Saint Lucian PM Condemns Denigration Of President Bola Tinubu During State Visit To Country

Philip Pierre, Saint Lucia’s prime minister, has condemned the “denigration” of President Bola Tinubu during his visit to the Caribbean country.

In his 2025 Emancipation Day address, Pierre said the “denigration” of Tinubu’s visit to the country is “another demonstration of the harmful effects of the legacy of slavery”.

Emancipation Day is being celebrated on August 1 in Saint Lucia to commemorate the abolition of slavery.

On June 29, Tinubu visited Saint Lucia for an official visit and departed for Brazil on July 4.

During the visit, Tinubu met with Pierre and other government officials and also addressed a joint session of Saint Lucia’s senate and house of assembly.

Tinubu’s visit to the Caribbean country elicited criticism in Nigeria and Saint Lucia.

Some Nigerians questioned the potential benefits of the visit, considering that Saint Lucia’s population is tiny when compared to that of Nigeria.

Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), questioned the president’s decision to visit Saint Lucia shortly after a devastating flood in Minna, Niger state, which claimed over 200 lives and left hundreds missing.

In Saint Lucia, groups, including political parties and journalists, raised questions about the full details of bilateral agreements and the cost of Tinubu’s visit on taxpayers’ money.

The United Workers Party, an opposition party in Saint Lucia, criticised the country’s government over the disruption caused by the temporary closure of Hewanorra International and George Charles airports for Tinubu’s visit.

‘DISGRACEFUL AND SHAMEFUL’

In his speech, the Saint Lucian prime minister described the behaviour of the political group regarding Tinubu’s visit as “nothing short of shameful and disgraceful”.

Pierre said the people of the Caribbean country were honoured by Tinubu’s visit and were looking forward to deepening their economic and social ties with Nigeria.

“The vilification and denigration of the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, by a politically-motivated group tacitly supported by the opposition group was another demonstration of the harmful effects of the legacy of slavery — self-hate and readiness to accept African people and their descendants as inferior,” he said.

“That behaviour was nothing short of shameful and disgraceful. Had the visit been by a head of state from another country, the reception from that group would have been at the least respectful.”

“To the government and the people of Nigeria, the government and the people of Saint Lucia have been honoured by your president’s visit.”

Source: FirstWeeklyMagazine | Continue to Full Story…