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Prince Harry is facing a torrent of criticism after making an appalling two-word comment during the latest stop on his royal tour of Africa with Meghan Markle.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in Nigeria's capital Lagos on Monday as part of their 10-day tour of southern Africa. During a reception held in their honor at the residence of the British High Commissioner, Harry is said to have made an off-the-cuff remark about the size of the local population.
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According to multiple sources in attendance, as the prince was being introduced to various dignitaries and representatives, he leaned over to Meghan and whispered "It's huge." This was in reference to the city of Lagos, which is home to over 21 million people and one of the largest urban areas in the world.
However, Harry's casual two-word utterance has not gone down well and has sparked outrage on social media in Nigeria and further afield. Many have slammed the prince for making what they consider to be an insensitive, ignorant and culturally inappropriate observation about Lagos and its people.
Critics argue that describing a massive city and its population in such a cursory, off-hand way betrays a lack of understanding and respect. Some have even accused Harry of racism, saying his comment implied the people of Lagos were somehow a faceless mass rather than individual human beings.
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Feminist author Kọ́lá Túbọ́sún tweeted: "Prince Harry's 'it's huge' comment shows the royal family's discomfort with large African populations. It's culturally insensitive and promotes the racist trope of a homogenous mass instead of a diversity of human lives."
Nigerian journalist Tolu Ogunlesi added: "Clearly Prince Harry lacks even the basic courtesy and cultural sensitivity required for interaction with Africans. Referring to 21 million Nigerians as merely 'huge' is arrogant, dehumanizing and offensive."
The backlash has continued to gather pace on social media, with the hashtag #ItsHuge trending in Nigeria. Even those not normally interested in the royal family have expressed outrage at what is being portrayed as Harry's gaffe and failure to appreciate the culture and humanity of Lagos residents.
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Journalist and author OluTimehin Adegbeye wrote in an op-ed: "As someone who never engaged with discussions about the royal family, I was shocked by Prince Harry's comment. It showed complete disregard for the city, the people and our dignity. Nigeria deserves respect, not insensitive, reductive statements."
Supporters of Harry have also jumped to his defense, however. Former BBC correspondent Ilya Gridneff said the comment has been blown out of proportion, tweeting that it was "clearly meant as a lighthearted observation, not a sign of disrespect."
British High Commissioner to Nigeria Catriona Laing sought to downplay the controversy, insisting Harry's visit was going "wonderfully" and his comment was never intended to cause offense. She added that both Harry and Meghan had been "struck by the vibrancy and industriousness of Lagos."
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While the second day of the royal tour in Nigeria continued without further incident, the fallout from Harry's 'It's huge' remark refuses to die down. With just a casual two words, he appears to have succeeded in causing significant cultural dissonance. It remains to be seen if an apology will be forthcoming once the tour ends later this week. For now, it's a public relations disaster that threatens to overshadow the entire Africa trip.
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