By Charles Pemu 
A former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd), has reacted to US President Donald Trump’s “guns-a-blazing” threat over alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, describing it as a critical wake-up call for the country’s leadership to intensify efforts against insecurity.
Speaking at a Presidential Youth Mentorship Retreat organized by the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Agwai warned against depending on external forces to solve Nigeria’s internal challenges.
“Even if America comes and dominates Nigeria, would it change what Nigerians are? If Nigerians are not willing to change themselves, they cannot,” Agwai stated.
While the former CDS admitted he does not see Trump’s military action “happening immediately,” he stressed that Nigeria’s reaction, understanding, and handling of the threat are what matter most.
Agwai emphasized that peace cannot be legislated or forced. Instead, he called for dialogue, self-reflection, and a renewed commitment to justice and equity to overcome internal conflicts.
“We must sit down and dialogue and discuss with each other, we will find out that most of our problems will be solved,” he said. He further urged Nigerians not to allow the military threat to divide the country, but rather to use it as a catalyst to unite, engage in frank talks, and preserve the nation’s unity.
Meanwhile, former President Olusegun Obasanjo directly challenged African youths, urging them to stop seeing themselves as leaders of tomorrow but rather as the leaders of today.
Obasanjo lamented that if the youths leave the future in the hands of the current generation of leaders, they will destroy it. He pointed to the situation in Cameroon, where President Paul Biya is 92, and the Nigerian reality, where octogenarians who passed the #NotTooYoungToRun law are still running for office.
Obasanjo encouraged the youths to be “positively disruptive” and to utilize their large numbers to bring about the much-expected turnaround in Africa. “You have the number, but the number will only matter when you use the number to your advantage,” he stressed.
The conference also saw the Chairperson of the Youth Development Centre, Dr. Bisi Kolapo, urging youths to believe that “Nigeria will be great and rise again.”