By Babs-Oluribigbe Adeoye
I hold the Nigerian government responsible for the recent decision by the United States President Donald Trump to designate Nigeria as a “country of particular concern.” To me, this unfortunate development stems from the glaring lack of maturity, strategy, and experience among those managing Nigeria’s diplomatic affairs.
This issue didn’t start overnight. It began subtly when U.S. Senator Ted Cruz raised concerns about alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, an accusation that many observers dismissed as exaggerated and politically motivated. Rather than responding diplomatically and intelligently, the Nigerian government chose to treat the matter with levity.
When Senator Cruz made his initial comments, the appropriate response should have been to deploy a robust diplomatic team to Washington to engage lawmakers, religious groups, and think tanks. Such a delegation should have presented factual reports showing that the insecurity and killings in Nigeria affect people of all faiths – Muslims, Christians, and even traditionalists alike.
Unfortunately, instead of a coordinated response, what we saw was Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, trading words with Cruz and describing him as “mischievous.” That was a grave misstep. Diplomacy is not fought with press statements or insults; it is built through quiet, informed persuasion. To make matters worse, the matter was later left in the hands of diaspora figures like Reno Omokri and the Minister of Information, who lack the full machinery and access of a professional diplomatic corps.
Nigeria had a better option. The government could have assembled a credible team of respected Christian leaders — men like Pastor E.A. Adeboye, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, and Bishop Matthew Kukah and dispatched them to the United States to counter the negative narrative. Their presence and moral authority would have spoken volumes and helped balance the story before it took root internationally.
This failure once again exposes Nigeria’s weak diplomatic culture. In an era when perception is as powerful as reality, our government continues to underestimate the impact of global opinion on national image. Everyone knows that the violence and insecurity ravaging Nigeria are not religiously motivated alone as they affect Nigerians of every faith and ethnicity. Yet, because we failed to defend our image promptly and properly, the world now views our internal security challenges through a distorted religious lens.
It is time for Nigeria to rethink its foreign relations strategy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should not operate on autopilot, nor should information management be treated as an extension of domestic politics. The country must invest in professional diplomacy, guided by intelligence, strategy, and respect for global engagement norms. Otherwise, we will continue to suffer reputational damage on the international stage, even for issues we could have easily managed.
Mr. Adeoye, the publisher of WesternLifeNewsNG and Westlife Magazine can be reached via westlifemag2011@yahooil.com
