Peter Obi, has strongly criticised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to award scholarships to students in Saint Lucia and other Caribbean countries, calling it “heartbreaking” and “a betrayal of Nigerian children.”
During his recent state visit to Saint Lucia, President Tinubu announced a scholarship scheme for Caribbean students to study in Nigerian universities. The move has since sparked backlash, especially given Nigeria’s ongoing education challenges.
Obi expressed disbelief over the initiative, noting that while Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children globally, its own students particularly in the nation’s capital are being left behind.
“It is heartbreaking that our President, who leads a country with the highest number of out-of-school children in the world, would travel to Saint Lucia to offer scholarships while public primary schools in Abuja remain shut,” Obi said.
He referenced the ongoing strike by primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which began in March over unpaid salaries and the non-implementation of the proposed ₦70,000 minimum wage. As of June 30, the strike had reached its 100th day, leaving thousands of pupils at home across Abuja’s six Area Councils.
Citing data from UNICEF, Obi reminded the public that over 20 million Nigerian children are currently out of school a global record.
He also drew comparisons between Nigeria and Saint Lucia, noting that the Caribbean nation performs better on global development indexes, including literacy rate, education access, and life expectancy.
“So what sense does it make that the president of a country with such alarming statistics would go to a better-performing nation and offer scholarships paid for by struggling Nigerian taxpayers?” Obi asked.
He argued that the gesture reveals a troubling contradiction: “By offering Saint Lucian students scholarships, Mr. President shows he understands the value of education yet he denies that opportunity to his own citizens.”
Obi concluded by urging President Tinubu to prioritise investing in Nigeria’s failing education system before extending such resources to other countries.
