Former Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, has expressed concerns about President Trump’s perceived disregard for African nations and global cooperation.
In an interview with Channels TV, Akinyemi questioned Trump’s knowledge of and interest in Africa. “If you ask Trump to spell Africa or to spell Nigeria, he will not be able to do so. We are out of his focus; he’s focusing on the Middle East because Israel has been a united partner of the US. He is focusing on South America, and what have you,” he stated.
The distinguished ambassador criticized Trump’s departure from traditional presidential rhetoric on global issues. “This was not an inaugural address that is calling on the world to join him in an adventure to rescue the world, whether it is on climate change or other things. He was saying ‘baby drill’ – is that the kind of language you expect from a president in an inaugural address?” Akinyemi questioned.
Reflecting on Trump’s consistency with his campaign rhetoric, he added, “But am I surprised? No, I’m not surprised, because all he said today were things he said on the campaign trail, and they were even made up of falsehoods.”
The former minister concluded with a warning to African leaders: “If you are asking President Tinubu or African presidents to try and fathom a pathway to engage Trump, I will say they’ve got a heavy duty on their hands.”
A lot of people remember President Donald Trump for referring to Africa as a Shithole. However, Trump’s first term saw the birth of initiatives such as Prosper Africa, aimed at facilitating economic engagement between the US and African Nations. Since it’s launch in 2019, the US has helped close nearly 3,000 deals across 49 countries for a value of more than $120 billion.
