By Obinna Uballa
Former Minister of External Affairs, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, has raised alarm over what he described as an “unjustified and unfair” attempt to label Nigeria with genocide allegations, warning that such claims could carry grave diplomatic and reputational consequences for the country.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Akinyemi expressed deep concern that Nigeria was being mentioned in the same breath as Israel amid accusations of genocide, following recent actions by the United States government.
In September, the United States State Department designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for alleged violations of religious freedom and proposed sanctions on Nigerian officials accused of enabling attacks against Christians.
Reacting to the development, Akinyemi said: “As a Nigerian, I am depressed and upset that the charge of genocide will be levelled at my country. When you compare what is happening in Nigeria with what Netanyahu has done in the Middle East, to now link Nigeria and put us in the same basket as Israel and accuse us of genocide, I think it is unjustified.”
The former minister acknowledged that while there have been violent incidents in the Middle Belt and other parts of the country, they do not amount to genocide.
“It is true that there are unsavoury developments in the Middle Belt that worry us, but it doesn’t amount to genocide,” he stated.
Akinyemi cautioned that careless narratives and unfounded accusations could have far-reaching implications for all Nigerians, including the possibility of sanctions, travel restrictions, and damaged diplomatic relations.
“We Nigerians must understand that there are consequences to our actions. When we run down our own country unjustifiably, we demarket our image and every Nigerian gets affected by what is said or unsaid,” he warned.
The former diplomat criticised what he called the slow and inadequate response of the Nigerian government to the issue, urging authorities to treat it as a matter of urgent national importance.
“I don’t know why we waited for the matter to get this far into the U.S. Congress before it became an issue of public concern in Nigeria,” he said.
“Before you know it, they will cancel passports, cancel visas, and when you want to run for Security Council positions, this matter will arise, and genocide will now be attached to the name and status of our country.”
Akinyemi called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Security Adviser (NSA) to take up the matter directly with their counterparts in Washington to mitigate any potential diplomatic fallout.
“Now that the NSA is saddled with internal and domestic security affairs, maybe he should take it up at that level with his colleague in the United States and explain matters clearly,” he added.
He stressed that safeguarding Nigeria’s image on the international stage requires proactive diplomacy, factual communication, and a united national stance against misrepresentation.
