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Nigeria’s foreign policy needs to be redefined. Such definition must take into consideration Nigeria’s goals, cultural imperatives, and convolute our nation’s foreign policy with those of our allies without disadvantaging Nigeria for the benefit of other nations.
Our foreign policy must be defined in terms of the goals our nation need to officially seek to attain abroad, the culture and values that bring about those objectives and the instruments necessary to pursue the goals while taking into account other nation’s prevailing foreign policies that may be established against our national interest. The essential tripods of our foreign policy strategy must be linked together such that they add value to our nation. Unfortunately for Nigeria, our foreign policy is static, unprogressive and is not benevolent to most Nigerians.
In terms of helping citizens abroad, for example, an American can bet his life on getting help if he runs into any American embassy to seek solutions to a problematic situation. America embassy will willingly render help to her citizen first and deal with the situation later. On the other hand, a Nigerian citizen visiting his embassy for help will likely be given every reason possible not to render help in a foreign land. A Nigerian seeking help in a foreign land will most likely be left hanging. Perhaps, it is not surprising why a citizen of one nation is patriotic while a citizen of another work against the interest of his nation; why a citizen of one nation exhibits political fervor while citizen of another nation shows political apathy; and why a citizen of one nation is very passionate about his country while the citizen of the other looks for every available moment to make caustic statement about his country.
Nigeria’s foreign policy is always in question whenever Nigerians are treated in an inhuman manner either within Nigeria or outside of Nigeria by foreign nations or companies. How did Nigeria react to British Airways removal of 136 Nigerians from its flight for what ever reason? How would Britain, America and Russia have reacted in such a situation? Another issue germane to foreign policy is the role of SSS. In Nigeria, while the SSS ought to be the eyes and ears of government as an important component of our foreign policy, instead, some members of this distinguished body are found in beer parlors discussing, in almost graphic terms, their current operations while foreign agents are taking notes. I guess beer parlors are the best place our nation’s enemies can understudy our societal secrets and foreign policy moves.
Nigeria’s foreign policies have historically exhibited stagnancy, political favoritism, sometimes involve political cronyism, clueless diplomats who have no idea of their functional responsibilities which is to represent Nigeria well in times of joyous ceremonies, defending the nation in hostile environment from a hosting nation, protesting citizens’ human right abuses in the countries where such human right abuses take place, chastising nations that flout citizen’s human rights and feverishly defending Nigeria’s national interests.
For Nigeria and President Yar ‘Adua, our nation’s foreign policy initiatives become dare and the challenges are difficult, because controversies over group of people who ought not to be nominated for ambassadorial positions (Obanikoro, for example) because they have no diplomatic training, or who may not be aware of the nation’s policy goals, values, and instruments are given responsibilities that are beyond their human comprehension. Rather than attempting to resolve these controversies, it is more useful to clarify the three major categories within which our foreign policy debate has been anchored. Nigeria’s foreign policy is designed to be benevolent to other nations but ruthless to fellow citizens. Many foreigners are better treated in Nigeria than Nigerians. This may not necessarily the fault of Nigeria but the sound policy of the beneficiary countries such as the United States of America that will defend her citizens anywhere in the world to any extent. Nigeria, in our own case, will throw citizens to the dogs. Our treaties are hedged on what an individual will gain rather than on the common good of our nation. Whenever we negotiate IMF loans, for example, our negotiators rather than seeking what is good for Nigeria, they agree to conditions that a ten year old citizen will find repulsive. Such long term indebtedness is unconscionable by any standard.
Recently, Offshore Technology Conference, OTC, is a yearly event in Houston and a foreign policy opportunity to show case the nation’s adventure into technological maturity. Instead, it has been an opportunity to spend colossal amounts to give the most notable party and for non value adding politicians to collect estacode. It is time for Nigeria to use such an occasion to learn from other nations and to use such learning to improve Nigeria technologically in the Oil & Gas industries.
Our foreign policy lacks internationalism and even fails on a Pan African measure. It is better that our International department retrains Nigerians that are smart, are patriotic, and are goal-oriented. Our trade policy is subservient at best. We create a single payer billionaire (Aliko Dangote) out of mere ignorance rather than pursuing enabling policies that will create several multi millionaires that can help create jobs, build families and export Nigeria’s ingenuity (not 419). Our international trade policy in anchored on selling every parastatals to foreigners. We sold our high capital invested industries such as the Steel rolling mills at Ajeokuta cheaply to those that simply dismantle and sell the parts for more than 1000 times the price that they bought it for. These types of policies make Nigeria look stupid in the eye of the world while a few unpatriotic elements get commissions and move on to the next conquest.
America, for example, negotiates trade policies such that American companies are at an advantage even in foreign countries (most multi-national oil companies). Developing countries such as Brazil, Norway, Ghana, etc., negotiate contracts such that expatriates come in for short periods of time to train citizens and leave to impact the nation and transfer technology. Instead our nation creates phony trade deals with countries that are economically stronger (China, USA, India, etc.) giving them all our trade secrets. In Nigeria, our trade policies are opposite to those of militarily and economically strong nations. We give away all trade secrets, our professionals are serving under those that they are qualified to lead thus leaving us impoverished nation. Most Nigerian companies are surrogates of foreign nations and they are proud to be.
Our foreign policy defined with respect to regionalism is basically based on how our leaders can personally corner the market in African sub-region like Sao Tome de Principe. It is sad indeed. If we continue to define foreign policy on individual gains, it will not be over–reaching to state that pretty soon, with the love of money so pervasive in Nigeria, a rich country may tempt a despicable leader to sell our children and he may just acquiesce, thus, getting the world into a second wave of slave trade.
President Yar ‘Adua must review our foreign policy stands, re-define our nation’s international interests in terms of particular geographic areas of interest, provide a solid foundation for citizen to defend Nigeria’s national interest even if shedding of blood is necessary, re-constitute our nation’s diplomatic core with professionals not cronies, redefine our foreign policies in terms of foreign trade, internationalism and regionalism. By re-defining our national interest, the country will awake in her citizens, patriotism which has been dead for quite some time.
Foreign policy is commonsensical and has within it strategic diverse policy objectives. Even an ordinary engineer such as myself can understand it from a pragmatic, patriotic and benevolent point of view. Foreign Service is a call to duty on behalf of Nigeria. It is either that President Yar ‘Adua will re-engineer our nation’s foreign policy and our Foreign Service team or Nigeria must vigorously demand a re-engineering and a real overhaul of our foreign policy strategies from him or the next globally informed patriotic president, that is if we can find one. So far, our foreign policy strategies are not persuasive even to ordinary Nigeria. Nigeria needs serious help in this area.
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Posted by Robot| 12.04.2008 13:05