The presidency responds to critics, says that the visit of Tinubu to Saint Lucia is …

Contrary to the position of the critics of the trip of President Bola Tinubu to Santa Lucia, Sunday’s presidency defended his current state visit in the Country of the Caribbean, describing it as a diplomatic and cultural mission of reference.

The former candidate for the presidency and leader of the Labor Party, Peter Obi, had condemned the president’s journey to Santa Lucia, calling him a bad and insensitive decision in the face of the deepening of national crises.

In an X post (previously Twitter) Saturday, Obi said he “fighting with his senses to understand what was going on in the governance in the country.

Read it: “What I have seen and assisted in the last two years has left me shocked for the scarce delivery of governance and the apparent channel of energy in politics and the satisfaction of the elites, while the masses in the midst of us are languishing in desire”.

In the same way, the lawyer of rights and the teacher of jurisprudence, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, in his Sunday column entitled: “Democracy without voters: the origin of the insecurity crisis of Nigeria” had condemned the journey by saying: “While the country burns, the president curiously eliminated cocaine, the surname was curious of Bogaine for Cocaina who hit the Cocaine. United, Europe or Canada. “

Odinklalu, however, added that: “The only more abysmal thing about the indifference of the APC government to power to the current crisis of mass murder across the country was the shameful abdication from political opposition.

Overall, the presidency insisted that the visit was rekindled the ancestral and strategic links of Nigeria with the Caribbean nation and the wider Caricom block.

According to the Presidency in a declaration in signed by the President’s Special Consultant for information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, “in the wake of some incorrect, mischievous and unworthy Nigerians, comments regarding the visit of the historical state of President Bola Tinubu in Santa Lucia, it is necessary to clarify the purpose of the visit”.

The declaration was entitled “because President Tinubu is on a state visit to Santa Lucia”.

He added: “First of all, from the point of view of the government of Santa Lucia, the visit of the Nigerian leader opens the way up when he rekindled our ancestral ties, turning on a new era of diplomatic, cultural and economic possibilities among our nations.”

Onanoga explained that Santa Lucia, like many Caribbean nations, has deep ancestral roots connected to West Africa, in particular to Nigeria.

The declaration stated: “In the mid -19th century, a wave of immigrants from the current Nigeria arrived in Santa Lucia, bringing cultural and religious practices that persist today.

“The citizens of Santa Lucia are enthusiastic about the fact that President Tinubu has chosen to visit the island.

“They want to strengthen their links with the African nations with which they share ancestral bonds”.

The presidency described the visit as an important effort in the framework of the South-South cooperation and the Nigeria foreign policy strategy: democracy, development, diaspora and demography of Nigeria.

He said: “Saint Lucia is the headquarters of the organization of the Eastern Caribbean States and the door for the 15 Member States of Caricom.

“Caricom states have a combined GDP of over $ 130 billion, a significant figure in the South-South commercial discourse.”

Citing diplomatic and historical bonds, Ongua recalled key historical ties between Nigeria and Santa Lucia, in particular the life and career of Sir Darnley Alexander, a Santo Luciano who was head of Nigeria from 1975 to 1979.

“Sir Darnley Alexander, a jurist born in Santo Luciano who died on February 10, 1989, was head of Nigeria from 1975 to 1979,” he said, adding that “he came to Nigeria in 1957, recruited as a legal designer by the western regional government of the head Obafemi Awolowo.”

He explained that Alexander became interim director of public proceedings in 1958.

In 1960, he was appointed Lawyer General and Permanent Secretary of the Western Regional Ministry of Justice.

Four years later, he was appointed judge at the Alta Court of Lagos and, in 1969, the deceased state of the South -est appointed him head judge.

He later became the main judge of Nigeria in 1975, succeeding Sir Teslim Olawale Elias.

The presidency also highlighted the contributions of other Santi Luciani, including Neville Skeete, who helped design the headquarters of the Banca della Nigeria, and the son of Sir Darnley Michael, a first -line medical officer during the Nigerian civil war.

On the cultural front, the presidency stated that the visit of Tinubu aligns the sixth agenda of the sixth region of the African Union, which recognizes the African diaspora as a key development partner.

“Nigeria actively promotes cultural exchange through collaboration in education, culture and conservation of heritage.

“Our cultural exports, including Afrobeats, Nollywood and literature, are already having a significant impact on Santa Lucia and the wider Caribbean,” he said.

By highlighting the growing cultural imprint of Nigeria, the declaration observed: “The Gros Islet Street Party is probably one of the most famous cultural events of Santa Lucia. It was held every Friday for over 50 years.

“On Friday before the arrival of President Tinubu, Afrobeats and Nigerian music dominated the radio waves, a testimony of the growing soft power and the cultural imprint of Nigeria.”

On democratic values, the presidency stressed that “Santa Lucia is a stable parliamentary democracy, making it a natural ally for Nigeria, which has enjoyed 26 years of uninterrupted democratic governance”.

During the live coverage of the arrival of Tinubu, a San Luciano commentator described him as a “democracy fighter”.

As for the growing population of Nigeria, the declaration said: “Nigeria will be expected to become the third most populous country in the world by 2050.

“President Tinubu has constantly stressed that the youth population of Nigeria is an engine of economic transformation through education, industrialization and innovation”.

As part of his itinerary, President Tinubu is scheduled to visit the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College to deepen the educational partnerships.

The delegation also includes members of the Nigerian technical aid body, which are distributed in ACP countries to provide professional services.

“This assistance is provided through the deployment of Nigerian professionals to the recipient countries to meet specific needs,” explained Omanuga.

The declaration added that Saint Lucia 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 questions of mutual interest, further strengthening the links between the two nations,” said the presidency.

Saint Lucia, who gained independence in 1979, hosted less than 10 official state visits.

The last visit of an African leader was President Nelson Mandela in 1998 during the nineteenth summit of the Caricom government.

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