Few days ago I watched with great concern what I consider a disappointing and unprofessional interview conducted by former MSNBC now MSNOW anchor Mr. Mehdi Hasan on Al Jazeera Network. In my opinion, the tone and direction of the conversation is more about ideological bias than genuine journalistic inquiry.

From the beginning, the interview did not appear designed to inform the audience or provide clarity, Rather, it seemed focused on two objectives, which is to portray a negative light about President Donald Trump and undermining the growing conversation about the persecution and killings of Christians in Nigeria which will eventually leads to embarrassing President Tinubu administration.

Personally I wonder why was Barr Daniel Bwala was invited now to discuss President Trump’s statement about Christian persecution in Nigeria and striking the terrorist hideout on December 25, 2025 carry out by the Nigeria Government and United States which happened 74 days ago.

The December 25th Christmas Day operation targeted terrorist bases believed to be responsible for repeated attacks against civilians. Instead of examining the security implications of those strikes, the interview appeared structured to challenge the legitimacy of the narrative surrounding terrorism and religious violence in Nigeria, with more emphasis of catching President Trump a liar to rubbish the whole process.

Viewers may not have noticed the strategic pressure placed on Daniel Bwala throughout the interview session. Mr. Mehdi Hasan placed him in a very tight position.  As Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Policy Communication, Bwala faced a difficult dilemma. If he openly agreed with the claim that Nigeria Christians are being targeted, it could make the Nigerian government appear incapable of protecting its citizens. At the same time, acknowledging such a characterization could inflame religious sensitivities in a country where Muslims form a large part of the population, particularly in the northern region. Considering 2027 General election is around the corner, it will not be a wise decision to upset the Northern population with large numbers of voters from the region.

Therefore, Daniel Bwala had to balance diplomacy, national unity, and political responsibility. This is especially significant given the evolving political environment in Nigeria, where opposition coalitions are already positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections. Any statement perceived as weakness by the current administration could quickly become opposition political talking point.

During the interview, Mehdi Hasan also cited reports from liberal outlets like Washington Posts, New York Times among others. These referencing unnamed or unverifiable sources to suggest that U.S. strikes against terrorists in Nigeria were ineffective. However, such claims have not been widely corroborated by major Nigerian news platforms. The implication created by those remarks was that President Donald Trump’s decision was misguided and produced little impact on the ground.

Indirectly, this narrative also feeds into a broader geopolitical debate about United States current military actions in Iran, by questioning the legitimacy of Washington decision on counterterrorism operations in Nigeria, the discussion subtly suggested that similar justifications used by White House in other conflicts like Iran, Venezuela might also be questionable.

As someone with over a decade of experience as a Nigerian broadcast journalist and news anchor, I understand that interviews can be challenging and confrontational. Skilled hosts often test their guests with difficult questions. However, there is a clear line between a rigorous interview and an interrogation. Journalism should prioritize uncovering information, not cornering a guest with selective framing designed to produce a predetermined narrative.

An interviewer’s responsibility is to ask clear questions and allow the guest the opportunity to respond. When an interview becomes dominated by repeated follow-ups questions intended to trap or embarrass a guest, the conversation risks losing its journalistic fairness and integrity.

In my view, Mr. Mehdi Hasan’s reputation as a formidable interviewer is often overstated. His exchanges in the pasts with Vivek Ramaswamy and Douglas Murray demonstrated that aggressive questioning alone does not necessarily equate to intellectual depth. Vivek and Douglas put him in his place simultaneously.

After leaving MSNBC in January 2024, Mehdi Hasan launched his own media company ZETEO in February 2024, While the project began with significant publicity and ambitious goals, its growth has been that impressive, with less than a million followers on Facebook and little over a million subscribers on Youtube compared with other emerging global news platforms who had who founder or Manager had similar experiences with Mr. Mehdi Hasan. For instance, Parki Sharma, who moved from WION to First Post, has helped drive rapid expansion there, with close to four followers on Facebook and about ten millions of subscribers on Youtube. In my opinion, I think Mr. Mehdi Hasan is overrated.

The interview also attempted to frame Daniel Bwala’s political journey as questionable because of his previous criticisms of the Tinubu administration. Yet political realignments are common across democracies. Bwala, like any other Nigerian citizen has the right to serve his country in any capacity the president deems appropriate.

American politics itself provides several examples. During the 2016 Republican Presidential primary debate, politicians such as Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Marco Rubio fiercely criticized Donald Trump. Yet political dynamics evolve, alliances shift, and individuals often end up working together in government. Today, Rubio is widely regarded as one of the most trusted figures within Trump’s foreign policy team, to the point that President Trump called him the greatest Secretary of States in the history of the United States also the current Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was once a democrats and not a fan of President Trump, finally the Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr was once political enemy of President Trump. there have been political transformations throughout their careers and such shifts are neither unusual nor inherently problematic in democratic systems.

It is therefore unfair to present Daniel Bwala’s role in the Tinubu administration as though it were evidence of wrongdoing or political opportunism. Public service often brings together individuals with diverse past positions who ultimately unite around shared national objectives.

Finally, it is worth recalling that many Broadcasters and commentators including Mehdi Hasan himself once defended the fitness and leadership capacity of former President Joe Biden to fit and can run for a reelection. only to later discovered understand the discrepancies after Kamala Harris was coronated that it Joe Biden was not fully fit to run for reelection. Political commentary, like politics itself, evolves with time and circumstances.

In the end, the attempt to embarrassed Daniel Bwala appears to have fallen short. Instead, the interview highlighted the broader challenge facing modern media balancing strong questioning with fairness and intellectual honesty.

Nigeria’s fight against terrorism is real, complex, and ongoing. Any international cooperation aimed at strengthening security including assistance from the United States should be welcomed when it contributes to peace and stability.

For Nigerians and Americans alike, the ultimate goal should be the same: confronting terrorism, defending democratic values, and ensuring that journalism remains a platform for truth rather than a vehicle for ideological confrontation.

Long live the United States of America.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Written from Lagos, Nigeria
By Oladigbo Oluwasogo Olalekan, ACIPM

Group program Manager Tungba Fm Nigeria
Author of  Trump’s Not Done With Washington, The return of the MAGA White House.  

Author of Nigeria Political Journey in the Fourth Republic, A comprehensive analysis