US Consul General, Rick Swart Visits Historic King Kosoko Museum in Lagos

Newslens NG reports that The newly appointed Consul General of the United States Mission in Nigeria, Mr. Rick Swart, on Sunday paid a courtesy visit to the historic King Kosoko Palace and Museum at Ereko, Lagos.

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Swart, who assumed office in July as successor to JoEllen Gorg and represents the U.S. government across 17 southern states of Nigeria, was accompanied by his wife during the visit.

The royal family, led by Prince Sikiru Kosoko, General Secretary of the King Kosoko Royal Family of Lagos, warmly received the Consul General on behalf of the family head, Alhaja Mutiat Abimbola Ashabi Alli-Balogun, who is marking her 96th birthday. Also present was the Oloja of Lagos-elect and museum curator, Prince Abiola Kosoko, alongside other family members.

Prince Kosoko highlighted the historical significance of the palace, which houses the 163-year-old Kosoko Palace, a mini-museum with King Kosoko’s letters and royal artifacts, and the main museum featuring hundreds of relics belonging to the late Lagos monarch as well as other significant items of Lagos and Nigerian history. He further showcased a rare letter from a former American President addressed to Prince Kosoko, the grandson of Oba Kosoko, who was a renowned photographer.

Seeking collaboration, he appealed for a partnership between the Kosoko family and the U.S. Consulate to support the preservation and further development of the museum.

In his remarks, Swart expressed gratitude for the warm reception.
“Thank you for having me in your palace. It is such a wonderful place filled with so much history. Meeting all of you today has truly brought this visit to life,” he said.

He also extended his felicitations to the family head on her 96th birthday, wishing her continued good health.

A career diplomat, Swart previously served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Chad. His diplomatic assignments have taken him to Congo, Burundi, Iraq, Geneva, London, Manila, and Dubai, among others. He also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali before joining the U.S. State Department in 2002.

Currently, he is tasked with deepening trade, strengthening U.S.-Nigeria relations, and advancing key bilateral priorities in the southern region.