Christopher Wilson, a British journalist, has attracted criticism for comparing Nigerians to Nazis over Prince Harry and Meghan’s recent visit to Nigeria.
In a now-deleted post that was shared on Tuesday, Wilson compared Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, to the late Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor, and former king of the United Kingdom (UK) from January 1936 until his abdication in December of the same year.
Edward married Wallis Simpson, an American socialite and divorcee, in June 1937, and the couple became known as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, triggering a crisis in the royal family.
Later that year, the couple toured Germany, which fed rumours that he was a Nazi sympathiser.
Their visit to Nigeria comes as the defence ministry expressed interest in hosting the Invictus Games, a multi-sport event Harry founded, and Meghan’s disclosure of having Nigerian ancestry.
The Invictus Games aim at rehabilitating wounded and sick service members.
While their visit was celebrated in Nigeria, not all responses were positive in Britain, and some were targeted at Nigerians for welcoming the couple.
“Desperate to show his wife they were still ‘royal’ in the eyes of the world, the Duke of Windsor took Wallis on a tour of Germany in 1937. Nigeria’s human rights record is not far short of Nazi Germany’s,” Wilson wrote on social media.
The comparison sparked outrage among many Nigerians, some of whom described the British journalist as a racist.
“If he can compare Nigerians to Nazis publicly, imagine what he says in private? So glad Harry & Meghan slammed that Brexit door in their faces. It’s what they deserve,” a social media user wrote.
Journalists on Arise TV’s The Morning Show also voiced their criticism.
Amid the disapproval, Wilson said he deleted the post because it caused an “unanticipated offence”.
