BY TEDDY NWANUNOBI

The Presidency has declared that President Bola Tinubu’s trip to the Island of St Lucia is for strategic engagement that would benefit Nigeria and deepen its diplomatic relationship with the country

The presidency in a statement on Sunday described the state visit as a landmark diplomatic and cultural mission, stressing that it will rekindle Nigeria’s ancestral and strategic ties with the Caribbean nation and the wider CARICOM bloc.

 “In the wake of some Nigerians’ misguided, mischievous, and uninformed comments regarding President Bola Tinubu’s historic state visit to Saint Lucia, it is necessary to clarify the purpose of the visit.” The Presidency stated in the statement titled: ‘Why President Tinubu is on a state visit to Saint Lucia.’ And signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga

It added, “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.”

Onanuga explained that Saint Lucia, like many Caribbean nations, has deep ancestral roots connected to West Africa, especially Nigeria.

“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.”

Citing diplomatic and historical bonds, Onanuga recalled key historical ties between Nigeria and Saint Lucia, most notably the life and career of Sir Darnley Alexander, a Saint Lucian who served as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1975 to 1979.

“Sir Darnley Alexander, a Saint Lucian-born jurist who died on February 10, 1989, served as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1975 to 1979. He first came to Nigeria in 1957, recruited as a legal draftsman by the Western Regional Government of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.”

IThe statement explained further the late Alexander became the acting Director of Public Prosecutions in 1958 and was appointed Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the Western Regional Ministry of Justice in 1960, before his elevation as a judge in the Lagos High Court, and in 1969, the defunct South Eastern State appointed him the chief judge.

He later became the Chief Justice of Nigeria in 1975, succeeding Sir Teslim Olawale Elias.

The presidency also highlighted the contributions of other Saint Lucians, including Neville Skeete, who helped design the Central Bank of Nigeria headquarters, and Sir Darnley’s son Michael, a frontline medical officer during the Nigerian civil war.

“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,” it said.

The presidency was reacting to criticisms from the opposition stakeholder who expressed concerns that President went on holiday in the Island country, at a period when the country is facing serious security challenges