As Tinubu Urges Africa-Caribbean Unity in Saint Lucia, Over 272 Nigerians Killed in June Alone

While Nigerians deal with deadly violence, worsening hunger, and mass flooding, President Bola Tinubu is on a diplomatic visit and reported retreat in the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. His trip, which includes ceremonial speeches and bilateral meetings, comes at a time of mounting hardship for millions of Nigerians.

According to a report by West Africa Weekly, the president is not just engaging in diplomacy but also taking time to rest during his stay in Saint Lucia, a move that has drawn widespread criticism at home, where citizens are facing one of the most challenging periods in recent national history.

During a special joint session of the Saint Lucian Senate and House of Assembly, Tinubu delivered a speech focused on Pan-African unity, calling on Africans and people of African descent to “come together, get organised, and work towards a glorious future.”

Our administration is determined to nurture and expand bilateral relations on trade, investment, tourism, education, and cultural exchange,” Tinubu said, thanking the Saint Lucian government for their hospitality. He ended his remarks with “Mèsi Anpil”, Creole for “Thank you very much.”

The tone of Tinubu’s speech stands in stark contrast to the situation in Nigeria, where at least 272 people were killed in violent incidents across the country in June 2025 alone. From terrorist attacks in the North to massacres in the Middle Belt and criminal violence in the South, the bloodshed has mainly continued unchecked.

Flooding has displaced thousands, especially in Niger, Delta, Kogi, and parts of Lagos, while rising inflation and job losses are pushing more Nigerians below the poverty line. Across markets and streets, frustration is growing, and so is the perception that leadership is absent.

Many have questioned the timing and optics of Tinubu’s trip to the Caribbean. Though foreign diplomacy is part of any president’s duty, many say the combination of a publicised “rest” period and ongoing national crisis shows a glaring lack of empathy and urgency.

You cannot preach unity and progress abroad while people are dying in your streets and drowning in their homes.

Nonetheless, the presidency insists that such diplomatic engagements are crucial for long-term development goals and Nigeria’s role as a leader on the global stage.

Until then, calls for unity abroad will continue to ring hollow for a nation still counting its dead.

Now, with news of the president resting abroad while crises deepen at home, the message to many Nigerians is painfully clear:

They are on their own.

Nigerians are not asking for less diplomacy;

They’re asking for leadership that starts at home, with a focus on safety, jobs, and livelihood.

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