By Solomon Ogo-Oluwa Oyerinde
It is becoming clearer by the day that the United States’ sudden concern about Nigeria is not born out of compassion, but of calculation. From sponsored unrest to exaggerated narratives about religious persecution, every move seems to point toward a bigger geopolitical game — one that targets Nigeria’s sovereignty and economic independence.
Let us ask the hard question: When did the United States start caring about Nigerian lives? The same America that uses ICE to chase away our people, that denies visas to our scholars and humiliates African immigrants at its borders, now suddenly claims to be our moral guardian. The contradiction alone exposes the script.
familiar pattern of strategic manipulation The truth is, this is not the first time the U.S. has claimed to care about the well-being of Africans while pursuing its own interests. In the 1980s, the U.S. pushed for Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) through the IMF and World Bank — programs that imposed austerity measures across Africa, including Nigeria. These policies led to mass unemployment, the erosion of local industries, and increased poverty, all while Western corporations expanded their foothold on African markets. The rhetoric of “reform” masked the reality of exploitation.
In 2014, at the height of Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram, the U.S. imposed a ban on the sale of critical military equipment under the Leahy Law, citing human rights concerns. Yet the same law has been conveniently overlooked when U.S. interests are served, such as with arms sales to regimes in the Middle East that are far worse in their human rights abuses. This selective intervention has left Nigeria vulnerable at key moments, without the means to protect its citizens.
nd of course, there’s the 2011 NATO intervention in Libya, which, under the leadership of the U.S., led to the downfall of Muammar Gaddafi. The chaotic aftermath saw the rise of militant groups and the destabilization of North Africa, further spiraling into insecurity across the Sahel. The cost of “humanitarian intervention” has often been destabilization — not just in Libya, but across the entire region. This is the West’s pattern of interference: masked as intervention for “freedom,” but really about oil, control, and dominance.
The oil factor: A threat to the West’s grip Today, Nigeria stands at a critical intersection. The West’s oil market is shaking because the monopoly is ending. With the Dangote Refinery producing over 650,000 barrels per day, Nigeria is gradually breaking free from the grip of international oil cabals who have long thrived on our dependency. These multinational giants have benefited from Nigeria’s oil wealth for decades, but with the country now poised to become a major player in refining and production, their profits are threatened.
In response, chaos becomes the weapon of choice, and regime change becomes the ultimate goal. The West will never allow its stranglehold on Africa’s resources to slip quietly away. Nigeria’s growing energy independence threatens a shift in global power dynamics — and the West will do anything to preserve its dominance.
Call for strategic wisdom and national preparation President Bola Ahmed Tinubu faces a delicate challenge. Nigeria is not yet fully armed — economically or militarily — for direct confrontation with the West. But we are rich enough to begin equipping our military bases and investing in advanced intelligence operations. The time has come to focus on security technology, defense manufacturing, and cyber-intelligence training. Nigeria’s strength in the 21st century will lie not just in its military but in its technological and strategic capacities.
The most dangerous position for any nation is to be seen as weak or unprepared. In global politics, the weak are always the victims of the bully. Our silence and inaction over the years have been our greatest vulnerability, and each generation that fails to learn from history pays a steep price.
The spiritual and moral imperative This moment calls for more than just strategic thinking; it requires moral clarity. Our holy books speak of wars and preparation, not naivety. Both the Bible and the Qur’an highlight the importance of readiness in the face of conflict. War, in all its forms, is not merely a matter of arms; it is often fought in the arenas of deception, trade, diplomacy, and information warfare.
Nigeria must wake up to the reality that in the modern world, conflict is not always fought with guns. Some wars are waged through economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation, and psychological manipulation. This is a time for Nigeria to build not just its military power, but its intellectual and strategic defenses. Our unity, intelligence, and preparation will be our true strength — and it is this strength that will deter external aggression.
The local collaborators: A word of caution To the local oil cabals and elites who have profited from Nigeria’s dependency: remember, you cannot call a thief to repair your treasury door. When the foreign hand finally invades, even your wealth will burn along with the house you helped destroy. The resources you exploit today will be no protection when the external forces come to take what they see as their rightful share. Your short-term gains will not shield you from the consequences of undermining the nation’s long-term interests.
Rising above the chessboard Nigeria must rise above the global chessboard of power politics. The world does not fear our weakness; it fears our potential strength. It is not our resources alone that make us a threat to the status quo, but the unity, intelligence, and preparation we bring to the table.
This is not a time for reaction or short-term thinking. The time for readiness has begun. We must train our minds, our institutions, and our people for the challenges ahead. The global order is shifting — and Nigeria’s place in it must be one of power, influence, and sovereignty.
Solomon Ogo-Oluwa Oyerinde, a political strategist and advocate for Positive National Branding, writes from Lagos. He could be reached on