Nigeria's Prince Kunle says he 'freaked out' when he first saw people kissing in public when visiting the US and UK

• Prince Kunle of Nigeria says he was surprised by PDA when he first visited the US and UK.
• Speaking to Insider, Kunle said he "freaked out" when he saw people kissing in public.

Prince Kunle Omilana of Nigeria stepped back from royal life more than 20 years ago to pursue a career in the UK.

Kunle, of the Arigbabuowo ruling house, became the first Black person in Europe to create their own TV network - the now-defunct Inspiration TV - in the 1990s, before meeting his now-wife Princess Keisha in New York City in 2004.

Speaking to Insider, the prince said that when he first visited the UK and the US, he was surprised to see how much "freedom" people have there. For example, he said that public displays of affection aren't as common in Nigeria.

Kunle told Insider that he "freaked out" when he first saw people kissing openly in public.

"Don't they have uncles and aunts that can walk by and see them kissing? Because if you do it in Nigeria, you're going to be thinking about your uncles," Kunle laughed.

Kunle said that although he was surprised at first, he has since grown accustomed to seeing public displays of affection after spending more time in the UK and US.

He has lived in London with Princess Keisha and their two children for the past five years. The prince told Insider he is currently working towards a PhD in Computer Science and Information Systems and balancing his studies with his role as CEO of Wonderful Media.

Kunle told Insider that he was asked to be king of the Arigbabuowo ruling house four years ago, but declined the offer due to the relaxed lifestyle his family would have to give up.

During a joint interview with Prince Kunle, Keisha told Insider that if Kunle became king they would no longer be "sleeping in the same bed," she wouldn't be allowed to wear bikinis, and they would have to adhere to strict daily schedules.

"I remember my mother-in-law calling and telling me what that would mean, and she's saying how I can't call him 'baby' anymore," Keisha told Insider. "He's no longer 'my sweetheart.' She said, 'You do realize if you say yes, you are basically giving your husband away.'"

Nigeria's traditional rulers were stripped of their constitutional power in 1963, however their descendants "serve as the local custodians of law and order," The Guardian reported in 2016. And though nobody knows the exact number of monarchs there are in Nigeria, as the BBC's Nduka Orjinmo reported in 2020, they are "nevertheless widely respected as custodians of both religion and culture."