The Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, has dismissed recent allegations by United States President Donald Trump that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria, describing the claim as misleading and based on faulty intelligence.
Oba Akiolu, a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, cautioned that such unfounded statements from influential world figures could inflame passions, strain international relations, and undermine Nigeria’s unity.
He made the remarks on Sunday during a special media parley held at his Iga-Idugaran Palace on Lagos Island, as part of events marking his 82nd birthday and the 22nd anniversary of his coronation.
Trump, in a post last Friday on his X account, announced that Nigeria had been redesignated as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) and threatened to halt U.S. aid to the nation over alleged persecution of Christians. His comments triggered a wave of reactions both within Nigeria and across the international community.
Oba Akiolu, visibly displeased, said Trump’s conclusions were drawn from flawed reports that misrepresented Nigeria’s complex social fabric.
“The report used by the U.S. president was not properly verified and does not represent the reality in Nigeria,” he said. “Christians and Muslims are one in Nigeria. He should take time to gather correct intelligence information. What they are telling him now is false.”
The first class monarch warned that careless international pronouncements about religious persecution could deepen existing fault lines and create unnecessary instability in a country still grappling with security and economic challenges. He emphasized that religious harmony, not division, defines the Nigerian experience.
Also weighing in, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, described the controversy as part of a “coordinated campaign” to pressure Nigeria under the guise of human rights concerns.
According to Onanuga, President Tinubu “is well ahead of the orchestrated game unfolding in America,” noting that the Nigerian government is aware of the dynamics shaping such foreign policy maneuvers.
Adding another dimension to the debate, public affairs analyst Jide Ojo cited the position of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, who has repeatedly dismissed claims of an ongoing Christian genocide in Nigeria.
Speaking on Trust Television, Ojo recalled that Bishop Kukah had clarified that the country’s security crisis affects both Christians and Muslims alike and should not be framed as religious persecution.
Ojo said Kukah’s long-standing involvement in peacebuilding and security dialogues in northern Nigeria lends credibility to his position. “The bishop’s remarks contradict the exaggerated narratives being pushed internationally, especially by groups lobbying for Nigeria’s CPC designation,” he noted.
He stressed that nuanced and evidence-based perspectives like Kukah’s are crucial for fostering national cohesion and countering divisive propaganda.
“Exaggerated claims of religious persecution only worsen tensions and hinder effective solutions to the country’s insecurity challenges,” Ojo said.
As reactions continue to trail Trump’s remarks, many observers agree that the controversy underscores the need for accurate intelligence, responsible diplomacy, and a balanced portrayal of Nigeria’s internal realities.
