Obasanjo: Under My Watch, US Couldn’t Act In Africa Without Nigeria’s Knowledge
Obasanjo: Under My Watch, US Couldn’t Act in Africa Without Nigeria’s Knowledge
AFRICA
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo recalls that during his leadership, the United States, under President Jimmy Carter, never acted in Africa without informing Nigeria.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed that during his tenure as Nigeria’s military Head of State, the United States under late President Jimmy Carter would not take any major action in Africa without first notifying Nigeria.
Obasanjo made this known on Monday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the Presidential Youth Mentorship Retreat (6.0) organized by the Youth Development Centre of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL).
His comments appeared to subtly reference the recent controversy surrounding former U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to deploy American troops to Nigeria over alleged killings of Christians by jihadist groups.
Trump’s remarks, made in a series of posts on X between October 31 and November 1, sparked widespread reactions from the Nigerian government, religious organizations, and political leaders. The federal government dismissed Trump’s claims, maintaining that insecurity in Nigeria affects all citizens, regardless of religion.
Without directly addressing the Trump controversy, Obasanjo recalled the mutual respect between Nigeria and the U.S. during his leadership, particularly his close relationship with President Carter, who passed away in December 2024 at the age of 100.
“In those days, President Jimmy Carter would not do anything in Africa without informing us,” Obasanjo said. “They were not seeking permission, but they would let us know what they planned to do.”
Reflecting on Nigeria’s international standing, Obasanjo noted that the country was once regarded as Africa’s natural leader before it lost that position — a status he and the late General Murtala Mohammed worked to restore.
“At independence, the world saw Nigeria as a rising giant,” he said. “But soon after, we lost that confidence. When Murtala and I came into government, we brought it back. The Americas saw Nigeria as a leader in Africa, and when I was Head of State, three American presidents visited Nigeria.”
Speaking further, the former military ruler reminisced about his generation’s commitment to national service and African liberation.
“We were young, under 40, and idealistic,” he said. “We weren’t driven by money. We knew what we wanted for Nigeria and Africa, even if we were a bit naïve.”
Themed “Africa and the Conflicts in Europe and the Middle East,” the retreat drew youths from across Nigeria and other African countries.
During the mentorship session, Obasanjo urged young Africans to be “positively disruptive” in their quest for leadership, warning that leaving the future in the hands of the current ruling class could prove disastrous.
“You are leaders of today, not tomorrow,” he declared. “If you wait, those in power today will destroy your tomorrow. Look at Cameroon — Paul Biya is 92. Are there no young people there?”
He also criticized the hypocrisy behind Nigeria’s Not Too Young To Run law. “Those who made it into law are 80 years old and still running. When will you have the opportunity to lead?”
Encouraging the youth to leverage their population advantage, he said, “You have the numbers, but numbers only matter when you use them wisely.”
However, Obasanjo expressed disappointment that some young people in power have not lived up to expectations.
“Some of our youths in government have not shown that they can be absolutely trusted,” he lamented.
Since Obasanjo left office, no U.S. president has visited Nigeria.