₦airaland Forum

Senator Kevin Cramer: with that and I think the Christians in Nigeria today are probably feeling pretty good about Donald Trump's position.

Japhet Joshua Omojuwa: Thank you very much. Senator, you said the Christians in Nigeria today are probably feeling good about Donald Trump. So I'm a Christian from Nigeria. One out of 100 million Christians very small sample size.

I do not feel good about Donald Trump. He call Nigeria a disgraced country. Frankly speaking that's not so bad because he called us. . . used to call us a shithole country. So it's a kind of improvement on. . .disgraced country is an improvement.

Is there a better way, for instance to. . . a decent way to offer help to someone? So if I said if I look at all the shoes on this panel and you guys are wearing nice suits, everybody is wearing nice suits but there's a differentiation of shoes. The senator's shoe is different. So if I was your friend after this panel, I'll buy you a gift a nice shoe to match up with your suit. I wouldn't have to say anything about the state of your shoes that made me buy those shoes.

Is there a way that powerful countries can help less powerful countries, poor countries without doing it in a way that leaves the worse off?

For instance, America went to Libya. Libya has a causative effect on the terrorism challenges that Nigeria and the Sahel is facing. I won't talk about the other places America went to. Let's just stick it to Nigeria.

Since Donald Trump said what he said for Nigerian Christians, Christians have been abducted in a church in the north-west of Nigeria, Muslim students have been abducted. I will not speak to the causation but there's a correlation between Donald Trump. . .from the point Donald Trump spoke about Nigeria's challenges and the escalation of terrorism.

So decency apart, there are rules of engagement, there's a global rules based order, is there a way, first of all, to speak about Nigeria in a respectful and decent way not just as president of America, but as a human being and much more so as the president of the United States of America, that I would always respect as a person and frankly speaking, Nigerians continue to respect generally.

Also, is there a way to help Nigeria, because for instance, one of the reasons we failed woefully at fighting terrorism was because desite having the money, despite having the intention and motivation to buy weapons from America for so many years we were denied. Eventually we got them and for some of those weapons they they also told them where not to use those weapons. So I'm just going to ask and sit down, is there a way to decently help Nigeria without making things worse and wihhout disrespecting Nigerian Christians and Muslims.

Senator Kevin Cramer: Thank you very much. I think great question. No doubt the answer to your question is certainly and I I want to address both things. First of all, the words do matter. They do. You were kind in suggesting is there a way to do some things and not needing you know to make things worse by the wrong words. The right words help. You know, if a more delicate way of saying something is obviously better than a more brutal way.

That said, at the end of the day, a lot of people have promised a lot of things to Nigerian and several African countries. And by the way, you're talk you're once again I point to my colleagues who are two of the biggest advocates for our relationship with Africa.

And I won't go into all the ways that they do that or that we do it together, but but the actions do matter. A lot of people will say the right thing and do the wrong thing. Other people will maybe say the wrong thing and and mean to do the right thing. Is there a better way? Certainly. But one thing your your example is very specific and it's appropriate in your case.

But you also touched on the larger issue of it's not just one country. It's not just one on one. We did. There was an earlier panel I I forget which one that that got to the point of and it might have even been Senator King I don't remember but one of the senators spoke to America's retreat. I think it might have been Tom Tillis now I think of it. America's retreat from several areas which has left them vulnerable to to the predators if you will to China especially and their predatory financing and behavior.

There there are lots of ways and I think for example one of the areas where President Trump and I have disagreed quite openly is in the use the effective use of US AID. Those things need to be conformed for sure. But when we talk about democracy and I talk about the difference in the United States as being more self-governed, he is a reflection of the country.

All of our democracies, democratically elected leaders are a reflection of their country and that's the pastoral role they should play at the higher level but at the governing level I think globally speaking aid to friends and would be friends and possible friends is a bargain compared to to munitions and I just think we need to be more directly engaged in

When I heard Senator Kevin Cramer say, "The Christians in Nigeria today are probably feeling pretty good about Donald Trump's position", I decided I had to let him understand a few things.

The Halifax International Security Forum's audience certainly enjoyed this one.

When I heard Senator Kevin Cramer say, "The Christians in Nigeria today are probably feeling pretty good about Donald Trump's position", I decided I had to let him understand a few things.

The Halifax International Security Forum's audience certainly enjoyed this one. pic.twitter.com/pLys3sRFZz

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) November 24, 2025

The Halifax International Security Forum (also known as HISF or Halifax Forum) is an annual summit for international government and military officials, academic experts, authors and entrepreneurs, held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is organized by HFX, an organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. that describes itself and has been quoted as an "independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization". HFX addresses global security issues through various programs, with the Halifax International Security Forum serving as its flagship event.

Trump’s rhetoric may have escalated insecurity in Nigeria, Omojuwa tells US senator

by Claire Mom
November 24, 2025

Japheth Omojuwa, an author and political commentator, says US President Donald Trump’s remarks on Nigeria may have led to an upsurge in insecurity in the country.

He added that he did not share the notion that Nigerian Christians feel reassured by Trump’s offer of protection from “persecution”.

Omojuwa offered his perspective while posing a question to Kevin Cramer, US senator, at the three-day Halifax International Security Forum in Canada.

Omojuwa is a member of the Halifax Forum board.

Before the influencer’s comments, Cramer said Christians in Nigeria today are probably feeling “pretty good” about Trump’s position.

Trump had threatened to send US troops “guns-a-blazing” into Nigeria, a country he called “disgraced”, to wipe out the “Islamist terrorists” he said were killing Christians.

In a clip of his response to Cramer shared on X on Monday, Omojuwa said he offered a different view because he speaks as a Christian living in Nigeria.

“I do not feel good about Donald Trump. He called Nigeria a disgraced country. Frankly speaking, that’s not so bad, because he used to call us a shit hole country. So it’s a kind of improvement,” Omojuwa said.

He followed by asking if powerful nations could offer assistance more respectfully, and without doing so in a way that leaves others worse off.

“For instance, America went to Libya. Libya has a causative effect on the terrorism challenges Nigeria and the Sahel are facing. I don’t want to talk about the other places America went to. Let’s just take it to Nigeria,” he added.

“Since Donald Trump said what he said for Nigerian Christians, Christians have been abducted in the church in the north-west of Nigeria.

“Muslim students have been abducted. I do not speak to the causation but there’s a correlation from the point Donald Trump spoke about Nigeria’s challenges and the escalation of terrorism.

“So decency apart, there are rules of engagement, there’s a rules based global order. Is there a way to speak about Nigeria, first of all, in a respectful, decent way, not even just as president of America, but as a human being?”

Omojuwa also pointed to the failed arms deal between the US and Nigeria as playing a role in the weakened fight against terrorism.

“Is there a way to decently help Nigeria without making things worse and without disrespecting Nigerian Christians and Muslims?” he asked.

The US senator replied in the affirmative.

“The right words help. A more delicate way of saying something is obviously better than a more brutal way,” Cramer said.

“A lot of people will say the right thing and do the wrong thing. Other people will maybe say the wrong thing and mean to do the right thing. Is there a better way to say? Certainly.”

However, the senator said he believed that foreign aid assistance would be more effective in stemming terrorism, noting that he had publicly disagreed with Trump multiple times on the aid cuts.

“I think, globally speaking, aid to friends, and would-be friends, and possible friends is a bargain compared to munitions,” he said.

Cramer also posited that assistance would need to suit local contexts.

omoredia:
What we have seen now is proof that at no time in history was the white man the problem of black people. It was the black man who caught his fellow black people and sold them as slaves first to the arabs and then the Europeans. Even till today nothing has changed. The black man is his own worst enemy

naptu2:
Senator Kevin Cramer is a Republican who is the junior senator for North Dakota. Japhet Joshua Omojuwa is a member of the board of the Halifax International Security Forum. This exchange took place at the Halifax International Security Forum.

omoredia:
What we have seen now is proof that at no time in history was the white man the problem of black people. It was the black man who caught his fellow black people and sold them as slaves first to the arabs and then the Europeans. Even till today nothing has changed. The black man is his own worst enemy

FreeStuffsNG:
Incidentally, Trump said far worse for China and Russia that he's today giving loads of concessions.

If you want to earn respect from Trump, call his bluff and defeat him. He respects only those who defeat him.

Today, he rubbishes E.U and U.K like cowardly irrelevant blocs.

omoredia:
What we have seen now is proof that at no time in history was the white man the problem of black people. It was the black man who caught his fellow black people and sold them as slaves first to the arabs and then the Europeans. Even till today nothing has changed. The black man is his own worst enemy

Alao046:
The guy completely obliterated the senator.
You find it weird that the US, a third world country when it comes to security is trying to help other secure their country. If only trump can guarantee Americans the redemption he is promising Nigerians.

epainos:
What Omojuwa got wrong is that a man will be talked to anyhow and roughly if he keeps going for financial help. The sponsor can and might likely say disgusting things if nothing shows for the money he has spent.

Also, Omojuwa gave an example of how the US denied us of purchasing weapons based on the self interest of an administration in the US. He was talking about how Obama denied Jonathan weapons to fight terrorism. Well, we can't just use that to say Trump was wrong, but what has Buhari done, and even Tinubu himself afterwards. This happened like 10 years ago. So, two governments have come after, and what have we seen?

Let's be honest with ourselves that we are the reason the world is calling us names. How do you call a nation that produced the likes of Huspuppupi, Invictus Obi, and so on. The one that is the most annoying is when the whole government refuse to try to eradicate corruption, rather, increase government spending, increase nepotism, and moral instruction is reduced to zero.

So, what better way can you call such country? Absolutely yes. A disgraced nation!

omoredia:
Everyday we need to thank God for Trump. He exposed Nigerians for who we really are. A people that hate the truth. Only the truth can set a people free. Nigeria is in bondage today because the people hate the truth.

ACRI:
You are a very bad student of history

Why did the slave traders invade other people's territories? Why was there a market for the commodity been sold(slaves)? To abolish it they outlawed the markets,routes and incentives for slavery.

Use your intelligence and stop being emotional. Someone that wants to invade a Christian nation of Venezuela is not coming to save Christians in Nigeria- you people are a stark reality of the belive ins some quarters that Africans dont engage their intelligence enough.

omoredia:
Everyday we need to thank God for Trump. He exposed Nigerians for who we really are. A people that hate the truth. Only the truth can set a people free. Nigeria is in bondage today because the people hate the truth.