Pastor Tunde Bakare, the Serving Overseer of Citadel Global Community Church, has claimed that former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), along with allegations of Christian genocide, is driven primarily by America’s interest in Nigeria’s oil wealth and strategic sectors.
Speaking during a State of the Nation Address at his Lagos-based church on Sunday, Bakare highlighted Nigeria’s oil, mineral resources, real estate, and role in emerging technologies as central to Trump’s foreign and economic agenda. He said the designation should be seen as a call for Nigeria to negotiate strategically with the United States.
Bakare recalled a vision he received shortly after Trump’s 2024 election victory, in which the U.S. leader arrived in Sabo, Yaba, Lagos aboard Air Force One, “dressed in Arabian thobe and ghutra,” signaling both economic and religious implications that could affect Nigeria if not properly managed.
“President Donald Trump has proven to be a transactional leader whose threats are often invitations to the negotiating table,” Bakare said. “Nigeria should proactively present a mutually beneficial business proposal that safeguards national security, education, industrialization, and technological advancement while facilitating U.S. business interests.”
He warned that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, particularly in the Middle Belt, North-West, and South-East, has left communities vulnerable to banditry, terror networks, and communal tensions. Bakare criticized both the National Assembly and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for being reactive rather than proactive in addressing security challenges.
Bakare argued that only structural reforms addressing identity, equity, coexistence, and governance—the so-called “Nigeria Question”—can provide lasting stability.
He concluded that Nigeria must seize the opportunity to negotiate from a position of strength rather than wait for external pressure, advocating for long-term strategies to secure the nation’s economic and technological future.
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