Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, a renowned political scientist, has urged President Bola Tinubu to avoid confrontation with the newly inaugurated 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today program on Monday, Akinyemi advised President Tinubu to steer clear of antagonizing Trump, emphasizing that “there is nothing a bully likes more than taking on people who are not strong enough to resist him.” He referenced an African proverb, saying, “If you are not strong enough to take on a bully and you challenge him, you will only suffer more for it.”
Akinyemi, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), suggested that even if Trump’s actions are seen as damaging to Nigeria’s interests, President Tinubu should find diplomatic ways to address them without confrontation.
The academic, who previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of External Affairs, described Trump’s inaugural speech as “uninspiring, shocking, and depressing.” He criticized Trump for using the address to outline a series of hostile policies, including plans to reclaim the Panama Canal, rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, and engage in tariff wars, instead of rallying the world for peace.
Akinyemi warned that Trump’s presidency could lead to turbulent times, stating that the U.S. president would soon learn that there are consequences to his policies and nationalistic rhetoric.
In his assessment, Akinyemi noted that Nigeria is no longer a focal point for Trump’s administration and advised that the country should not expect any extraordinary changes under his leadership.
Trump was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States on Monday, succeeding Joe Biden after a highly contested electoral defeat that thwarted his second-term bid.
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