For two consecutive days during his state visit to Saint Lucia, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu held interactive sessions with Nigerians residing in the Caribbean nation, offering reassurances of diplomatic intervention in addressing some of their pressing concerns.
The first engagement took place Tuesday, June 8, 2025, at the official residence of Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre, followed by a second meeting on Wednesday at the Windjammer Resort, where the President is lodged.
The sessions were coordinated by the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who assembled a cross-section of Nigerian professionals, students, and clergy members living in the island country.
Addressing the gatherings, President Tinubu commended Nigerians in Saint Lucia for their positive conduct and meaningful contributions to their host nation. He emphasized the importance of maintaining the country’s good image abroad.
He said, “My plea to you all is to continue being of good behaviour. Don’t break the law,” he said, drawing from his personal experiences as a student in the United States over 50 years ago.
“Life is about working hard and being consistent. For the professionals living here, our government will not abandon you. But you must work hard. It is our job to help you succeed”, he added.
Among the issues raised during the interactive sessions was the high cost of annual work permits, currently pegged at $2,500, highlighted by Mr. Smart Okeudili Duah, President of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) in Saint Lucia.
Duah also appealed for the establishment of a Nigerian diplomatic mission in the country to cater to the community’s needs, a call President Tinubu acknowledged with a commitment to act swiftly.
Father Festus Iwuagwu, a Nigerian Catholic priest based in Saint Lucia, who remarked, “Your presence has brought pride to many here,” noted the strong turnout at the meetings as a testament to the love and respect Nigerians in the diaspora have for President Tinubu.
Another speaker, Dr. Olugbemisola Ogunlusi, a paediatrician and graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, shared her journey of relocating to Saint Lucia with her husband 19 years ago.
According to her, their children are now medical doctors. Her husband has since returned to Nigeria, where he was appointed chief medical director of a federal medical centre. “Since your arrival, you have propagated Nigeria more than we ever imagined,” she said, offering her best wishes for the President’s continued journey.
President Tinubu, in response, reassured the diaspora community of his administration’s commitment to rebuilding Nigeria’s economy and image globally.
He admitted the country was in a near-bankrupt state when he took office but claimed significant progress has since been made.
“We inherited a country that was near bankruptcy. But we have been able to rescue the economy. Nigeria has recovered. We have made the smuggling of our oil unattractive. We have stopped chasing forex papers at the Central Bank of Nigeria,” he said.
The President acknowledged the challenges with Nigeria’s low per capita income but stressed that deliberate efforts are underway to reverse the trend and create more opportunities.
The meeting ended on a colourful note as a young Nigerian medical student and artist, Doris, presented President Tinubu with a hand-crafted portrait in his likeness, a symbolic gesture of admiration and unity.
