Joe Igbokwe slams Trump “best country” posture
Joe Igbokwe, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria, has publicly criticised Donald Trump, saying that the former US President is making “too much noise” as if “America is the best country God ever created”. Igbokwe’s remarks came in response to Trump’s recent threat of possible military action against Nigeria over alleged attacks on Christians. He said that while Trump may be a giant in America, he is not a giant in Nigeria, and accused him of carrying arrogance into other countries.
Igbokwe made the comments on his Facebook page, emphasising that Nigeria’s sovereignty must be respected and that the US must not act as though it can browbeat Nigeria into submission. Without naming Trump directly in every sentence, he challenged the tone and posture of the US threat, stating that Nigeria should not accept being talked down to or treated as inferior.
Analysts say that the strike-hawkish tone adopted by Trump has raised fresh diplomatic headwinds between Abuja and Washington. Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry has already stated that the country remains committed to protecting all citizens and that it expects international partners to engage in respectful diplomacy rather than issuing ultimatums.
The broader context involves Trump’s assertion that “thousands” of Christians are being killed in Nigeria and his warning that US troops might intervene if Nigeria fails to act. Many Nigerian political figures, including Joe Igbokwe, view such comments as an affront to national dignity and sovereignty. Igbokwe’s claim that America is acting as if “the best country God ever created” is a direct response to what he sees as a patronising tone in the US approach.
