Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says the late U.S. President Jimmy Carter would not take any significant action in Africa during his administration without informing Nigeria’s government.
Obasanjo made the remark 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.
His comment comes amid ongoing controversy over former U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of possible military intervention in Nigeria over alleged attacks on Christians.
Between October 31 and November 1, Trump condemned what he described as continued killings of Christians in Nigeria and warned that the U.S. could deploy troops if the Nigerian government failed to curb extremist violence. The allegation has drawn mixed reactions from government officials, religious leaders and stakeholders.
The Federal Government has dismissed the claims, maintaining that insecurity affects all religious groups.
While Obasanjo did not directly address the current dispute, he recalled the strong diplomatic relationship Nigeria enjoyed under Carter, who died in December 2024 at age 100. Obasanjo described the former U.S. leader as a close ally and noted that a memorial service was held in his honour earlier this year in Abeokuta.
According to Obasanjo, global perception of Nigeria as Africa’s leader dates back to independence, although he said the country lost that standing before the Murtala-Obasanjo military administration “brought it back.”
Reflecting on his tenure, he said three American presidents visited Nigeria during his time as Head of State. “They were not taking permission from us, but they would tell us they were doing this,” he said.
“At independence, the world saw Nigeria as a giant coming up. Soon after independence, we lost that. When Murtala and I came into government, we brought it back,” he added.