Here is what went down on Hard Knock Radio. Davey D opened by pressing into a fresh claim from Donald Trump that American troops should intervene in Nigeria to protect Christians. He linked it to earlier talk about South Africa and asked a basic question. What is really happening on the ground and who would benefit from U.S. muscle
Lagos based journalist Sam Olukoya said the talk did not come out of nowhere. Members of Congress have floated genocide language for a while. Still, a direct military threat from a U.S. president jolted the country and has dominated conversations across Nigeria. Responses are mixed. Some fear Marines landing and firefights with Nigerian soldiers. Others think any action would be limited to strikes on groups linked to Al Qaeda or ISIS. Olukoya stressed that anxiety runs highest in the Muslim north where U.S. intentions are widely distrusted and where many read any American move as part of an American and Israeli alignment
Two motives kept coming up. Religion and oil. Davey raised the export of U.S. evangelical politics to Africa and the long history of missions as cover for power. He also pointed to the obvious. Nigeria is an oil state with deep American business ties. Olukoya agreed both factors shape perceptions. He added an important corrective for U.S. audiences. Western media often highlight Christian victims while ignoring Muslim victims. Boko Haram and armed bandit groups have killed across communities. Christians and Muslims are both bleeding
On politics, Olukoya sketched the system as similar to the U.S. with a Senate and House. He noted the current president is a Muslim married to a Christian pastor and has pitched that relationship as a symbol of unity. That fuels a common view inside Nigeria. If Washington were serious about helping it could share technology and arms rather than deploy troops. Direct intervention signals other motives
The wider chessboard matters. France has lost ground in the Sahel. Russia and its contractors have moved in. China looms on the economic side. Some in the West see a strong Nigeria aligned with neighbors as a problem. Many Nigerians see instability as useful to outside powers and unity as the best defense
On AFRICOM and U.S. outposts, suspicion runs deep. The Muslim north rejects any American military presence. Analysts in the south also warn about hidden agendas. Olukoya closed with a sober note. Security has worsened over the last fifteen years with more armed groups than he can count. Nigeria needs real support and real accountability. What it does not need is another proxy battlefield dressed up as salvation.
Later Davey also speaks with fashion designer and creative Senay Alkubelan about creatives connecting to the continent of Africa.
Hard Knock Radio is a drive-time Hip-Hop talk show on KPFA (94.1fm @ 4-5 pm Monday-Friday), a community radio station without corporate underwriting, hosted by Davey D and Anita Johnson.