President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has advised  Nigerians in Saint Lucia to remain law-abiding and be worthy ambassadors of Nigeria.

“My plea to you all: continue to be of good behaviour. Don’t break the law,” Tinubu said during a town-hall-style meeting at the Windjammer Resort in Castries on Wednesday. 

The meeting, according to a statement yesterday by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga,  was his second engagement with the Nigerian community in the Caribbean nation.

The President told them that his administration inherited a near-bankrupt economy on May 29, 2023.

He said:  “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.”

The President acknowledged that Nigeria’s per capita income remains low but pledged continued efforts to raise the economic standard of living for Nigerians at home and abroad.

He praised the contributions of the Nigerians to Saint Lucia’s development and assured them that his administration would address their challenges, including the high cost of work permits and the absence of a Nigerian diplomatic mission on the island.

The town hall, convened by the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM)  Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, brought together Nigerian professionals, students, and clerics in Saint Lucia for a candid interaction with the President.

Dabiri-Erewa applauded the Nigerian community for its positive representation abroad and expressed pride in their accomplishments.

“Nigeria is proud of what you are contributing to Saint Lucia, and we hope you will remember home,” she said, while also thanking President Tinubu for making time to meet them. 

President of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), Smart   Duah,  highlighted key concerns affecting Nigerians in Saint Lucia, chief among them is the annual $2,500 work permit fee paid by them.

Duah also made a strong case for Nigeria to establish a diplomatic presence on the island.

  Tinubu, in response,  assured the community that their concerns would be addressed through diplomatic engagement.

  “You are not forgotten. For the professionals living here, our government will not abandon you. But you must work hard. It is our job to help you succeed,” the President said.

A Nigerian priest,   Festus Iwuagwu,  praised the President’s visit.

“The high turnout shows Nigerians’ love and respect for you,” he told Tinubu.

Dr. Olugbemisola Ogunlusi, a paediatrician , who relocated to Saint Lucia immediately after graduating from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in Osun State, 19 years ago,    expressed her gratitude to the President for visiting.

She shared her family’s migration story and noted how her husband returned to Nigeria, where he serves as the Chief Medical Director of a newly established Federal Medical Centre.

“Since you arrived, you have propagated Nigeria more than ever thought,” she remarked.

Drawing from his journey as a student in the United States decades ago, Tinubu encouraged his audience to remain diligent and resilient.

“Life is about working hard and being consistent. Stay focused and stay dedicated,”  the President said.

The meeting ended with the presentation of a portrait of President Tinubu by Doris, a Nigerian medical student and artist.