency to mourn her passing, President Muhammadu Buhari, described the Queen as “a thoroughbred monarch and an example of devotion and service to the country.”
“The story of modern Nigeria will never be complete without a chapter on Queen Elizabeth II, a towering global personality and an outstanding leader,” the President said.
The Union Jack and the Nigerian flag at the British High Commission in Abuja flew at half-mast in her honour.
