Obasanjo reflects on U.S.-Nigeria relations, challenges African youth at mentorship retreat
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday recounted a period when Nigeria held significant influence over international affairs, recalling that late United States President Jimmy Carter never took action in Africa without notifying the Nigerian government.
The remarks, made during the Presidential Youth Mentorship Retreat (6.0) at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), come amid heightened attention on President Donald Trump’s threat of military intervention in Nigeria over ongoing attacks targeting Christians.
In a series of posts on X between October 31 and November 1, Trump condemned the continued killings by jihadist groups in Nigeria and declared America’s readiness to deploy its military if the Nigerian government failed to halt the violence.
The statements provoked varied reactions from Nigerian authorities, religious groups, and political leaders.
The federal government, in particular, dismissed Trump’s claims, emphasising that insecurity in the country affects all religious communities.
Obasanjo, speaking in Abeokuta, did not directly address Trump’s comments but used the occasion to reflect on Nigeria’s historical standing in Africa and its global influence under his military regime alongside General Murtala Mohammed.
He highlighted the respect Nigeria commanded, noting that Carter, as US President, “would not do anything in Africa without informing us.
”They were not taking permission from us but they would tell us what they were doing.”
The former president also recounted that during his tenure, three American presidents visited Nigeria, a testament to the nation’s strategic importance.
“At independence, the world saw Nigeria as a giant on the rise. Soon after, we lost that. When Murtala and I came into government, we restored that confidence,” Obasanjo said.
Reflecting on his generation, he said, “We were young, idealistic, and committed to liberating Africa and Nigeria. It was not about money.
”We were under 40, probably naïve, but determined to achieve our ambitions for the continent.”
The mentorship retreat, themed “Africa and the Conflicts in Europe and the Middle East,” drew youths from across Nigeria and other African countries.
During the session, Obasanjo urged participants to be “positively disruptive” and to seize leadership roles without waiting for the future.
“You are leaders of today. If you leave tomorrow in the hands of today’s leaders, your future will be destroyed,” he said, citing examples of entrenched leadership across Africa, including Cameroon, where President Paul Biya, aged 92, continues to hold office.
He emphasised the importance of leveraging youth numbers to influence governance while cautioning that some youths in government have “not proven that they can be absolutely trusted.”
Obasanjo called for proactive engagement: “You have the number, but it will only matter when you use it to your advantage. Be positively disruptive to claim your space in leadership.”
Since Obasanjo’s departure from office, no U.S. president has visited Nigeria, highlighting the shift in the country’s global engagement since his era.
