By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Presidency has said President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to St.Lucia is not mere junketing but a purposeful trip aimed at ensuring the rekindling of the ancestral bonds between Nigeria and the Caribbean nation and the wider CARICOM bloc.
It maintained that the trip will help ignite a new era of diplomatic, cultural, and economic possibilities between the nations.
This is contained in a statement issued and signed on Sunday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to Onanuga, the statement became necessary following what he described as “misguided, mischievous, and uninformed comments of some Nigerians” concerning the Tinubu’s trip.
The statement read in part, “First, from the perspective of the Government of Saint Lucia, the visit by the Nigerian leader paves the way for the rekindling of our ancestral bonds, igniting a new era of diplomatic, cultural, and economic possibilities between our nations.
” In the mid-19th century, a wave of immigrants from present-day Nigeria arrived in Saint Lucia, bringing cultural and religious practices that persist today.
“Citizens of Saint Lucia are excited that President Tinubu has chosen to visit the island.
“They long to strengthen their bonds with African nations with which they share ancestral links.
“Saint Lucia is the headquarters of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and the gateway to the 15 CARICOM member states.
“The CARICOM states have a combined GDP of over $130 billion, a significant figure in South-South trade discourse.”
While defending the state visit, the statement cited the diplomatic and historical bonds between Nigeria and St. Lucia dwelling particularly on the sterling and exemplary career of Sir Darnley Alexander, a Saint Lucian who served as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1975 to 1979, succeeding Sir Teslim Olawale Elias.
“Sir Darnley Alexander, a Saint Lucian-born jurist who died on February 10, 1989, served as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1975 to 1979,” the statement said.
It added, “He first came to Nigeria in 1957, recruited as a legal draftsman by the Western Regional Government of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.”
“Nigeria actively fosters cultural exchange through collaboration in education, culture, and heritage preservation.
“Our cultural exports, including Afrobeats, Nollywood, and literature, are already making a significant impact on Saint Lucia and the wider Caribbean,” the statement added.
The statement added that Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister will host a reception for the Nigerian community, where they will meet with the President and his delegation.
“This event is a unique opportunity for the Nigerian community to interact with their President and discuss matters of mutual interest, further strengthening the ties between the two nations,” the presidency said.
The visit will also include a special address by President Tinubu to a joint session of Saint Lucia’s bi-cameral Parliament.
“President Tinubu will address a special joint session of Saint Lucia’s bi-cameral Parliament at the Sandals Grande Saint Lucian Conference Hall, named after former U.S. President Bill Clinton,” Onanuga revealed.
While particularly taking a swipe at critics of the trip, the statement stressed the importance of the state visit saying, “President Tinubu’s visit is not a vacation, as misrepresented by critics, but a diplomatic and cultural outreach that advances Nigeria’s interests and deepens its global partnerships,”
