Saint Lucia PM Derides Tinubu Visit Criticism as Colonial Hangover
Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre, has strongly condemned the political backlash trailing Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to the Caribbean nation, describing the criticisms as a manifestation of “self-hate” and a lingering colonial mindset that continues to undermine African unity and leadership.
Speaking during his national address to mark Emancipation Day on August 1, Pierre directly addressed the controversy surrounding Tinubu’s June 29, 2025 visit to Saint Lucia.
According to the Prime Minister, the negative reactions, particularly from opposition elements in Nigeria, were not only unwarranted but rooted in centuries-old psychological scars left by slavery and colonialism.
“The vilification and denigration of the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, by a politically-motivated group tacitly supported by the opposition was another demonstration of the harmful effects of the legacy of slavery self-hate and readiness to accept African people and their descendants as inferior,” Pierre stated.
President Tinubu’s visit was part of a broader diplomatic and cultural outreach, aimed at deepening ties between Nigeria and Caribbean nations with significant African diasporic populations.
During the visit, Tinubu met with regional leaders, attended cultural events, and discussed avenues for economic and educational collaboration across the Atlantic.
However, the visit sparked significant criticism back home in Nigeria, particularly among opposition politicians and civil society groups. Critics questioned the timing of the trip, citing the tragic flood disaster in Minna, Niger State, which occurred just days before, resulting in the loss of lives and displacement of dozens.
Many accused the President of insensitivity and misplaced priorities, arguing that national tragedies should have taken precedence over foreign engagements.
The backlash also reignited broader debates on government accountability and the optics of international diplomacy amid domestic crises.
Pierre, however, warned against allowing political grievances to overshadow the larger importance of Pan-African solidarity and mutual respect among nations of African descent.
“If we cannot celebrate each other, if we allow politics to diminish our heritage and shared identity, we are doing the work of the colonialists for them long after they have gone,” he added.
The Saint Lucian leader’s comments have since sparked a new wave of discourse on the nature of African-Caribbean relations, post-colonial identity, and the responsibilities of African leaders to both their domestic populations and the global diaspora.
