By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
NIGERIAN HAS formalised diplomatic relations with Saint Lucia as President Bola Tinubu declared a renewed Pan-African vision anchored in shared heritage, economic collaboration, and cultural exchange with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
Addressing a special joint session of the Saint Lucian Senate and House of Assembly at the William Jefferson Clinton Ballroom, Sandals Grande, Gros Islet, President Tinubu stressed the symbolic significance of the new relationship, describing it as a strategic bridge to foster closer cooperation between Nigeria and the Eastern Caribbean bloc.
The President proposed establishing a Joint Commission or Political Consultation Agreement to guide structured collaboration with OECS member nations.
In a gesture aimed at deepening cultural understanding, he announced that full academic scholarships would be extended to students from OECS countries.
He further committed to visa waivers for diplomatic and official passport holders from the region, urging reciprocal arrangements.
The Nigerian leader, speaking in the presence of OECS heads of government and dignitaries from Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Saint Martin, and Saint Vincent, reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to forge stronger people-to-people ties.
He emphasised that such bonds, rooted in a shared African ancestry, must now be translated into tangible partnerships.
He highlighted Nigeria’s openness to deeper trade and investment ventures with OECS, positioning the country’s vast market and economic reforms as vital entry points.
Citing agriculture, manufacturing, and services, President Tinubu encouraged joint ventures that would support industrialisation and job creation across both regions.
Recounting Nigeria’s recent economic and political reforms since May 2023, the President said his visit to Saint Lucia was driven by a vision to broaden cooperation in areas including health, education, culture, and climate resilience.
He invited OECS businesses and institutions to tap into Africa’s largest market through Nigeria, stressing mutual benefits.
Proposals for collaboration also included a maritime university exchange programme, extension of Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps (TAC) to OECS countries, and joint scientific research targeting shared challenges such as disease control, disaster risk, and climate adaptation.
President Tinubu emphasised the shared vulnerability of island states to climate change, particularly rising sea levels and natural disasters.
He called for collective efforts in sustainable agriculture, migration studies, and preparedness, offering Nigerian technical expertise in education, healthcare, and engineering.
Reiterating Nigeria’s unwavering Afrocentric foreign policy, he reminded the audience of the country’s long-standing global leadership in Black solidarity.
From fighting colonialism to championing Pan-Africanism, Tinubu said Nigeria has always defended the dignity of the Black race.
He described the Caribbean as an intrinsic part of this mission, noting its formal recognition as the African Union’s sixth region.
President Tinubu also spotlighted Nigeria’s global cultural influence, referencing its vibrant creative industries, music, cuisine, Nollywood, and literature, as central to the identity of people of African descent.
He concluded with a call for unity, quoting Pan-African icon Marcus Garvey and an African proverb that urged collective effort: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
He also said that the Saint Lucia visit marks a significant diplomatic milestone in Nigeria’s strategy to revitalise South-South cooperation, deepen historical links, and project global Black unity through pragmatic diplomacy and shared prosperity.
