President Bola Tinubu has been conferred with Saint Lucia’s highest national honour – Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Lucia (KCOSL) – in recognition of his efforts to strengthen the historical and cultural bonds between Africa and the Caribbean.
The formal investiture was performed by the Governor-General of Saint Lucia, Errol Charles, on Monday night at an official reception for President Tinubu at the Government House in Morne Fortune, Saint Lucia.
President Tinubu, who is on a state visit to the Caribbean nation, can now add the honorific of Sir to his numerous titles, said he was humbled to receive the honour, noting that the recognition symbolised a deepening of historic and cultural connections between Nigeria and Saint Lucia.
He pledged to strengthen the ties between Nigeria and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) member states.
“I am here as one of you representing that historical journey taken by our forebears, the history that we cannot reserve, but are prepared for progressive understanding.
“I am greatly honoured, on behalf of my country, on behalf of nearly 220 million people in Nigeria, to stand before you to thank you very much. I came here as a president, but I’m leaving as a knight,” President Tinubu said.
President Tinubu described the experience as “thrilling and exciting,” praising the warmth and generosity of the Saint Lucian people.
“It cannot be more thrilling, more exciting, and welcoming than that. You are great people. I thank the Prime Minister and His Excellency the Governor-General for seeing me worthy of this honour and knighthood.
Reflecting on his earlier address to the Saint Lucian Parliament on Monday, President Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to deepening cooperation between Nigeria and the OECS.
“I addressed the Parliament earlier today. I made some promises to enhance our connectivity and business opportunities, foster creativity in our future together, and help us overcome the legacy of our forebears’ years of separation.
“To see that we can resume cultural exchanges and believe in economic development is a responsibility that we must live up to,” he said.
Highlighting the industry of the African and Caribbean peoples, the President stressed that both regions must continue to work together in pursuit of prosperity.
“The black race is not lazy. We are hardworking and honest people. Given the opportunity, we can excel. We believe life itself has given us what we need.
“We have no cause to regret, and we have every reason to celebrate life, opportunity, and excellence. I come from a country where the people are incredibly hardworking and democratic in every aspect. We are good at agriculture and trading.
The Governor-General explained that with the investiture, the Nigerian leader will now be known as “Sir Bola Ahmed Tinubu, KCOSL (Hon.) President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
According to the Governor-General, the national honour acknowledges President Tinubu’s leadership on the African continent and his ongoing efforts to strengthen ties between Africa and the Caribbean.
