Nigeria First (Abuja)
2 August 2005
Abuja — Memories will linger long after President Olusegun Obasanjo departs the Caribbean Islands of Trinidad and Tobago on 2 August at the end of a colourful four-day state visit.
On 1 August, President Obasanjo was special guest of honour at the Emancipation Day celebrations where an exuberant crowd of over 3000 congregated at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain to give him and his Nigerian entourage authentic African traditional song and dance reception. The Emancipation Day is set aside every year to commemorate the abolition of slavery in Trinidad and Tobago, a two-Island nation of 1.3 million people of mostly African descent.
Addressing the crowd, President Obasanjo gave a ray of hope to Africans in the Caribbean countries and others in the Diaspora that he will use his current position as Chairman of the African Union (AU) to ensure they are recognised as the sixth region of the African Union.
"In a speech interrupted severally by cheers and hearty applause, President Obasanjo connected with the African audience whose spirit he described as 'indomitable and never surrendering'. Describing his visit as one of 'mixed emotions' President Obasanjo said it gave him tremendous joy and satisfaction to be in that solemn gathering celebrating a historic epoch in African history but expressed feelings of sadness for the families and persons who suffered untold indignities during the era of slavery.
The President however cautioned his audience not to see the chain as having been removed, adding that as long as African people were not involved in the economic and political decisions that shape the world, they could never boast of being truly emancipated.
He also assured the organisers of the annual Emancipation Day carnival of Nigeria's continued support and participation.
The President had met with the Trinidad Prime minister, Mr Patrick Manning on the last day of his visit.
He later addressed a well-attended Children's Rally in Port of Spain, the capital of the country.
Addressing the country's parliament earlier, President Obasanjo solicited the help of Trinidad and Tobago in mobilising other members of the 15-member Caribbean Community (Caricom), to support Nigeria's bid to win a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
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