PRESIDENCY DEFENDS TINUBU'S HISTORIC VISIT TO ST LUCIA

The Presidency has offered clarifications on the merits of President BOLA TINUBU visit to the Caribbean Island nation of Saint Lucia, following criticism by some Nigerians, which it considers as misguided and unformed. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, BAYO ONANUGA, said the visit paves the way for the rekindling of ancestral bonds and the igniting a new era of diplomatic, cultural, and economic possibilities between Nigeria and Saint Lucia. ONANUGA said in a statement that Saint Lucia, like many Caribbean nations, has a significant population of African ancestry, adding that many immigrants who settled there in the mid-nineteenth century arrived from Nigeria. He also noted that Saint Lucia being the headquarters of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, is the gateway to the fifteen member states, with a combined GDP of over One Hundred and Thirty Billion Dollars. The Presidential spokesman noted that in an era of global uncertainty, it had become imperative to seek ways to deepen cooperation between the Global South, particularly between continental Africa and the Caribbean. He further noted that President TINUBU's visit aligns with what he called “Nigeria's Four D's” foreign policy framework, comprising Democracy, Development, Diaspora, and Demography. BAYO ONANUGA said that the visit also supports the African Union's Sixth Region agenda, which identifies the African diaspora as a key development partner.