Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre of Saint Lucia has strongly defended the recent visit of Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the island nation, condemning the backlash from Nigerian opposition figures as evidence of lingering colonial-era mindsets and self-deprecation among Africans.
Speaking during the 2025 Emancipation Day celebration in Castries, Mr Pierre described the criticism of President Tinubu’s eight-day state visit as “shameful and disgraceful,” linking it to the lasting psychological impacts of slavery and colonialism.
“The vilification and denigration of the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, by a politically motivated group, tacitly supported by the opposition party, was another demonstration of the harmful effects of the legacy of slavery, self-hate and a readiness to accept African people and their descendants as inferior,” Mr Pierre said.
President Tinubu’s visit, which aimed to bolster South-South cooperation and open new channels of engagement between Africa and the Caribbean, sparked debate back home.
Critics, including Labour Party leader Peter Obi, questioned the timing and relevance of the trip amid Nigeria’s economic and security challenges.
“When I said that the president embarking on an eight-day state visit to St. Lucia at this critical time was inappropriate and unacceptable, it was not a lack of respect for the country of St. Lucia; rather, it is about the timing and duration for a president whose nation is in turmoil,” Obi had stated.
However, Prime Minister Pierre viewed the visit as a diplomatic milestone. He praised it as a step forward in rekindling Afro-Caribbean ties, noting that the President’s presence underscored the importance of uniting peoples of African descent across continents.
“To the government and people of the Republic of Nigeria, the government and people of Saint Lucia have been honoured by the visit of your President and look forward to establishing and deepening economic, social and cultural ties with your country,” Mr Pierre affirmed.
The visit also saw the signing of several memoranda of understanding (MOUs), laying the groundwork for future collaborations in trade, culture, education, and tourism between Nigeria and Saint Lucia.
Reiterating Saint Lucia’s commitment to closer relations with Africa, Mr Pierre called for a shift in perception among African and Caribbean peoples, urging them to see each other not through the lens of colonial inferiority but as equal partners in global development.
