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The Presidency has said that President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Saint Lucia is for strategic engagements, not a vacation.
The president landed at Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia, early Sunday, prompting speculations in some quarters that he had gone to the Caribbean nation for a vacation.
Responding, however, in a statement on Sunday, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga refuted the claims, describing them as misguided, mischievous, and uninformed.
“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.
“Like many Caribbean nations, Saint Lucia has a significant population of African ancestry. 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,” he said.
According to the presidential aide, the surge in global uncertainty makes it imperative for Africa and the Caribbean to deepen cooperation among themselves.
He said, “Tinubu’s visit aligns with Nigeria’s Four D’s foreign policy framework: Democracy, Development, Diaspora, and Demography.
“As the Presidency stated, the visit supports the African Union’s Sixth Region agenda, which identifies the African diaspora as a key development partner.
“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, enriching our shared cultural landscape.”
