Wilmington students welcomed Nigerian royalty to their school on Wednesday. They also heard about some real world lessons.
The royal delegation of Osogbo, Nigeria toured the Wilmington Friends School during their visit to Delaware as part of Wilmington’s sister city partnership.
About a dozen dignitaries talked to students and had a chance to see the school's brand new auditorium which was constructed after a fire destroyed the old one two years ago.
The purpose of the visit is for the cities to exchange ideas and learn about one another’s culture.
“I want to see what their trade is, I want to know what capabilities they have for bringing things into the United States and possibly creating job or ideas,” Williams said. “We learn from one another.”
The visit falls on the same day as President Barack Obama ordered 80 U.S. troops to assist in the search of more than 200 Nigerian girls that were kidnapped by an Islamic extremist group in the country last month.
The southwest city of Osogbo is about 2,000 miles from where the kidnappings happened but the delegation’s “Kabiyesi,”(royal highness) H.R.M. Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, said the actions of the Boko Haram terrorist group are concerning to the nation.
“As a country we are concerned and our belief is that the terrorists are not actually part of us, it’s alien to our culture, to our system in Nigeria,” said Goke Omigbodun, a translator for the Kabiyesi.
He said they are aware of the “Bring our Girls Back” campaign, a worldwide effort that calls for the safe return of the young women.
“Kabiyesi is saying by the grace of God we will overcome,” Omigbodun added.
This isn't the first time Delaware has hosted international royalty. Last year, Wilmington welcomed King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden.
This story is reported through a newsgathering partnership between NBC10.com and NewsWorks.org.
