‘Our Silence Invited the Shame’ — Ezekwesili Blames Leadership for U.S. Terror Tag on Nigeria
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered that, the Former Minister of Education and Founder of Human Capital Africa, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has blamed the Nigerian government’s failure to ensure accountability and justice for widespread killings as the reason behind the United States’ designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern.”
OTN News further reports as gathered that, Ezekwesili speaking at the Kingdom Lifestyle Conference Series III organised by the Jesus World Changers Apostolic Mission, with the theme “From Systematic Poverty to Sustainable Prosperity — A Biblical and Market Impact-Oriented Framework,” described the development as a direct reflection of leadership irresponsibility and moral decay in governance.
According to her, the U.S. decision, announced under former President Donald Trump, should not be seen merely as a diplomatic insult but as a global response to Nigeria’s persistent failure to protect its citizens and hold perpetrators of violence accountable.
“Government’s failure to ensure accountability for widespread killings and to prosecute perpetrators has attracted criticisms and global concern,” she said, warning that such impunity continues to damage Nigeria’s moral and international image.
Citing data from the Global Conflict Tracker 2025, Ezekwesili revealed that over 80,000 Nigerians were killed between 2011 and 2024 in conflicts linked to Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, and communal violence. She also referenced the 2024 Global Terrorism Index, which ranked Nigeria among the five most terror-affected countries for ten consecutive years.
Ezekwesili condemned the absence of justice for victims of massacres in Plateau, Benue, Owo, Zamfara, and Southern Kaduna, noting that none of the attacks had led to credible investigations or convictions.
She described this as evidence of “a collapse of moral conscience in governance,” stressing that a state that fails to value human life cannot build sustainable education, healthcare, or human capital systems.
“When foreign leaders like President Donald Trump issue scathing warnings about genocide and the killing of Christians in Nigeria, it is not just a diplomatic embarrassment,” she said.
“It is the direct consequence of our collective indifference. We did not unify our voices to defend the sanctity of life, and now our silence has become the world’s rebuke.”
She further argued that the lack of moral courage among Nigeria’s leaders has emboldened impunity, turning what should have been internal reforms into international criticism.
“Trump’s warning is not an insult; it is an echo of our collective moral failure. You can’t solve what you don’t take responsibility for, and you can’t solve what you deny,” she added.
Ezekwesili, however, urged Nigerians to rise above complacency, demand justice for victims of violence, and rebuild a nation anchored on accountability and respect for human life.
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