After Iran, there will be Cuba, South Africa and if we are not lucky there will be Nigeria —Professor Femi Otubanjo

Professor Femi Otubanjo, a Research Professor at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), has issued a stark warning about potential future U.S. military targets in the wake of the ongoing conflict involving Iran, suggesting that non-nuclear powers like Cuba, South Africa, and possibly Nigeria could face similar risks under a Trump-led administration.

Speaking on Arise Television's Morning Show on Tuesday, Otubanjo linked his concerns to what he described as the entrenched interests of America's military-industrial complex, which he argued thrives on sustained global conflict to sustain its economic model. He pointed out that the United States has historically conducted over 58 military interventions worldwide, framing this pattern as evidence of a system that requires ongoing engagements to remain viable.

"After Iran, there will be others. There will be Cuba, there will be South Africa. And if we are not lucky, there will be Nigeria," Otubanjo stated. He emphasized a key vulnerability: "If you are not a nuclear power, then be prepared for Trump." The professor suggested that President Donald Trump's approach prioritizes American power projection, with the U.S. willing to use military force to achieve its objectives wherever resistance or strategic interests arise.

Otubanjo's comments come amid the current escalation in the Middle East, where U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets have prompted Iranian retaliatory actions against Gulf states and U.S. assets in the region. The conflict has already disrupted energy supplies, cloud infrastructure, and regional stability, raising broader questions about where U.S. foreign policy might turn next.

The scholar argued that countries without nuclear deterrence remain exposed in an era of assertive unilateralism. Cuba has long been a point of U.S. tension due to historical sanctions and ideological differences, while South Africa, Africa's most industrialized nation and a BRICS member has taken independent stances on global issues, including criticism of Western policies. Nigeria, as Africa's most populous country and a major oil producer with strategic importance, could theoretically enter the picture if geopolitical alignments shift unfavorably.

Otubanjo's remarks have circulated widely on every local news and blogs, sparking discussions about national security, foreign policy, and the implications of global power dynamics for African nations. Some observers see his warning as a call for stronger deterrence or diplomatic maneuvering, while critics might view it as alarmist given the absence of immediate indications that the U.S. has plans targeting these countries.

The professor's analysis equates with longstanding debates in international relations about hegemonic stability, interventionism, and the risks faced by non-aligned or non-nuclear states in a multipolar world. As the Iran situation continues to unfold—with airstrikes, drone attacks, and disruptions rippling across the Gulf and beyond Otubanjo's cautionary note Emphasize growing anxiety in parts of the Global South about the potential spillover of great-power rivalries.