Lifestyle
What You Need To Know About Saudi’s ‘Sleeping Prince’ Al-Waleed: Inside The London Car Crash That Left Him In A 20-Year Coma Before His Death
Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, known as ‘sleeping prince’, passed away. He was 36. He was in a coma for two decades following a car accident in London in 2005. The accident caused severe brain injuries.
His father, Prince Khaled bin Talal, stayed by his side. He rejected withdrawing life support. Funeral prayers will be held in Riyadh.
His long medical ordeal began in 2005 after a horrific car crash in London that left him with severe brain injuries at just 15 years old.
Born in April 1990, Prince Al-Waleed was the eldest son of Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud and the nephew of billionaire businessman Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal. At the time of the accident, he was studying as a military cadet in the UK and was seen as a promising figure in the Saudi royal family.
Despite his unresponsive state, his father remained by his side throughout the years, rejecting all suggestions to withdraw life support.
Videos of the prince showing minor movements, such as lifting his fingers, stirred hope across Saudi Arabia and the broader Arab world. His hospital room became a spiritual symbol, drawing visitors and prayers.
In the years that followed, he showed limited signs of physical response. A video clip from 2020, where he lifted his hand in reaction to a greeting, gained widespread attention online. However, he never regained full consciousness, and his condition remained critical.
A nation’s grief
Prince Khaled bin Talal was widely praised for his dedication. He spent years beside his son and shared updates with the public. He firmly believed in divine healing and often posted messages of faith and hope on social media. Even as doctors from Saudi Arabia, the U.S., and Spain treated the prince, his condition remained largely unchanged.
On July 19, Prince Khaled confirmed the death of his son in a deeply emotional message on X, quoting a verse from the Quran and expressing sorrow over the loss. Funeral prayers will be held at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh.
As news of his death spread, the hashtag #SleepingPrince began trending across social media, with thousands sharing condolences and remembering the young royal who captured hearts in silence.
FAQs
Who was the “Sleeping Prince”?
The “Sleeping Prince” refers to Prince Al‑Waleed bin Khalid bin Talal Al Saud, eldest son of Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud. Born in April 1990, he entered a coma at age 15 after the London accident and spent the next 20 years largely unresponsive, becoming a symbol of hope and devotion.
What caused Prince Al‑Waleed bin Khalid’s 20-year coma?
In 2005, 15‑year‑old Prince Al‑Waleed was involved in a severe car crash in London that left him with catastrophic brain injuries and internal bleeding. He never regained full consciousness and remained on life support until his death in July 2025.
Where will his funeral prayers be held?
Funeral prayers for Prince Al‑Waleed will take place at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The ceremony is scheduled for the day following his death announcement.
Lifestyle
FULL LIST: Breakdown of Nigerian Ambassadors’ Salaries, Allowances Revealed
BREAKDOWN EMERGES

Nigerian ambassadors’ pay packages have come under renewed attention. Fresh figures revealed that while basic salaries remained modest, allowances significantly boosted overall compensation for diplomats posted abroad
Reports showed that total monthly take-home pay often reached several million naira, reflecting the high costs of overseas postings
According to Salary.com, as of December 2025, the average annual salary for employees at the Nigerian Embassy in the United States stood at $93,909. This translated to an approximate hourly wage of $45.
Salaries at the embassy typically ranged from $82,124 to $107,453 annually, reflecting the diverse roles and levels of experience within the organisation. Reports indicated that pay was influenced by factors such as job role, department, years of service, and location.
Nigerian Ambassador Salary Structure
Rufai Oseni of Arise TV reported that the salary of Nigerian ambassadors was governed by the Consolidated Diplomatic, Consular and Foreign Service Cadre Salary Structure (CONPSS) in the Nigerian public service. Ambassadors usually fell into the highest grade levels, GL 17 or equivalent, with additional allowances for overseas postings.
Based on government budget allocations, salary surveys, and reports on foreign service personnel costs, the basic salary was described as modest by international standards but supplemented by substantial allowances.
Basic Salary of Nigerian Ambassadors Monthly Basic Pay:
Approximately ₦800,000 to ₦1,200,000 (about $485–$727 USD).
Annual Basic Salary: ₦9.6 million to ₦14.4 million (about $5,818–$8,727 USD).
These figures were drawn from the CONPSS scale for top-tier diplomatic officers. Entry-level foreign service officers reportedly earned around ₦300,000–₦500,000 monthly, but ambassadors, being at the top of the career ladder, commanded the upper end.
The figures also aligned with general public sector pay for Grade Level 17 officers, adjusted for inflation and the 2025 minimum wage increase to ₦70,000.
Allowances and Total Compensation
Reports highlighted that basic pay alone did not reflect the full compensation package.
Nigerian ambassadors posted overseas received allowances designed to offset high living expenses, hardship, and representational duties.
Total monthly take-home pay often exceeded ₦2–5 million ($1,212–$3,030 USD), depending on the host country.
The release of estimated salaries shed light on the financial structure of Nigeria’s foreign service. While the basic salary remained modest compared to international standards, allowances ensured that ambassadors were adequately supported in their overseas postings.
Lifestyle
Public Holiday Notice: FG to Declare Work-Free Day in Third Quarter of 2026
Breaks are the perfect time to have quality time with one’s loved ones and knowing holiday time ahead is crucial for planning holidays, family visits, and experiencing exciting activities.
Holidays, both religious and secular, are declared for a variety of reasons, including celebrating shared history and values, fostering community connections, and providing work-life balance by taking a day off from work.
Many holidays also commemorate important people or historic events. To this end, Legit has noted the forthcoming public holiday, assisting readers in planning effectively.
In Nigeria, there is only one public holiday in the third quarter (July 1 – September 30) of 2026: Eid ul-Mawlid. Eid ul-Mawlid 2026 may be observed on Wednesday, August 26 (tentative date).
Full List of Public Holidays Federal Govt of Nigeria Will Declare in 2026

Lifestyle
Rampaging soldier pinned me to bathroom door, assaulted me — UNIOSUN female student
A student of Osun State University, identified simply as Ademola, has narrated how she was assaulted after some some soldiers from the Army Depot, Osogbo invaded the halls of residence of students of the university.
Ademola, in a video shared by OsunDefenderNG, said the incident occurred while she was alone in her room preparing a meal.
According to her, she initially noticed the presence of soldiers around the area, but believed the situation had calmed down before the officers allegedly returned.
Recall that on Monday evening, some soldiers from the Army Depot, Osogbo, invaded halls of residence occupied by students of Osun State University, assaulted several students and carted away more than 60 mobile phones and other electronic gadgets.
Some female students were also reportedly stripped naked and forced to dance unclad by the soldiers, who were said to be among personnel that participated in the Army Depot’s passing-out parade held last Saturday.
Recounting the incident, she said, “My name is Ademola…, a student of Osun State University. I was in my hostel room cooking when I noticed they (soldiers) were around. After a while everything died down. However, later, we started hearing noise again.
“They started pointing their touch to my room and asked who was there and what were they doing this for. The next thing, they asked me to open my door and I opened the door.
“So, one of them asked how many of us was inside the room and I told him two. I also told him my roommate wasn’t around.”
While her emotions betrayed her, Ademola alleged that one of the soldiers then became physically aggressive.
“Then, he pinned me to my bathroom door, told me I would like it. He also told me not to shout. So, I begged him.
“I had to look for a way to get out of his hold and moved to the door. On moving to the door, I told him to move out. He asked if I wanted him to move out,” she added.
She further alleged that another soldier entered the room and attempted to restrain her.
She narrated, “While on that, his colleague came in and also told me to calm down, that I would love it and that I shouldn’t shout.
“So, when they started moving, I shouted and screamed. After shouting, they both moved out and I had to use force to close the door.”
According to the student, one of her hostel mates later came to check on her after hearing the commotion.
“After closing the door, one of my hostel mates that was there came to knock on my door to check up on me and he left,” she said.
Following the incident, the Depot Nigerian Army, Osogbo, on Tuesday, announced that it had commenced an investigation into allegations of misconduct involving some of its personnel after receiving a complaint from the National Association of Nigerian Students, Southwest Zone D.
The Army said the investigation was intended to establish the facts surrounding the incident and assured that anyone found culpable would be brought to justice.
-
Business2 days agoJUST IN: Tinubu’s Minister Speaks on Increasing Electricity Tariff
-
News20 hours agoBREAKING: Tinubu Gives Top Appointment to Popular Ex-Governor’s Son
-
Politics9 hours agoFULL LIST: Top Politicians Missing From INEC’s Final Candidate List for 2027 Election
-
News19 hours agoPHOTOS: INEC Publishes Tinubu, Atiku, Peter Obi’s Certificates
-
Entertainment10 hours agoPainful L0ss: Popular Yoruba Musician is Dead
-
Opinion1 hour agoColonel Ude: Another Gallant Army Officer Taken Down
-
Business26 minutes agoBREAKING: Relief as NNPC Announces New Petrol Price Nationwide
-
News19 minutes agoTragegy As Bandits Kill 12, Burn 6 Alive In Fresh Attack
