According to the report from the Vanguard on Sunday, November 9, 2025, Dr. Yemi Farounmbi, Nigeria’s former Ambassador to the Philippines, has proposed a strategic diplomatic response to President Trump’s military threat over allegations of Christian genocide in Nigeria.
Responding to the international pressure, the former diplomat acknowledged that it would be dishonest to deny President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Plateau State following the massacre of 300 Christians. He suggested that Nigeria must now take concrete actions to demonstrate that the state is not complicit in such atrocities and to establish that the Nigerian government should not be held accountable for violence perpetrated by what he described as imported terrorists.
Beyond media engagement, Farounmbi outlined what he considers a crucial diplomatic strategy for addressing the crisis. He recommended deploying seasoned and internationally respected Nigerian diplomats to engage with key American institutions and stakeholders.
The former ambassador specifically mentioned Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, a Temple University alumnus with strong credentials in American diplomatic circles, and Professor Tunde Adeniran, a Columbia University graduate equally respected in those spheres. He emphasized that there are select Nigerians whose expertise and international standing the government should leverage to reach influential bodies such as the Congressional Black Caucus, the Foreign Relations Committee, and prominent African American leaders.
Farounmbi also proposed utilizing former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whose global stature and influence could prove invaluable in explaining Nigeria’s situation and restoring international confidence in the government’s commitment to protecting all citizens.
He said, “It would be a lie to deny that the President visited Plateau State after 300 Christians were massacred. We can now begin to take action to show that the state is not a collaborator and that the Nigerian government should not be punished for actions carried out by imported terrorists. The third thing I think we ought to be doing is not in the media but diplomatically. We need to deploy seasoned diplomats who are respected internationally, such as Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, a product of Temple University, who is well respected in American diplomatic circles; and Professor Tunde Adeniran, a product of Columbia University, who is also respected in those circles.”
The recommendations reflect a belief that Nigeria’s response to international pressure requires sophisticated diplomatic engagement rather than purely defensive rhetoric.
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