The Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing state go to to Saint Lucia has been described as a landmark diplomatic and cultural mission aimed toward strengthening ancestral ties and forging strategic partnerships with the Caribbean nation and the broader CARICOM bloc.
In an announcement launched Sunday and signed by Particular Adviser to the President on Info and Technique, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency dismissed criticism of the go to as “misguided, mischievous, and uninformed,” whereas emphasizing the importance of the engagement.
“First, from the angle of the Authorities of Saint Lucia, the go to by the Nigerian chief paves the best way for the rekindling of our ancestral bonds, igniting a brand new period of diplomatic, cultural, and financial potentialities between our nations,” the assertion learn.
Highlighting Saint Lucia’s historic ties to Nigeria, the Presidency famous {that a} wave of immigrants from present-day Nigeria arrived on the island within the mid-Nineteenth century, bringing cultural and non secular practices that also affect native traditions. Onanuga mentioned residents of Saint Lucia are passionate about President Tinubu’s go to and are desperate to deepen connections with Africa.
The Presidency additionally framed the go to as a key a part of Nigeria’s South-South cooperation agenda and its 4 D’s international coverage technique — Democracy, Growth, Diaspora, and Demography.
“Saint Lucia is the headquarters of the Organisation of Japanese Caribbean States and the gateway to the 15 CARICOM member states,” the assertion famous. “The CARICOM states have a mixed GDP of over $130 billion, a major determine in South-South commerce discourse.”
Citing historic diplomatic hyperlinks, the Presidency recalled the contributions of Saint Lucian-born Sir Darnley Alexander, who served as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1975 to 1979. Alexander had arrived in Nigeria in 1957 as a authorized draftsman for the Western Regional Authorities below Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He went on to serve in varied key authorized roles, ultimately changing into Chief Justice after appointments as Solicitor Basic, Lagos Excessive Courtroom choose, and Chief Choose of the previous South Japanese State.
Different Saint Lucians have additionally contributed to Nigeria’s growth, together with architect Neville Skeete, who helped design the Central Financial institution of Nigeria headquarters, and Sir Darnley’s son Michael, who was a frontline medical officer in the course of the Nigerian Civil Warfare.
Culturally, the Presidency mentioned Tinubu’s go to aligns with the African Union’s Sixth Area agenda, which acknowledges the African diaspora as an integral growth associate. It pointed to rising Nigerian cultural affect in Saint Lucia, significantly via music and movie.
“Our cultural exports, together with Afrobeats, Nollywood, and literature, are already making a major influence on Saint Lucia and the broader Caribbean,” the assertion mentioned, including that Nigerian music dominated the favored Gros Islet Road Social gathering simply earlier than Tinubu’s arrival — an emblem of Nigeria’s “rising mushy energy and cultural footprint.”
The Presidency additionally underscored shared democratic values between the 2 international locations. “Saint Lucia is a steady parliamentary democracy, making it a pure ally for Nigeria, which has loved 26 years of uninterrupted democratic governance,” the assertion mentioned, noting {that a} native commentator described Tinubu as a “fighter for democracy” in the course of the stay broadcast of his arrival.
The go to additionally touches on Nigeria’s demographic significance, with Onanuga reiterating President Tinubu’s give attention to leveraging the nation’s rising youth inhabitants for financial transformation via training, industrialisation, and innovation. Nigeria is projected to develop into the world’s third most populous nation by 2050.
As a part of his itinerary, Tinubu will go to the Sir Arthur Lewis Neighborhood Faculty to discover academic partnerships. The Nigerian delegation additionally consists of members of the Nigerian Technical Support Corps, who’re deployed to ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) international locations to supply skilled companies.
“This help is delivered via the deployment of Nigerian professionals to recipient international locations to deal with particular wants,” Onanuga defined.
Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister can be anticipated to host a reception for the Nigerian neighborhood, offering a possibility for direct engagement with the President and his delegation.
Saint Lucia, which gained independence in 1979, has hosted fewer than ten official state visits. The final go to by an African chief was that of South Africa’s Nelson Mandela in 1998 in the course of the Nineteenth CARICOM Heads of Authorities Summit.
