Former President Olusegun Obasanjo claimed that during his tenure, the late United States President Jimmy Carter could not undertake any action in Africa without his awareness.
Obasanjo made this statement on Monday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the Presidential Youth Mentorship Retreat (6.0), which was organized by the Youth Development Centre, a branch of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL).
This comment comes amidst the ongoing controversy regarding President Donald Trump’s threat of military intervention against Nigeria.
It is recalled that between October 31 and November 1, Trump had spoken out against the continued killings targeting Christians in Nigeria, stating America’s preparedness to send its military to Nigeria if the federal government failed to halt the killings by jihadist groups.
Trump’s declaration and threat have generated varied responses from the federal government, as well as prominent Nigerian leaders and religious bodies.
Specifically, the federal government rejected Trump’s allegations, maintaining that the nation’s insecurity impacts all religious groups.
While Obasanjo did not directly address the current controversy, he subtly recounted how the US, under President Carter, held Nigeria in high regard.
Obasanjo and Carter, who passed away in December 2024, were considered close friends.
In January of this year, Obasanjo held a memorial service in Abeokuta to honor Carter, where he delivered a tribute to the late US President who died at the age of 100.
According to Obasanjo, from the time of its independence, the world, and particularly America, viewed Nigeria as Africa’s leader. He noted that the country lost this confidence at one point before the Murtala-Obasanjo military regime “restored it.”
Recalling past events, Obasanjo stated that Carter, as the US President, would not conduct any business on African soil without informing the Nigerian government when Obasanjo was Head of State.
He said, “They were not requesting our permission, but they would notify us that ‘they are doing this.'”
He continued, “When I was president and Head of State, three American presidents visited Nigeria. They had not lost anything they were looking for in Nigeria. What did they see?”
He concluded, “At Independence, the world recognized Nigeria as a rising giant. Soon after independence, we lost that standing. When Murtala and I came into government, we brought it back.”
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