WEDNESDAY COLUMN BY USSIJU MEDANER
info@medaner.com, justme4justice@yahoo.com
Listening to the carefully and deceitfully crafted narrative delivered by Mike Arnold at the America Senate to set allowable ground for Donald Trump and America continuous but refocused intervention in Nigeria, I decided to carve this writing to remind our people where we are and why we are where we are today, this is about the West and now more specifically, America unbending decision to usurp Africa and specifically Nigeria resources by all means possible.
The story of our entanglement with the West did not begin with the dramatic hoisting of foreign flags on our soil, or with the hurried signatures that carved our lands into artificial states and turned our people into perpetual slaves and subordinates. It began much earlier, in quieter tones and subtler movements, when strangers first arrived not as conquerors, but as guests.
They came with smiles, trade goods, religion, and curiosity. They studied us, lived among us, learned our languages, mapped our lands, and observed our strengths and weaknesses with a patience that only long-term intent can sustain. What appeared as innocent interaction was, in reality, the earliest phase of a carefully designed engagement; one that would later mature into domination we suffer till today.
Nigeria, like much of Africa, did not fall in a single moment. It was a gradual surrender engineered through trust, manipulation, and eventually force. The early encounters were marked by exchanges of goods, of ideas, of culture. But beneath these exchanges was a silent calculation. The visitors were not merely interested in what we had to offer in trade; they were interested in what could be taken, controlled, and ultimately owned. Over time, the friendly visits transformed into structured influence, and influence matured into authority.
By the time colonization was formalized, the groundwork had already been laid. The societies had been studied, their divisions identified, and our systems understood well enough to be dismantled and replaced. Colonial rule did not invent control; it institutionalized it. It brought with it new systems of governance that were alien to our people but cleverly imposed in ways that ensured dependence.
Economic systems were restructured not to empower local populations, but to extract resources efficiently. Education was designed not to liberate our minds, but to produce intermediaries who would sustain the system they are creating.
Then came the so-called independence; a moment celebrated across the continent with hope and expectation. Flags were lowered and raised, anthems were composed, and new leaders emerged; unfortunately, beneath the symbolism, very little had changed. The structures of control remained intact. The economies were still externally oriented. The political systems were still fragile and often manipulated. What was presented as freedom was, in many ways, a transition into a more sophisticated form of control; neo-colonialism.
Neo-colonialism did not rely on visible chains. It operated through influence, economic dependency, political interference, and strategic destabilization. It ensured that while nations like Nigeria appeared sovereign, their ability to make independent decisions was consistently undermined.
Policies were shaped by external pressures. Leaders were supported or removed based on alignment with foreign interests. Conflicts were not merely accidents of internal weakness; they were often outcomes of carefully nurtured conditions.
Nigeria’s many challenges of today cannot be fully understood without acknowledging this historical continuum. The narrative that attributes all our problems solely to internal failures is incomplete. Yes, we bear responsibility for our actions and inactions. But it would be naïve to ignore the external forces that have consistently shaped, influenced, and, at times, engineered the circumstances we face.
From economic instability to political fragmentation, from security challenges to social divisions, many of the issues confronting Nigeria today carry the fingerprints of long-standing external interests. These are not random occurrences. They are, in many cases, the results of seeds planted long ago—seeds that have been carefully watered over time.
The divisions along ethnic and religious lines, for instance, have been among the most effective tools of control. A united Nigeria, with its vast population and abundant resources, would be a formidable force on the global stage. But a divided Nigeria is easier to influence, easier to negotiate with, and easier to exploit. The persistence and, in some cases, intensification of these divisions cannot be seen in isolation from the broader context of global interests. This much, the west orchestrated and continues to wet the seed of disunity, destruction and incoherency in our country.
Nigeria is a nation blessed with strong and intelligent population, a rare combination of gifts; a population that will readily transform their nation into a desire of all nations and another Japan if allowed by the parasitic western worlds. The strong population, natural endowment and huge markets represented in the huge population, the west African population and a globe that will rush to do business will mean for a Nigeria with its two hands lose to operate, are just but a tiny element of what would have been; only if we would be allowed an unhindered period of peace and stability.
They won’t. Why? Because we will become a threat to fake development foundation that cannot without what they continue to steal from us. Apparently, they needed us to continue flourish. They need our resources. They needed our problems to remain and to grow. They created them and have their way of regularly watering them. We are the fertile soil for their upkeep, the slaves they cannot truly free.
It doesn’t begin today. We cannot explain to them or try to get genuine interventions from them because they understand our problems more than we do. They are the architects of the challenges that are ravaging us and diminishing our capabilities to grow and develop within the ambit of our blessedness. They are not interested in us but in our resources, both natural and human but much more natural. If it is possible for them to eliminate us all and access our resources using robots, they will willingly do it. That is how much we are irrelevant.
Nigeria is not just another country. It is one of the most resource-rich nations in the world. Its oil and gas reserves alone place it among the top energy producers globally. Beyond hydrocarbons, Nigeria is blessed with vast deposits of solid minerals—gold, limestone, iron ore, bitumen, coal, and more—many of which remain underdeveloped or underutilized. Its agricultural potential is immense, with fertile land capable of feeding not just its population, but a significant portion of the continent.
Imagine, for a moment, a Nigeria that is allowed to fully harness these resources without external interference. Imagine a nation where policies are designed solely in the interest of its people, where infrastructure is developed strategically, where industries are nurtured, and where education is aligned with national development goals. Imagine a Nigeria that enjoys two uninterrupted decades of peace, stability, and focused governance.
Such a Nigeria would not merely grow; it would transform. It would become a hub of innovation and industry. It would attract global investment on its own terms. It would lead West Africa economically and politically. It would command respect on the global stage, not as a dependent nation, but as a partner.
This is precisely why such a scenario is unlikely to be allowed to unfold easily.
A strong Nigeria would disrupt existing global arrangements. It would challenge established economic hierarchies. It would reduce dependency on external powers and assert its own influence. For those who benefit from the current state of affairs, this is not desirable.
Thus, the cycle continues. Challenges persist, and in some cases, new ones emerge. Interventions are proposed, often under the guise of assistance—humanitarian aid, conflict resolution, promotion of democracy. But beneath these interventions are strategic interests. Access to resources. Influence over policies and positioning in a competitive global landscape, particularly in relation to emerging powers.
I listened to Mike Arnold speech at the floor of the US Senate and i shed tears for Nigeria as I have always done. The speech in its entirety represents the system that has held us in bondage forever. It represents the tactics for enslaving us then and even now. Outward, it is a show of concern for the maltreated sections of the country and a population that are being killed for their religion, but underneath, and for all who chose to see the truth, it is another base work to intensify and strengthen the division along both the religion line and ethnic lines that have been the game play all through since the beginning. I think this time they are creating the perfect opportunity for America to intervene and gain more access to our resources ahead of China which they consider serious rival in the struggle for the resources.
The delivery pointed at a singular direction. The governments since independence, except for the only one that according to him was accidentally a Christian, has intentionally arm Islam against Christianity and have supported genocide. He went as far as named respected individuals who are supposed to be neutral and elements of peace and damaged them with evidences only at his disposal. He claimed our constitution is anti Christian and one sided religion wise.
He went ahead to exert pressure on the Biafra Nigeria impasse; and attempted to deepen it by insisting that Nnamdi Kanu who was duly tried and convicted was suffering because he is from a particular region. In all, he created enough allowable ground for their interventions in Nigeria. They will come with claims of helping Christians, restoring humanitarian rights and restoring peace but we all know this is a lie. They are coming for our resources. They are turning us against ourselves, making our nation unlivable and ungovernable; creating room for a legitimate access to resources that will perpetuate the development of their country at the expense of our people and our nation. Yet, majority of us are blind to the reality.
Developments and statements from foreign actors often reflect this pattern. Public expressions of concern about internal issues—religious conflicts, human rights violations, political tensions are not always as straightforward as they appear. While some concerns may be genuine, they are frequently intertwined with broader strategic objectives.
The framing of Nigeria’s internal dynamics in external narratives can sometimes amplify divisions rather than resolve them. By emphasizing certain aspects over others, by presenting complex issues in simplified terms, and by assigning blame in ways that resonate with existing fault lines, these narratives can deepen the very challenges they claim to address.
This is not to suggest that Nigeria does not have real issues that need urgent attention. It does. But the solutions to these issues must come primarily from within. External involvement, when necessary, must be approached with caution, clarity, and a firm understanding of national interest.
Nigerians must begin to see beyond the surface. We must critically examine not only our internal dynamics but also the external influences that shape them. We must ask difficult questions. Whose interests are being served? What are the long-term implications of certain interventions? How do we strengthen our institutions to resist undue influence?
At the same time, we must also confront our own responsibilities. External forces can only exploit weaknesses that exist. Corruption, poor governance, lack of accountability, and internal divisions create the conditions that allow external manipulation to continue to thrive. Addressing these issues is not just a matter of national pride; it is a strategic necessity.
The call, therefore, is not one of despair, but of awakening.
Nigeria is not a helpless victim. It is a nation with immense potential and capacity. Its history is not just one of exploitation, but also of resilience and resistance. Its future is not predetermined; it is shaped by the choices we make today.
We must begin to think long-term. We must invest in unity not as a slogan, but as a deliberate and sustained effort. We must build institutions that are strong enough to withstand pressure, transparent enough to earn trust, and efficient enough to deliver results. We must prioritize education, innovation, and industrialization.
Above all, we must reclaim our narrative. We must tell our own story, define our own priorities, and chart our own course. The world will always pursue its interests. That is the nature of global relations. But Nigeria must learn to pursue its own interests with equal determination and clarity. The time for passive observation has passed. The time for awareness, unity, and strategic action is now.
Nigeria must rise—not in defiance of the world, but in assertion of itself.
