Obasanjo: In My Era, US Consulted Nigeria Before Any Action in Africa
Against the backdrop of former US President Donald Trump’s recent threat of military action against Nigeria, former Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo has pointedly contrasted the current diplomatic friction with a past era of American deference to Nigerian leadership on the African continent.
Obasanjo’s remarks, delivered on Monday in Abeokuta during a youth mentorship retreat, came as the Nigerian government continues to grapple with Trump’s warnings.
The former US President had condemned alleged targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria and stated America’s readiness to deploy its military if the Federal Government failed to act.
While not addressing Trump directly by name, Obasanjo’s comments served as a stark historical counterpoint. He recalled the presidency of the late Jimmy Carter, with whom he shared a close friendship, noting that the United States then held Nigeria in such high regard that it would not undertake major actions in Africa without first informing the Nigerian government.
“They were not taking permission from us, but they would tell us, ‘We are doing this,’” Obasanjo stated, emphasizing the collaborative dynamic of the past.
He fondly remembered the stature Nigeria commanded, revealing, “When I was president and Head of State, three American presidents came to Nigeria. They did not lose anything they were looking for in Nigeria.”
Reflecting on the nation’s trajectory, Obasanjo argued that Nigeria was perceived as a rising global giant at independence, lost that status shortly after, but reclaimed it during the Murtala-Obasanjo military regime. His narrative implicitly framed the current US threat as a symptom of a decline in Nigeria’s international standing from its former position of influence.
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