Embassy Lodges Diplomatic Complaint Over Cleric Ayodele’s Comments on Liberia’s Leadership; Urges Nigeria to Act on Prophetic Remarks Targeting President Boakai
BY: Rufus Divine Brooks Jr.
ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Embassy of Liberia in Abuja has formally protested recent public remarks by Nigerian cleric Elijah Babatunde Ayodele concerning Liberia’s political leadership, warning that the comments could distort public perception and strain decades of cordial relations between the two West African nations.
In a diplomatic note dated June 8, 2026, addressed to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Liberian officials expressed concern over statements attributed to the cleric that referenced President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and Liberia’s governance.
The Embassy said the pronouncements were “capable of distorting public perception” and risked undermining the strong bilateral ties Liberia and Nigeria have maintained since independence.
Diplomatic staff cautioned that the remarks have already generated anxiety among Liberians at home and in the diaspora.
“Such commentary has the potential to undermine public confidence, national cohesion, and democratic stability,” the Embassy stated, urging Nigerian authorities to treat the matter with urgency.
Liberian officials also cited the cleric’s previous public predictions and pronouncements during Liberia’s 2023 presidential election period, describing a pattern of commentary on Liberian political affairs that Monrovia views as sensitive and potentially destabilizing.
The Embassy noted that repeated public commentary on another sovereign state’s leadership, particularly by influential religious figures, can create unnecessary tension and be misinterpreted as external interference in domestic politics.
Against this backdrop, the Embassy urged Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take note of the complaint and engage relevant institutions for “appropriate review and action.”
Liberia emphasized that the request was made in the interest of mutual respect, regional stability, and adherence to diplomatic decorum.
Nigeria and Liberia share deep historical, economic, and security ties, including cooperation under ECOWAS. Both countries have consistently reaffirmed commitment to non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.