By Abiola Olawale
Prof. Bola Akinterinwa, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), has defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to skip the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Akinterinwa described the development as a calculated move to sidestep what he described as a potential humiliation from United States President Donald Trump.
Speaking amid swirling speculations about Tinubu’s consecutive absence from the annual New York summit, Akinterinwa portrayed the Nigerian leader as not just Trump’s equal in intellect, but potentially sharper in navigating the treacherous waters of international relations.
The 80th UNGA, which kicked off on September 9, 2025, in New York, has drawn hundreds of world leaders to tackle pressing issues like climate action, economic inequality, and geopolitical tensions.
Yet, for the second year running, Tinubu opted to send Vice President Kashim Shettima in his place.
However, Akinterinwa, a seasoned international relations scholar, dismissed critics who view the absence as a sign of weakness or disinterest.
He made this known while speaking during an interview with Channels Television on Friday.
He stated: “But when you look at the other aspect, why is our own Bola Ahmed Tinubu not going. It may be a strategy itself. One, at the level of Donald Trump, Donald Trump is an unpredictable president.
“Donald Trump thinks after action, but he does not think well before action. He is a president who can thoroughly embarrass our own president, find unnecessary excuses because Nigeria appears to be towing a sort of independentist line when it comes to the conduct and management of international affairs.
“Donald Trump doesn’t like this. Donald Trump wants to be seen as the primus inter pares in international relations.
“So in this case, this is the second time our president will not be attending. But what does that mean really? What is it that is in his head for not going? The ideal thing would have been to be there.”
“If he’s there, in which way are you going to say that Donald Trump is better than Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria? He’s not.
“And I can tell you that Ahmed Tinubu is as intelligent, if not more intelligent, than Donald Trump. He’s more cautious.
“He’s more strategic in his approach, but when you are absent, you give room for unnecessary speculations.”
