President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has embarked on a historic state visit to Saint Lucia, marking a significant milestone in diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the Caribbean nation.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the visit aims to rekindle ancestral bonds, enhance cultural exchange, and expand economic cooperation under Nigeria’s Four D’s foreign policy framework: Democracy, Development, Diaspora, and Demography.

Saint Lucia, with a significant population of African descent, views Tinubu’s visit as an opportunity to reignite ties dating back to the mid-19th century when immigrants from present-day Nigeria settled on the island, bringing cultural and religious practices that still thrive.

During his visit, President Tinubu is expected to address a special joint session of Saint Lucia’s bicameral Parliament at the Sandals Grande Conference Hall, an honour previously bestowed on global leaders such as former U.S. President Bill Clinton in 2003.

Highlighting the historical links between the two nations, Onanuga recalled the life of Sir Darnley Alexander, a Saint Lucian-born jurist who served as Nigeria’s Chief Justice from 1975 to 1979. His son, Michael Alexander, also contributed to Nigeria as a frontline medical doctor during the civil war. Another Saint Lucian, architect Neville Skeete, designed the Central Bank of Nigeria’s headquarters.

The visit underscores Nigeria’s commitment to the African Union’s Sixth Region agenda, which designates the diaspora as a key development partner. Tinubu is scheduled to visit Sir Arthur Lewis Community College to strengthen educational partnerships and will be accompanied by officials of Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps (TAC), which deploys professionals to African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries.

Onanuga added that Nigeria’s cultural exports such as Afrobeats, Nollywood, and literature continue to enrich the Caribbean. This was evident as Nigerian music dominated the Gros Islet Street Party, a major weekly cultural event in Saint Lucia, on the eve of Tinubu’s arrival.

Saint Lucia, headquarters of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and gateway to the 15 CARICOM member states with a combined GDP of over $130 billion, is regarded as a strategic partner in South-South trade.

Describing Tinubu as a “fighter for democracy”, Saint Lucian commentators during the live broadcast of his arrival praised his decades-long pro-democracy activism in Nigeria.

The visit will also include an engagement with the Nigerian community in Saint Lucia at a reception hosted by Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, providing an opportunity for direct interaction on matters of mutual interest.

Saint Lucia has hosted fewer than ten official state visits since independence in 1979. The last African leader to visit was President Nelson Mandela in 1998 during the 19th CARICOM Heads of Government Summit.