Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has given an indication of the high regard the United States (US) had for Nigeria in the past,saying when he (Obasanjo) was Head of State, the global superpower could not take any action in Africa without pre-informing him.
Obasanjo was military Head of State from 1976-79 and two-term civilian President from 1999-2007.
He also said that three US Presidents visited Nigeria within his three tenures in office as Nigeria’s leader.
Obasanjo disclosed these on Monday in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, during the Presidential Youth Mentorship Retreat (6.0) organised by the Youth Development Centre, an arm of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL).
His disclosures came against the backdrop of ongoing controversy over US President Donald Trump’s threat, on 31 October and 1 November, to invade Nigeria to rout Islamic jihadist terrorists described as engaged in a genocide against Christians -if the President Bola Tinubu administration, whom the US accused of complicity, failed to take urgent action to stamp out the terrorists.
Though the Federal Government (FG) debunked Trump’s claim of Christian genocide, saying Nigeria enjoys what it described as religious harmony, many religious groups and prominent Nigerians have expressed support for or against both Trump and Tinubu’s positions on the matter.
Recalling how the US under the now-late President Jimmy Carter held Nigeria in high esteem, Obasanjo said the US leader was so close to him that, on matters concerning Africa, “they were not taking permission from us, but they will tell us that they are doing this.”
He added: “When I was President and Head of State, three American Presidents came to Nigeria. They have not lost anything that they were looking for in Nigeria. What did they see?”
People&Politics recalls that these Presidents were Carter, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Carter visited in 1978, Clinton in 2000, and Bush in 2003.
Obasanjo and Carter, who died last December at 100, were known to be close friends. A month after the former US President died, Obasanjo held a memorial service in Abeokuta in his honour, pouring glowing tribute to the late US leader.
At yesterday’s Youth Mentorship Retreat, Obasanjo noted that from Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the world and, especially the US, saw the West African nation as Africa’s leader.
According to him, the country lost that confidence at some point before the Murtala-Obasanjo military regime (1975-79) “brought it back.”
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.”
*PHOTO CAPTION: (Clockwise): Then-Head of State, Gen. Obasanjo with President Carter; then-President Obasanjo with President Bush; and sitting President Obasanjo with Clinton, when the three US Presidents visited Nigeria at different times.
