Maro Itoje has been celebrating as Nigeria commemorates its independence day, which is on 1 October every year.
The England lock was born in Camden, London on 28 October 1994 to Nigerian parents.
West Africa’s most populous nation – home to approximately 186 million in 2018 – freed itself from British colonial rule on this date in 1960 and the anniversary is being marked on Monday with huge national celebrations and by the latest Google Doodle depicting the spectacular Zuma Rock west of Abuja.
President Muhammadu Buhari has already addressed the nation, pledging free and fair elections in 2019, praising the country’s security forces for enhancing safety and calling for more compassionate exchanges on social media.