L-R: Barr Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, and Mr Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America, USA
Nigeria’s Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister, Festus Keyamo, has joined the ranks of Gen Olusegun Obasanjo (Rtd), and the former President in employing letter writing to address serious national issues.
But the letter by Barr Keyamo addressed a festering diplomatic issue and also personally debunked the claim of religious cleansing as posted by the US President, Donald J Trump, on his social media handle, Truth Social, over the weekend.
Festus Keyamo, a renowned human rights activist with a strong understanding of the legal system, stated in an open letter to the US President Donald J. Trump, shared on his X handle. The Minister wrote that, if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government had been running with the intent to persecute and annihilate the Christian population, he would have treated the government as a pariah and wouldn’t have agreed to be party to anything about the government.
The renowned human rights advocate described Trump’s concern about “mass killings” of Christians as “misinformed.” The letter stated that such assertions do not accurately reflect Nigeria’s true religious and social realities.
The distinguished senior advocate at the Nigerian bar, Festus Keyamo, wrote of his principal, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, “Tinubu, though a Muslim, is a known moderate whose wife is a pastor and whose children are practising Christians”.
According to Keyamo, Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and forbids the adoption of a state religion, making the nation a secular and multi-faith country. He added that religious coexistence has long defined Nigeria’s social fabric.
L-R: Barr Festus Keyamo, and Mr Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America, USA
The Minister’s missive to Mr Donald Trump stated that the Boko Haram menace predates the present government and that Nigeria’s security challenges stem from the long-standing menace of Boko Haram, herdsmen attacks, and cattle rustling, not religious persecution.
Keyamo, however, noted that President Tinubu had made “great progress” in tackling those menaces. He cited recent changes effected by President Tinubu that “most of the current security chiefs are Christians, making it unthinkable that they would tolerate or participate in the killing of fellow Christians”.
Hence, Keyamo in his epistle demanded that Mr Trump and the U.S. government show understanding and support for Nigeria’s efforts to end terrorism rather than rely on misleading reports.
In his conclusion, Keyamo sounded apostolic, akin to the manner apostle Paul, concluded most of his inspired letters to the earliest Christian congregations after the death of Jesus Christ. He thus prayed for the two great countries, “God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria and God bless the United States of America.”
Recall that President Trump, in a statement on Truth Social last weekend, said his country would “immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria” should the government “continue to allow the killing of Christians.”
He further wrote that his soldiers would come to Nigeria “‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.
Hence, Mr Trump directed the US Department of War to “prepare for possible action.”
He emphasised, “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians!”
He ended the epistle with a caveat, “WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”
The author of the letter mentioned one of his numerous credentials for maintaining a strong stance on issues bordering on fundamental human rights and the principle of state directives and obligations to protect its citizenry.
Keyamo narrated that he had spent over three decades as a human rights lawyer and was honoured in Washington in 2017, with the Global Human Rights Award by the United States Global Leadership Council for his advocacy against the oppressors.
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