Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Philip J. Pierre has strongly condemned criticisms of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to the Caribbean nation, describing the backlash as “shameful” and rooted in the “destructive legacies of slavery and self-hatred.”
In an address to mark the 2025 Emancipation Day celebrations in Castries on August 1, Pierre rebuked what he called politically motivated attacks against Tinubu, insisting that the historic visit was an opportunity for unity and renewed African pride, not division.
“The vilification and denigration of the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, by a politically motivated group, tacitly supported by the opposition party, was another demonstration of the harmful effects of the legacy of slavery: self-hate and a readiness to accept African people and their descendants as inferior,” Pierre said.
He added that the 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 very least respectful.”
Pierre framed Tinubu’s trip as a pivotal moment in Saint Lucia’s engagement with Africa, pointing to the signing of several memoranda of understanding (MOUs) during the visit aimed at strengthening economic, cultural, and educational ties between Nigeria, Saint Lucia, and the wider Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
“The government and people of Saint Lucia have been honoured by the visit of your President,” Pierre declared. “My administration will do its best to ensure that those MOUs bear fruit at the earliest opportunity.”
The Prime Minister emphasised that Tinubu’s visit rekindled a shared sense of heritage between the Caribbean and Africa, underscoring that such engagements were crucial for dismantling lingering colonial-era prejudices.
Pierre used the Emancipation Day platform, marking the 191st anniversary of the abolition of slavery, to urge Saint Lucians to confront the psychological and systemic legacies of colonialism while embracing a vision of African unity and pride.
“As we honour the sacred memory of our ancestors, we are not only looking back, we are reaching forward,” he said, warning that internalised inferiority and division “still manifest in self-doubt and disrespect for African heritage.”
He cautioned that some elements in Saint Lucian society remain trapped in colonial values, allowing “self-doubt and harmful effects of colonial thinking” to cloud national progress.
President Tinubu’s visit was widely seen as an effort to bolster Nigeria’s diplomatic footprint in the Caribbean, with agreements covering tourism, education, trade, and cultural exchanges.
Pierre’s rebuke of the criticism signaled a clear stance, especially that Saint Lucia will not allow what he called “self-hate narratives” to derail its growing ties with Africa’s largest nation.
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