Recent U.S. Census data and statistics confirm that, in terms of educational achievement and professional success, Nigerians rank among the top immigrant groups in the United States. Nigerians in the U.S. are known for their entrepreneurial spirit, with many starting successful businesses. They are also among the most educated immigrant groups in America—over 60 per cent of Nigerian-Americans hold at least a bachelor’s degree, compared to about 33 per cent of the overall U.S. population. Nigerians excel despite challenges, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in their respective fields. If Nigeria were a more livable country, these highly skilled Nigerians, now facing humiliating deportation from the U.S., would have remained in Nigeria to thrive and contribute to various areas of national development.
A Nigerian journalist aptly summed up the issue, saying: “If everyone were asked to return to their countries, we would have no choice but to comply. It is their land. But if Nigeria were a better place, no one would have left Nigeria in the first place.”
Outside his rigid deportation policies, Trump has signed other executive orders that align with the universal moral perspectives of many people. For example, President Trump has issued a sweeping executive order recognising only two sexes—male and female—and directing federal agencies to cease promoting the concept of gender transition. This order is indeed significant. It is part of Trump’s broader campaign promise to rid America of what he calls “transgender insanity” and to reverse diversity and inclusion initiatives implemented by the Biden administration.
The executive order pledges to defend women from “gender ideology” and restore traditional biological and spiritual truths that recognise only two sexes—male and female. Trump has stated that, henceforth, the only term that should be used in the United States is “sex” rather than “gender,” a term associated with LGBTQ+ identities and same-sex marriage.
Under the Obama-Biden administration, female students who identified as male were allowed to compete in sports alongside their male counterparts, contrary to the constitutional right to privacy enshrined in the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Additionally, any male or female student could use the bathroom or locker room of their choice, regardless of their biological sex or the gender listed on their educational records and identity documents. Consequently, male students who identified as female were allowed to enter female restrooms and shower alongside girls, while female students who identified as male could do the same in male restrooms.
Now, President Trump has issued an executive order declaring that there are only two genders—male and female—in the United States. This order defines sex based on biological anatomy and halts federal recognition of gender identities beyond male and female. Trump has also revoked the Obama-Biden bathroom directive and prohibited the practice of flying rainbow “pride” flags at U.S. embassies abroad.
Under former President Biden, American taxpayers were forced to fund abortion, regardless of their conscientious objections. However, President Trump has now issued an executive order reinstating the Mexico City Policy, which blocks the use of American taxpayer money to fund abortions both in the U.S. and overseas, including in Nigeria and other African countries.
Significantly, President Trump has also shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). For decades, USAID has provided foreign aid to African countries, including Nigeria, to promote the legalisation of abortion, sterilisation, and population control.
This serves as a wake-up call for African countries to abandon their reliance on foreign aid. Foreign aid often is tantamount to foreign slavery. It is not the solution to Africa’s myriad socioeconomic and political problems but rather part of the problem. Why haven’t African leaders realised that the billions of dollars given to their countries by Western development partners have failed to produce significant developmental progress? As a result, many aid-dependent African countries are poorer today than they were half a century ago.
Foreign aid often comes with numerous conditions. For example, the Samoa Agreement, which was recently signed by Nigeria and other African countries as a supposed post-Cotonou trade agreement, allegedly contains provisions related to LGBT rights and abortion. Although the Nigerian government has vehemently denied the connection, many people still wonder why an agreement focused on trade should include clauses about LGBT rights and abortion.
Therefore, African countries must unite and summon the political will to reject foreign assistance that comes with a host of conditions—just as they once resisted slave traders during the transatlantic slave trade. There is a well-known adage: “Not everything that glitters is gold.” Africans should carefully scrutinise gifts, donations, and aid from the United Nations, the United States, and other foreign organisations to determine whether they are truly beneficial or come with hidden conditions.
President Trump has withdrawn the United States from the World Health Organisation (WHO). This is also a major development. Formally founded on April 7, 1948, under the United Nations to promote international healthcare and improve access to essential medicines and health products worldwide, the WHO has enjoyed decades of success and global recognition.
Unfortunately, however, the WHO has become influenced by a narrow Western ideological perspective, prioritising the funding and promotion of controversial issues such as vaccines allegedly causing infertility, LGBT rights, abortion, population control, teen sexual rights, teen masturbation, and transgender rights in Nigeria and other African countries.
To achieve these objectives, the WHO receives significant funding from pro-LGBT and pro-abortion organisations, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Ford Foundation, the Open Society Foundations, Marie Stopes International, Rutgers, and the International Planned Parenthood Federation. This has had a significant impact on the actual operations of the WHO, leading to a clear erosion of national sovereignty.
More importantly, President Trump has taken steps to intervene in the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, both of which threaten international peace. Trump is exploring ways to end these carnages that continue to claim human lives.
Already, a ceasefire has been announced in the Israeli-Palestinian war, with many believing that President Trump played a key role in pushing for the ceasefire and facilitating the recent hostage deal. Similarly, the end of the Russia-Ukraine war seems within reach, as President Trump has vowed to broker a peace deal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed openness to holding talks with Trump to bring an end to the war. This is commendable since war poses a major threat to human existence. The United States should, therefore, stop fighting a proxy war by funding and supplying arms to Ukraine.
Finally, President Trump has promised to inaugurate what he calls America’s “Golden Age.” The world looks forward to the restoration of fundamental principles—the truth claims, practical wisdom, and constitutional insights of America’s founding fathers, as expressed in the Declaration of American Independence (1776). Given America’s influence in the world, these principles could serve as a superstructure to facilitate the building of a new international order—one where justice, service, peace, respect for human dignity, intrinsic human worth, and mutual understanding reign.
While the entire world looks on with keen interest on how President Trump achieves these ideals, he certainly needs to be less belligerent and provocative in his talks and policies in a seeming show of American power.
Whatever America is today is the aggregation of the labour of Americans and immigrants. Ultimately, America should be seen to play a bigger role in promoting the humaneness, welfare and well-being of the global community. This is the only way to truly win the human race.
Concluded.
