Fed Govt should reassess strategy to stop foreign attacks

By Our Reporter

The Federal Government should reassess its soft power strategies to stem attacks on Nigerians abroad, Chief Executive Officer of Scutarii Advisory, Hilly Cookey-Gam, has said.

Cookey-Gam said diplomatic instruments, such as movie and music industry, peacekeeping missions, foreign aid, as well regional support have not made impact.

Cookey-Gam noted that the problem may not be under-utilisation of tools, but on strategy.

He said research and analysis should form the basis of any soft power strategy.

The managing director noted that the government implemented the strategy without proper analysis of the challenges facing the country’s influence and prestige abroad.

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Cookey-Gam recalled that between 2015 and 2017, there were protests by South Africans against Nigerians, but the government did not ascertain why past efforts failed.

It rather launched a new strategy to strengthen ties between South Africa and Nigeria.

Nigerians also witnessed vilification and hatred from Ghanaians, which a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ghana, Ms Hanna Tetteh, warned about in 2017.

Cookey-Gam said: “The former minister warned that the unforeseen risks of xenophobia would be better imagined.

“While it is arguable that the time is too short to see the results of the government’s cultural diplomacy policy, it is almost certain such a strategy fail because it is not underpinned by accurate research and analysis.

“Soft power is the projection of a nation’s culture, values, e.t.c. In Ghana, the citizens love, listen and view Nigerian music and movies, while Nigerians and the government are despised and branded criminals or corrupt.

“No amount of soft power can overcome the hatred against Nigerians due to the number of Nigerian immigrants who threaten jobs of the locals and lack the intelligence to behave like the Romans when in Rome.”