Ceremony Receiving Queen’s Baton Ahead Of The 2022 Commonwealth Games In Birmingham

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SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, GCFR, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AT THE CEREMONY RECEIVING THE QUEEN’S BATON AHEAD OF THE 2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES IN BIRMINGHAM – 16^TH OF OCTOBER 2021

PROTOCOLS

It is a very special pleasure to here and represent the President at this special historic event – the reception of the Queen’s Baton Relay in Nigeria today.

I have the special privilege of reading the President’s speech today.

This is a much-loved tradition that precedes every Commonwealth Games. A Baton carrying Her Majesty’s message of goodwill to the Commonwealth goes on a 90000-mile, 72 countries and territories’ journey to end at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

As the relay goes from one Commonwealth member country to another in its country journey across several continents, the two billion-strong population of the Commonwealth are reminded of the strong bonds of brotherhood and friendship that bind us across these continents, nations, races, tongues, and faiths.

This joyful event will end this time in Birmingham, the city which will host the games in 2022. Nigerian athletes will join their brothers and sisters at the games, as we have done at several of the games since we first attended in 1950, when Joshua Majekodumi won our first medal, in the high jump event.

Since then, our athletes have won no less than 236 medals at the games! We are set to do much better in Birmingham.

I would like to commend the relay team for their cheerfulness and dedication to this tour covering thousands of miles, the organizing committees for all their hardwork in seamlessly delivering this relay event, the local organizing committee as well for such great work and the athletes who will bring excitement and thrill to millions at this festival of sport and culture.

Thank you all very much.