₦airaland Forum

Visits to Nigeria by US presidents and vice presidents.


President Jimmy Carter - 1978

Vice President Walter Mondale - 1980

Vice President George H.W. Bush - 1982

Vice President Dan Quayle - 1992

President Bill Clinton - 2000

President George W. Bush - 2003

Fatima Garba (the daughter of the foreign minister, Major General Joseph Garba) was the official play mate to Amy Carter.

Photo 1) Amy Carter and Fati Garba aboard a boat while President Carter inspected the Tin Can Island Port.

Photo 2) Rosalyn and Amy Carter with Fatima Garba and the Akran of Badagry.

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu @OUKtweets

I extended ‘OUK HUG’ to my brother and friend, ex Gov. Yahaya Bello as we Celebrate Boxing Day together in my residence—-OUK

https://x.com/OUKtweets/status/1872354102887551229?t=HhEiQkapcGUCbyLNQyECkQ&s=19

President Jimmy Carter visited Nigeria many times after he left office. He was involved in the campaigns against guinea worm and river blindness diseases and he visited Nigeria in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s in that capacity.

Official diary of President Jimmy Carter's activities in Lagos. This was taken from the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum.

United States First Lady, Rosalyn Carter and Amy Carter (daughter of President and Mrs Carter) at the National Museum in Onikan, Lagos.

Photo 1) President Carter went by motorcade from State House Marina to the headquarters of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), also on the Marina. He then went by boat from NPA to Tin Can Island Port in Apapa.

Nigeria had witnessed port congestion during the Gowon Era (the infamous "Cement Armada" ) and the Tin Can Island Port was built to reduce pressure on Apapa Port. The United States had assisted Nigeria during the construction of the port. This visit was interesting because President Carter rode on a Nigerian boat and a Nigerian Land Rover. US presidents do not usually ride in foreign owned vehicles. Furthermore, President Carter rode in an open top vehicle, which is something that became unusual after the death of President Kennedy.

The photo shows President Jimmy Carter and Colonel Muhammadu Magoro (Nigerian minister of transport) inspecting Tin Can Island Port from the back of General Obasanjo's Land Rover.

Muhammadu Magoro went on to become a major general and minister of internal affairs in the Buhari regime (1983-1985).

Photo 2) General Obasanjo held a state banquet for President Carter at the Federal Palace Hotel. The two heads of state signed a joint communique on the sidelines of the banquet.

Sunday, April 2nd 1978.

Footage of Nigerian Head of State, Lt. Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo signing a joint communique with U.S. President Jimmy Carter in Lagos, Nigeria at the end of an historic first visit to a Black African country by an American president.

Both men told newsmen that the two countries had pledged to work for the elimination of "the evil and oppressive system of apartheid" in South Africa.

But Lt. General Obasanjo expressed his strong disappointment over what he called the inadequacy of measures taken against South Africa by the international community, including the United States.

OBASANJO: "We have been able to agree, and in fact, all along, agreement on what is bad has not been a problem. We know what is bad, and that we have agreed upon. We also know what is required, that we agree upon. It terms of how to achieve what is required expeditiously has taken a bit of doing".

CARTER: "The last point I would like to make here is one that he has referred to several times, including his toast a few minutes ago, and that is our belief that Africans are completely able to resolve their own differences in Africa as it relates to political and military encounters, and the intrusion of outside forces into African disputes can only aggravate them and exaggerate death and suffering of people in this continent."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J4lTxqreac?si=dL-rANHa_ICCprW9

US news report about the visit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqOX-R6ZMrQ?si=SyMosw13xoH3LnEQ

JIMMY CARTER'S VISIT TO NIGERIA (APRIL 1978).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGZmrX9fziE?si=rTH7CeOl-aCY1-n_

naptu2:
The first visit of a US president to Sub-Saharan Africa.

The video opens with a panoramic view of the grounds of State House Ribadu Road (aka Dodan Barracks) and the massed ranks of officers and men of the Brigade of Guards. You can see the real Dodan (army) Barracks in the distance (brown and white buildings).

The video shows President Carter arriving Dodan Barracks for the welcoming ceremonies.
Riding in the limousine with President and Mrs. Carter is General Joseph Garba. At that time, Joseph Garba was Nigeria’s foreign minister. After retiring from the army, General Garba would go on to serve as Nigeria’s representative at the United Nations. He served as President of the UN General Assembly in 1990.

General Garba previously served as Commander of the Brigade of Guards when General Gowon was Head of State.

President Carter is received by Lt Gen Obasanjo and introduced to Nigerian officials.

The two heads of state receive the 21 gun salute and the national salute (Star Spangled Banner and Arise O’ Compatriots). A line of Nigerian officials is shown during the rendition of the anthems. The officials include Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters), Lt Gen T.Y Danjuma (Chief of Army Staff), Vice Admiral Michael Adelanwa (Chief of Naval Staff), Air Vice Marshall John Yisa Doko (Chief of Air Staff) and Alhaji Muhammed Dikko Yusuf (Inspector General of Police).

President Carter, accompanied by his (US) ADC and the parade commander, inspects the troops.

Short clips of speeches by President Carter and Lt Gen Obasanjo.

There is then a very brief shot of the Council Chamber at State House Ribadu Road.

The US President is then shown at the Cenotaph at Tafawa Balewa Square. The guards play the Last Post and the President lays a wreath at the tomb of The Unknown Soldier.

Finally, there is a shot of Marina. President Carter stayed at State House Marina during his visit. It’s an interesting shot because you can see Marina before the Outer Ring Road was built. This was back when Marina had a sandy beach, instead of the concrete structures that are there at the moment. This was even before NECOM House (Net Building) was built.

Video of his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed Airport the previous night.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPtSHEmeCbc?si=Xt8q6T1DAEMBgVUo

Photo 1) US President Jimmy Carter at Dodan Barracks. Beside President Carter is the parade commander. Behind them is the Commander of the (Nigerian) Brigade of Guards, Colonel Mamman Vatsa and beside Vatsa (in white) is President Carter's ADC.