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Tinubu vs Trump: Under My Watch, America Couldn’t Do Anything in Africa Without My Knowledge — Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday recalled how, during his time as Nigeria’s Head of State, the United States under President Jimmy Carter would not take any major action in Africa without informing the Nigerian government, a remark widely seen as a subtle response to recent tensions over former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial military threat toward Nigeria.
Obasanjo made the remarks on Monday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the Presidential Youth Mentorship Retreat (6.0) organised by the Youth Development Centre of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL). Though he did not directly reference the ongoing controversy surrounding former U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of military action in Nigeria, his comments appeared to subtly contrast the past U.S.–Nigeria relationship with the present storm.
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News Week Nigeria earlier reported that between October 31 and November 1, Trump had issued a series of posts on X condemning killings in Nigeria and warning that the United States was prepared to deploy its military if the Nigerian government failed to stop jihadist attacks. The remarks triggered widespread reactions from the Federal Government, prominent leaders, and religious bodies.
The Federal Government dismissed Trump’s claims as exaggerated, insisting that insecurity in the country affects citizens of all religious groups.
‘Carter Would Inform Nigeria Before Any Action in Africa’
Recalling Nigeria’s strong diplomatic influence during his regime, Obasanjo spoke of the respect accorded to the country by the Carter administration, noting that the U.S. once considered Nigeria an indispensable ally on African affairs.
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“When I was military Head of State, President Jimmy Carter was the President of America. He would not do anything in Africa without informing us,” Obasanjo said. “They were not taking permission from us, but they would tell us, ‘This is what we are doing.’”
Obasanjo and Carter, who died in December 2024 at age 100, enjoyed a warm personal relationship. In January, Obasanjo organised a memorial service in Abeokuta in honour of the late U.S. President.
The former Nigerian leader added that after independence, the world viewed Nigeria as a rising giant, but the country lost that confidence until the Muritala-Obasanjo regime restored it. He revealed that three American presidents visited Nigeria during his leadership—an engagement level the country has not witnessed since he left office.
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‘We Were Young, Idealistic, Not Driven by Money’
Reflecting on his days as a young military leader, Obasanjo described himself and his contemporaries as driven by passion for Nigeria and the liberation of Africa.
“We were young. We were idealistic and we knew what we wanted for Nigeria. It was not about money. We were all under 40. We were probably a bit naïve too. But our ambition was not money,” he said.
Obasanjo to African Youths: Be Positively Disruptive
The retreat, themed “Africa and the Conflicts in Europe and the Middle East,” drew youth participants from across Nigeria and other African countries.
Speaking during the mentorship session, Obasanjo urged African youths to take charge of leadership roles across the continent, warning that leaving the future entirely in the hands of ageing leaders would be disastrous.
“You are leaders of today because if you leave tomorrow in the hands of leaders who are there today, they will destroy it,” he cautioned.
Citing examples of long-serving African rulers, he referred to Cameroon’s 92-year-old President Paul Biya and criticised the irony of Nigeria’s NotTooYoungToRun law being championed by politicians in their 80s.
“You have to be positively disruptive; otherwise, you will have no role to play,” he advised.
The former president further encouraged youths to leverage their numerical strength, although he lamented that some young people currently in government have “not proven that youths can be absolutely trusted.”
No U.S. President Has Visited Nigeria Since Obasanjo
In what many see as a reflection of Nigeria’s diminishing diplomatic weight, Obasanjo noted that no American president has visited Nigeria since he left office.
His remarks come at a time when discussions about Nigeria–U.S. relations have resurfaced following Trump’s controversial military comments, stirring debate on the country’s global standing and foreign policy posture.
