Nigeria’s former Foreign Affairs Minister, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, In a sharp critique of the recent US election, has expressed deep disappointment, describing the outcome as “a victory for crudity over refinement” that undermines America’s reputation as a global beacon of democracy and integrity.
Akinyemi In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, questioned the values that led to the election result and warned of its implications for nations striving to uphold democratic principles.
Reflecting on his long history with the United States, Akinyemi said, “I first went to the USin 1962, and that America is not the America that voted for Donald Trump yesterday.
“You must stand for rationality. How can you vote for somebody who was convicted of 34 crimes, someone who almost overturned an election? By doing this, what message are you sending to the rest of the world?”
Akinyemi also noted the broader impact of the US election on nations in the Global South. “For us in Nigeria, in the Global South, who are supposed to be fighting for democracy, decency, honesty—what message have you sent this morning?” he asked. “So why should I say good morning?”
When asked about the potential missteps of Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party, Akinyemi was reluctant to analyze their strategy postmortem. “I cannot do a postmortem analysis. Looking back, you always have a better view than looking forward. I don’t know what she did wrong. You saw all the endorsements she was getting.”
Turning his attention to societal divides in the US, Akinyemi commented, “There are more poor people in the United States than there are people in the middle and upper classes. There are more people who don’t care for values; they just care about food on the table.
“They don’t care about climate control; they want a government that would allow them to be drilling for coal, oil, and just to be making a living. If that leads to flooding in Nigeria or Spain or wherever else in the world, they simply don’t care.”
Akinyemi recalled a vision of America that once inspired the world. “We want the America that I grew up in. It was an America that pursued its national interest without telling the rest of the world where to go.”
Speculating on Trump’s next term, Akinyemi expressed concern about potential global instability: “How Donald Trump is going to use the next four years to create chaos all around still beats me, but I don’t know what Kamala Harris did wrong, honestly.”
Akinyemi suggested that Nigeria and Africa would continue to hold little interest for Trump, much like during his previous tenure. “We were not of value to him the first time around. I don’t want to use the term he used for us, but I agree with Ambassador Joe Keshi that we are not going to be of any interest to him. He would have other areas of the world that are of more immediate interest.”
He also noted Trump’s bold campaign promises. “He has told you he can stop the war in Ukraine and in the Middle East. Let us see how the campaign rhetoric translates into actual diplomatic actions once he is in the White House.
“But he never mentioned Africa throughout that campaign. He only mentioned Congo, and that was because of the imports coming from there.”
Akinyemi urged Nigeria to prioritise self-reliance, stressing the importance of reducing dependence on foreign aid. “Let this be a lesson to us that we should turn inward.
“A country like Nigeria, with its natural resources, should not have to depend on loans, aid, or assistance from the United States. We need to buckle up and develop ourselves. We have lost so many years. Think of where we were in 1966, 1975, compared to now.”
The former minister emphasised Nigeria’s economic potential, especially with resources like gas and crude oil, as well as the strategic role of the Dangote refinery. “Nigeria has gas, crude oil—these are resources under the control of the Nigerian government.
“You’ve got the Dangote refinery, the largest in the world, which we should support to generate foreign revenue. Our problem is foreign exchange. If we can generate foreign exchange, we can strengthen our currency and reduce the burden of a diminishing currency.”
Akinyemi also advocated for improving non-oil exports. “I looked at the statistics by the NBS and discovered that the percentage of non-oil exports has been growing. We should build on that by reducing the number of government agencies at the port.”
He recalled efforts under former President Jonathan to streamline port bureaucracy: “President Jonathan gave orders to reduce the number of government agencies whose bureaucracy allows fruits to rot in containers before they’re shipped out, rendering them worthless. That instruction was never carried out, and those agencies are back.”
Highlighting the accomplishments of Nigerians on the global stage, Akinyemi remarked on figures like Benedict Oramah of Afreximbank, Akinwumi Adesina of the African Development Bank, and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of the World Trade Organisation. “These are our citizens who would be prepared to assist us in developing and building on these low-hanging fruits,” he concluded.
