President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigerians living in Saint Lucia to remain law-abiding and serve as worthy ambassadors of their home country.
“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.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the meeting marked the President’s second engagement with the Nigerian community in the Caribbean nation.
President Tinubu told the gathering that his administration inherited a near-bankrupt economy on May 29, 2023, but has since taken steps to rescue and revive it.
“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 that Nigeria’s per capita income remains low but assured that his government would continue working to improve the living standards of Nigerians both at home and abroad.
He commended Nigerians in Saint Lucia for their contributions to the island’s development and pledged to address the challenges they face, including the high cost of work permits and the absence of a Nigerian diplomatic mission on the island.
The town hall meeting, organised by the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, brought together Nigerian professionals, students, and clerics for a candid interaction with the President.
Dabiri-Erewa praised the Nigerian community for their positive representation and expressed pride in their achievements.
“Nigeria is proud of what you are contributing to Saint Lucia, and we hope you will remember home,” she said, also thanking President Tinubu for taking time to meet with them.
President of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) in Saint Lucia, Smart Duah, highlighted key concerns of the community, particularly the annual $2,500 work permit fee imposed on Nigerians.
Duah also called for the establishment of a Nigerian diplomatic mission on the island.
In response, Tinubu assured the community that their concerns would be addressed through diplomatic channels.
“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 Tinubu’s visit, saying, “The high turnout shows Nigerians’ love and respect for you.”
Dr. Olugbemisola Ogunlusi, a paediatrician who relocated to Saint Lucia after graduating from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, 19 years ago, expressed her gratitude for the President’s visit. She also shared her family’s migration story, noting that her husband now serves as the Chief Medical Director of a newly established Federal Medical Centre in Nigeria.
“Since you arrived, you have propagated Nigeria more than ever thought,” she said.
President Tinubu, reflecting on his days as a student in the United States, encouraged Nigerians to remain diligent and resilient.
“Life is about working hard and being consistent. Stay focused and stay dedicated,” he said.
The meeting concluded with the presentation of a portrait of President Tinubu by Doris, a Nigerian medical student and artist.
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