Nigeria should
not build their foreign policy on one pillar but emulate such actors like
American, Great Britain, France, if she will play the role in the current level of diplomatic circle.
Although,
everyone knows that, the internal political event also contributes immensely to
the impact on foreign policy. Therefore Nigeria should not be an expectation.
For ability to executes good and mind-blowing policy internally, must surely
attract foreign actors and the focus most turn for Nigerian as an international
state not a domestic figure.
In another
angle¸ democracy has come to stay not only in Africa but in the whole world.
Therefore Nigeria should not even think or do any thing that will drag them back to military regime. Even
though Nigerian military and their
regimes was not doing well in the development of the internal political policy. Through their coup-detate
were not the solution to the internal political procession in Nigerian.
Henceforth,
Nigerian should think how to engage in the culture of political dialogue and
debates between opponents so that Nigeria could move to the task ahead of her.
This political
dialogue and debate should be seen as a principle mechanism for the resolution
of crisis situation in Nigerian Political issues for her to move on.
By this, to
offer solution to the problems of Nigerian political issues, the international
community would therefore understand that Nigerians are now matured people
worthy a respectable place within the
community of nations.
More of this,
the Babangida’s regimes from 27 August 1985- August 1993 was all through a left hand blow to the
Nigerians image abroad and its foreign
policy in particular. These was a huge
financial west and failure, the abused of human right, the annulement of June
12, 1993 election etc at that time
when every country in particular
the “G7” and the
most of QIECD countries
It is worthy of
mention, here that, it worth nothing since the famous L.A bank speech by
president mitterrand of France in 1983, democracy became a determining factor in relation between
France and developing countries in
particular, therefore, it is believed that the
problem of Nigerian foreign policy started where Ibrahim Babangida.
Refused to tender applology to the international community on the activities
during his regime. Therefore, give wrong repression in the mind of
international actors about Nigerian in general.
After-math, was
nothing to write home about, that happen to be the beginning Nigerian
mis-understanding with international community. The traditional government
headed by Sir Ernest Shenekan was some how to ap-peace the international
environment but when Gen. Seni Abacha drag him out of office and took over his
beat without any agenda on how to improve relations between Nigeria and the
international community.
Therefore coup
detate worsen the international image
of Nigeria. Gen. Sani Abacha embarked
upon self aggrandizing effort that almost led Nigerian to the brink of war
because of flagrant human right abuses any military regimes had ever committed
since independent. Nigeria became a patriarch state only for compliant African
countries rely on. The question is how can Nigeria be called the “Giant of
Africa”? When she cannot even stand well
for herself not to be counted among the G7, what then make them Giant? It was
at this time a diplomatic advice would have been so much of interest to Nigeria
as a nation, but non-was given a chance. But
instead a selected delegation of incredible, through famous Nigerians was sent
to explain “Unexplainable” to the
international community in Europe but it was a failure. Nigeria foreign policy
was very crudely mishandle “Nigeria is a
like a country without foreign minister and foreign policy during this
period” Abati (1987, pg 9).
No
one should be blamed for the absence of foreign policy of a nation but there is every need for the explanation why
there is no effective foreign policy and its adviser to the nation
The question
of ‘Tug -of –war’ during Abacha regimes
was against the international community not minding the devastating effect on
the human right e.g the hanging of 9
Ogoni indigence: Does it mean that there were no government agents or officials
whom might have made that regimes to shift from the horrible decision to hang
the Ogoni activists until the end of the
common wealth summit.
The summary
therefore, is that Nigeria lack and under-rated the importance of internal
policy including democratic reformed and a place of human right in
international relation and diplomacy
Nigerian
diplomacy was grounded, for there was no ambassadorial nominees, no diplomate
posted outside Nigeria therefore blind folded the mind set of Nigerians in the
international field. One may be reminded that, the present government re-call
all ambassadors and replace them with new ones.
This was because the past ambassadors was not duly represented the
policy of the present realities in the international communities to correspond
with the motives and intention of the internal policies of the nation to the international state.
As Nigerian officials
and her diplomats began to developed effort toward the international
environment, but their effort was turn down for they maintained absolute
definition of national sovereignty.
The present
democratic world has grown in such away that the president or the alikes can
not site down and manipulates
its country as a family assets without
the intervention and the
reaction from the international
communities.
Henceforth,
democracy and human right has
becomes a law and character of : international relation and the
determinant in foreign policy.
It is necessary to call for image
building between the Nigerian government, diplomats and the Nigerians in Diaspora.
It was
astonished to observes when the Nigerian
diplomats and ministry of information
cannot formulate a message destined
for international consumption press campaign in February
1994. The inability of Nigerian
officials to explain the decision to the international public led to the deteriorated Nigerian
image abroad, the effect therefore
are deep-rooted and years will be required to correct the
image of Nigerians in the international community.
Therefore, the present foreign policy posture of
Nigerian politics can only be seen as a hectic task and the choice of
competence officials and actors is very essentials.
The foreign
policy actors are both the internal and external actors combining together to
reach a common goal/s to the foreign ministry. Although, it is
primarily foreign ministry
affairs, the internal actors like (1)
President (2) Foreign minister,
Ambassadors and embassies abroad
The role of embassies should be
re-defined and the dynamics and
performance oriented foreign policy
makers should leave no room for
amateurism like in the past.
Our ambassadors
and embassies should sit up and live up to national expectation Nigerian
foreign policy must produced result for the country and also its citizens.
There must be training and
retraining programme of diplomats to give them the necessary knowledge to practice the art and
science of diplomacy for they are at the front
line of Nigerian foreign policy. Our vital national interest have to
be redefined. We must revive and re-enforce economic diplomacy in the country.
In regarding
important sensitive; the international policy issues must have effect on our
foreign policy, a decision –making forum comprising all sector beginning from
presidential advisers, officials form ministries of foreign
affairs, defence internal affairs
etc should meet to discourse
and access them with a view of
defining a coherent policy. Expert
opinion from the relevant institution is also essential if Nigeria had to make
a positive foreign policy.
Finally if the
above question are answered and
followed these measures
I think the present Nigerian foreign policy will not only be the best
but she will be counted among the
generals in the world. For the fictional a ‘Giant of Africa”
has remain the dream name for Nigeria which is yet to come to reality, therefore we should not be with this
fictional image ie ‘Giant of Africa a image and watch other African diplomatic giant growing taller than our own the mother of African. For example South Africa and Egypt
work hard to get their name written in gold and maintained their
place within the
international environment.
Therefore
Nigeria should look up to the following objectives
i.
She should no longer limits her scope of foreign policy
to continental Africa affairs.
ii.
She should focused world wide and geared toward the
promotion of our cultural heritage and scientific, economic and technical
cooperation with viable partners.
iii.
Its goals should
aims at enhancing the national development and military arrangement with NATO countries in order to give peace a
permanent character in the society and our sub-region.
iv.
Its should aim
at creating a benefit for the betterment
of the people
v.
The commission must be set up comprising of diplomats
university professors and politicians to review and foreign policy setup and
objectives and to redefined the vital national interest.
vi.
Its mandate should
be short and precise
vii.
Its foreign policy should encompasses a clear opinion
strategy on major international issues such as the reform of the united nation
bilateral relations between Nigeria and the member of the European unions.
The Guardian Newspaper
(29/8/1991)
Editorial (6/9/99, EN/5950//TM)
Comment: Relating to the
Attitudes of Nigerian Authority Bolaji Ogunseye
and Bayo
Defence of Career
Diplomate : Bolaji and Layo;( Pg 19,) Longman
P.M New (25/8/1999) Lagos
This Day (8/8/1999 Pg10)
I Will Surprise my Critics
Lamido: (2000)
The Challenges Felony Nigerian
Foreign Policy in the Next Millennium 3
Okpoke E: (1999 Pg 4) Oxford
Liberalism Capital Flows : Pierre
Poret.
Lesson from Asia: The OECD: (1998
Pg 39 and 40)
Vanguard (18/8/1998)
Abati: My Experience
Solid Current Affairs. Adebayo
Bello