President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Saint Lucia has been hailed as a symbolic reunion of long-separated kin, as the Caribbean nation traced the roots of its enslaved ancestors back to Nigeria.
Welcoming President Tinubu to a joint session of the bicameral Parliament in Castries on Monday, President of the Saint Lucian Senate, Alvina Reynolds, invoked a British colonial census from 1815 that recorded over 34 per cent of African-born enslaved people on the island as originating from Nigeria. Another 11 per cent hailed from the Nigeria-Cameroon region, while 22 per cent were from the Congo.
“Mr. President, your visit marks a historic homecoming. Of the 3,488 African-born enslaved people in Saint Lucia that year, many were Nigerians. This moment rekindles a mission to reconnect with our homeland and strengthen the ties that history tried to sever,” she said.
Reynolds described the transatlantic slave trade as a brutal yet unifying historical force, forging enduring cultural and spiritual connections between Africa and the Caribbean.
She added that the presence of Nigerian clergy in Saint Lucia today (Monday) is part of an ongoing cultural and spiritual exchange, highlighting the contribution of Catholic priests, including Father Festus, present at the session.
The Senate President also paid glowing tribute to Sir Darnley Alexander, a Saint Lucian who rose through Nigeria’s legal system to become Chief Justice from 1975 to 1979, the only non-Nigerian to occupy the post in the country’s post-independence era.
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, in his response to President Tinubu’s address, described the occasion as one of “freedom and celebration.”
He stressed the deep emotional, cultural, and ancestral bond between Saint Lucia and West Africa, particularly Nigeria.
“Our people have been separated by oceans, but never in spirit. Saint Lucia is a small fragment of Africa, and Nigeria is etched into our DNA. Our cultural chord is strong and unbroken,” Pierre said.
Drawing parallels with Nelson Mandela’s visit to Saint Lucia exactly 27 years ago, the Prime Minister praised Tinubu’s democratic credentials and expressed hope for stronger Africa-Caribbean relations.
He said Saint Lucia was ready to build strategic partnerships with Nigeria in areas such as tourism, creative industries, sports, air connectivity, banking, fintech, and healthcare.
Pierre revealed that an Agreement on Technical Manpower Assistance would soon be signed to enable the exchange of medical personnel, especially Nigerian doctors and nurses, to serve in Saint Lucia.
He also advocated for direct air links between Nigeria and the Caribbean to boost tourism, trade, and people-to-people contact.
“We welcome every Nigerian hand of support and remain grateful for their contribution to our society,” he added.
The Prime Minister highlighted the growing popularity of Nigerian culture among Saint Lucian youth, especially Afrobeats, Nollywood, and Nigerian literature, describing them as new channels of reconnecting with Africa.
“Your visit, Mr. President, is a powerful reminder that though divided by history, we remain united by heritage and hope. We look forward to your continued leadership in advancing the Africa-CARICOM agenda,” he said.
The joint parliamentary session was attended by leaders and dignitaries from across the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), including Prime Ministers and senior representatives from Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Martin.
