Video: Saint Lucia’s PM defends Tinubu’s visit, condemns critics
Abdullateef Fowewe
Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s recent state visit, dismissing critics as “shameful and disgraceful.”
Video link: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSSfER3fH/
During his 2025 Emancipation Day address, Prime Minister Pierre denounced what he called politically motivated attacks stemming from “colonial self-hate.”
In a strong statement given in the capital, he criticized those who opposed the Nigerian leader’s visit, arguing that the backlash, influenced by partisan interests and tacitly supported by the opposition, exposed lingering psychological wounds from the legacy of slavery.
President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Saint Lucia, aimed at formalising diplomatic relations with the island nation and other members of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), has sparked criticism from some Nigerians.
In response, the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia described the backlash as a reflection of the lingering impact of slavery—manifested in self-hate and the tendency to view Africans and their descendants as inferior.
He reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed with Nigeria, emphassing the importance of strengthening ties between both nations.
