The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Diplomacy

  • Nigeria reiterates advancing global diplomacy with TAC

    Nigeria reiterates advancing global diplomacy with TAC

    The federal government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening diplomatic ties and advancing Nigeria’s foreign cooperation agenda through the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) scheme.

    The Director General (DG) of the agency, Rt. Hon. Buba Yakub said that the initiative remains a vital tool in promoting sustainable diplomacy and South-South Cooperation.

    He noted that for nearly four decades, the scheme has showcased Nigeria’s values of friendship and global development by deploying skilled Nigerian professionals to partner countries, facilitating knowledge exchange, institutional capacity building, and mutual solidarity.

    According to a statement on Friday by Nkem Anyata-Lafia, the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the DG, Yakub made this known during a meeting with Liberia’s Minister of Education, Jarso Maley Jallah, on Thursday in Monrovia.

    Other members of the Nigerian delegation included the Director of Programmes at NTAC, Amb. Zakari Usman; Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires to Liberia, Mrs. Rahmat Bola Muhammed; and other officials from the Nigerian Mission in Monrovia, Liberia.

    The discussion focused on assessing and strengthening the bilateral relationship between Liberia and Nigeria through the Technical Aid Corps (TAC) scheme.

    Providing a historical perspective on the TAC Scheme, Yakub explained that it is a flagship initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria, implemented through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noting that the scheme was established nearly 38 years ago to foster bilateral relations and support capacity development across African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries.

    While he reaffirmed the Nigerian government’s commitment to the progress and sustained development of Africa and the African Diaspora under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu Administration, the DG highlighted that the core mission of the NTAC aligns closely with President Tinubu’s 4-D Foreign Policy Agenda of Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora.

    He noted that his visit also aimed to explore opportunities to enhance the TAC Scheme by assessing and evaluating the impact of the Volunteer Programme in Liberia.

    He emphasised that the ultimate goal was to use the insights gained to strengthen strategic cooperation with Liberia in line with the shared development priorities of both countries and the broader TAC mandate.

    Reaffirming the commitment of the Nigerian government under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu Administration to the progress and continuous development of Africa and the African Diaspora, the DG noted that the core mission of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps is deeply aligned with President Tinubu’s 4-D Foreign Policy Agenda, encompassing Democracy, Development, Demography and the Diaspora.

    He noted that his visit also aimed to explore opportunities to enhance the TAC Scheme by assessing and evaluating the impact of the Volunteer Programme in Liberia.

    He emphasised that the ultimate goal was to use the insights gained to strengthen strategic cooperation with Liberia in line with the shared development priorities of both countries and the broader TAC mandate.

    In her response, the Liberian Minister of Education, Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, expressed deep appreciation to the Nigerian Government for its sustained partnership and development cooperation through the TAC Scheme, describing the initiative as “instrumental to Liberia’s human capital development.”

    Dr. Jallah also commended Nigeria for its unwavering support over the years and highlighted the significant contributions of Nigerian volunteers to Liberia’s national development, particularly in strengthening the education sector.

    According to the SA Media and Publicity, the DG held interactive sessions with the volunteers to assess their activities, share experiences, and address challenges and successes encountered during their assignments.

    Yakub commended the volunteers for their dedication, professionalism, and resilience, applauding their commitment to delivering impactful results.

    He assured them of the Corps’ continued institutional support, noting that the NTAC programme remains a vital instrument in Nigeria’s foreign policy strategy, one that promotes mutual development, strengthens people-to-people diplomacy, and deepens bilateral ties with partner nations through technical cooperation.

    The DG urged the volunteers to uphold and advance the Scheme’s mission, emphasising that the Federal Government is fully committed to ensuring that their contributions abroad continue to reflect Nigeria’s core values of service, excellence, and unity.

  • ‘Sustained capacity development key to international law, diplomacy’

    ‘Sustained capacity development key to international law, diplomacy’

    By Jesutayo Taiwo

    International law experts and diplomats  have emphasised the urgent need for sustained capacity development and training on international law and diplomacy in order to fully accentuate Nigeria’s foreign policy interest at the global stage.

    The recommendation was made in Lagos at the opening ceremony of a one-week Certificate of Advanced Studies in International Law and Diplomacy course organised by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) in partnership with the International Law Association (Nigerian Branch).

    The objective of the course is to expose participants to the specialised knowledge and skillsets required for the practice of international law and diplomacy.

    The event featured compelling remarks by leading diplomats and experts including Prof. Damilola  Olawuyi, (SAN), President of the International Law Association Nigeria; Prof. Animi Sylvanus-Pepple, the acting Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS); Professor Olufemi Elias, Judge-adhoc of the International Court of Justice, Hague amongst other dignitaries.

    While welcoming and congratulating participants for being selected for this high-level course, the acting Director-General of NIALS, Prof. Sylvanus-Pepple, who was represented by the Secretary of the Insitute, noted that the interdisciplinary course is designed to help participants think critically about diplomatic and international legal issues in real-life contexts, while applying theory to practice and addressing some of the key questions facing the world today, and looking at contemporary practice and major events.

    On his part,  Professor Olufemi Elias, who is also President of the Administrative Tribunal of the OPEC Fund, emphasised the crucial role of international law in promoting global peace and sustainable development.

    Prof Elias,  who delivered a goodwill message of the occasion, commended the ILA for putting together this timely and important training prgramme that would go a long way in the development of the next cadre of experts in international law and diplomacy.

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    On his part, the President of the ILA, Nigeria,  and Professor of International Law, who is also an Independent Expert on the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, Switzerland, Prof  Olawuyi, SAN, noted the important roles of international law in solving today’s global challenges.

     “International law has become ever so important in light of the complex challenges facing our current world”,he said.

     Throughout last  week, participants were taught and inspired by experts skilled in the art and craft of international law and diplomacy on the roles we can play in being the the heart of fostering solutions.

     They were also provided a chance to network, strategise and develop relationships that would enable them to launch and advance their careers in this important field.

    Prof. Olawuyi emphasised  the importance of highly skilled international law negotiators and diplomats .

    He said if Nigeria is to attract the best deals at the international stage, the country would require sustained support for such training programs that would unlock a steady track of qualified experts that will advance Nigeria and Africa’s intrerests globally.

    He commended NIALS for providing such an innovative and inspiring platform for advanced studies in international law and diplomacy.

    He urged  all participants to “fully immerse themselves in the opportunities provided by the course.

    ”The one-week course will cover contemporary themes in public and private international law, taught by leading experts, including modules on artificial intellegence and new technologies, international human rights and humanitarian law, international criminal law, international energy and petroleum transactions, climate change and sustainable development, conflict resolution, international commercial arbitration, AFCTA and international economic integration, as well as ethics and skillsets for international diplomacy, amongst others”, he said.

    Established in 1979, NIALS is the apex legal research and training institute in Nigeria, while the International Law Association (ILA) was established in 1873, with the objective and mandate to promote “the study, clarification, and development of international law, both public and private, and the furtherance of international understanding and respect for international law.”

    The Nigerian Branch of the ILA regularly hosts innovative lectures, seminars, conferences, and other capacity development programs to advance the study and understanding of international law in Nigeria.

    To learn more about the ILA, its activities, and events visit http://www.ila-hq.org

  • ‘Women still largely excluded from diplomacy’

    ‘Women still largely excluded from diplomacy’

    In spite progress, women are still largely excluded from positions of power and diplomacy, with the highest levels of influence and decision-making still predominantly occupied by men, says UN Women data.
    A new UN Women data on gender parity across leadership positions showed that globally, women’s underrepresentation in decision-making remained a stark reality.
    The new data was published by UN Women in commemoration of the International Day for Women in Diplomacy, marked on June 24.
    In 2022, the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), by consensus, declared the June 24 as the International Day of Women in Diplomacy to recognise and celebrate the ways in which women are making a difference in the field of diplomacy.

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    In a statement, UN Women said male dominance in diplomacy and foreign affairs extended to the Permanent Missions to the UN, where women remained underrepresented as Permanent Representatives.
    “As of May 2024, women held 25 percent of Permanent Representative posts in New York, 35 percent in Geneva, and 33.5 per cent in Vienna.
    UN Women Executive Director, Sima Bahous, was quoted in the statement to have said the UN Agency’s work was guided by the belief that when women lead, the world is better for all people and the planet.

  • On Nigeria’s international labour diplomacy

    When a fortnight ago in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Africa Region of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) meeting under the auspices of the  African Union nominated Nigeria for the titular membership of the Governing Board of the ILO, it came as no surprise to stakeholders and enthusiasts of labour. The reason is not far-fetched: Nigeria has been on a sustained rise in the global labour reckoning. In Addis Ababa, Africa literally passed a vote of confidence on Nigeria’s roadmap to repositioning the continental bargaining base in the world labour politics.  With the endorsement, Nigeria will by June 2020 when new elections hold, assume the highest representation in in the Governing Board of the ILO in trust for West Africa. It held such a position about 13 years ago.

    In clearer terms, the African Ministers of Labour, Employment and Social Development endorsed the cardinal roles Nigeria has been playing in furthering the cause of the continent. They acknowledged the effective voice which Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngigehas accorded Africa since ascending the Board in 2017.  Indeed, the capacity to articulate and convincingly present Africa’s position on critical issues made the ILO elevate him leaderof the government side of the tripartite, though he is a deputy.

    Take for instance, the events at the 331 session of  the Governing Board held in Geneva in November 2017, where African ministers came with the total  elimination of the vestiges of colonialism in the ILO as a single agenda and nominated Ngige to lead the charge.  It was a major push. Acting as the provisional leader of the region, he elicited the support of other regions to halt the overbearing role of France and Britain in the conduct of the regional meetings of the ILO.  A memorable speech he delivered that day read in part: “With regard to participation in a regional meeting of a member state from another region, it bears repeating Africa’s earlier position, adopting the principle that each member state would be invited as a full member to only one regional meeting, with the Governing Body having the discretion of inviting on a case by case basis, any member state as an observer to other regional meeting. To continue to do otherwise is to evoke   the   ugly   memories   of the colonial era. As an independent region, our concern on the total cluster liberation of our region is well articulated in our region’s Agenda 2063.” The master-slave manipulations, skirmishes and subtle intimidation by France and Britain to break Africa’s resistance predictably fell flat in the face of iron cast resolve. Africa won the battle.

    Indeed,  signs that Nigeria’s International Labour Diplomacy was on the  ascent  appeared early in October 2016 at the biannual conference of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act  in Washington D.C, United States. There, Ngige earned  an acclaim when in his address, he  urged the U.S to walk the talk on the urgent establishment of the Africa Skills Development Fund with  Nigeria, the hub of West and Central Africa sub-regions as the headquarter. Later at the Labour and Trade Ministerial Roundtable of the summit, he urged America toextend labour projects such as skills training centres and technical aids to Nigeria, privileges which some African nations enjoy. He further requested for the lifting of the embargo on Nigeria’s crude oil and cocoa. Bemoaning the dip Nigeria’s cocoa has taken, Ngige said, “I was upset that throughout discussions on agriculture, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire were big toasts of the West and I kept asking if it is not the same cocoa that Chief Obafemi Awolowo used to build the Western Region and the same massive cocoa plantation that Chief Michael Okpara built along the Arochukwu axis of the Eastern Region. It was worrisome, hence my case for technical assistance towards the production and refinement of our cocoa to meet the export standard of the UnitedStates and the European market.”

    Back to Africa, Ngige shifted Nigeria’s attention to the Africa Labour Regional Administrative Centre (ARLAC), a body set up by the International Labour Organisation in 1974 as part of its institutional framework to build the capacity of labour administrators in English-speaking African countries. With its headquarters in Zimbabwe, the South African nation, over the years, appropriated this privilege with shrewd but active support of mostly English-speaking neighbouring countries, running the organization in an imperial style for 43 years. An organization whose sustenance Nigeria has majorly contributed to, Zimbabwe did not only corner its executive powers, but also monopolized its senior administrative structures, leading to the frustration of a Nigerian official posted to its management cadre.

    Earlier at the June 2016 ILO Convention in Geneva which Ngige was attending for the first time, he posted a timely warning that ARLAC must democratize or Nigeria would reconsider participation.

    An opportunity came at the 43rd ARLAC Governing Council meeting and High Level Symposium on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work held at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Ngige went on bridge-building, eliciting the support of West African countries as well as Egypt to break the Southern African solidarity and succeeded in pushing through full democratization of ARLAC, with Nigeria elected the deputy chairman of the body. The import of the election could be viewed from the prism of respect, trust and faith in Nigeria’s leadership role in the continent. Nigeria’s concern for Africa, and its commitment to the economic and socio-political development and above all, commitment to decent work where Nigeria has domesticated almost all the ILO conventions stand apart.

    Bottom-line: It is clear that no nation can develop its labour sector, a tripartite fulcrum around which national productivity revolves, without competent leadership spurred by patriotism. In the global village we live today, sound diplomacy is an imperative tool in national interest aggregation. It weighs even more at the international stage. However, where most of the dynamics and values of labour administration border on the abstract, the end benefits of international labour diplomacy are often shrouded from non-labour experts. But these are inevitable building blocks of industrial growth, harmony and subsequent national productivity.  How would a nation grow in the void of technical expertise, of skills and manpower development and their invaluable impact on technocracy, administration and leadership? The monetary value of such will usually take a good chunk of a national budget. But from the ILO, these values come at little or no cost.

     

    • Nwachukwu is an Abuja-based journalist.

  • Communication, culture  and diplomacy

    Let  me confess to  a feeling of                 excitement on the issues  I  want to   write  about  today. Probably because they  already give me  as I  start,  some nostalgia about past events or because they  are quite emotional in nature and I am already  feeling passionate  about them. Please join me as I    recall  the events and  proceed to analyse  them  as usual.

    The  first  was the crowded  and racy press conference the US President Donald  Trump  gave and at  which  a CNN reporter clashed verbally with  him such  that  he wanted to leave the rostrum; and that  upset  me gravely as  a former working  journalist  who  had covered such press  conferences before. The  second was the visit of the Prince of Wales to Nigeria  and the report on a documentary  by the BBC which noted  that the aged Prince at  70  said  he would  be different  as King from his role now. Just  like  Henry  the fifth  in Shakespeare’s play Henry V, which  incidentally was the play  I studied  for my  WASC in  1968 and  I had A1 in  English  Literature.

    The  third  was the news that the EU had  recalled its Ambassador to Tanzania and was considering stopping a well  funded EU  Development Programme  because of  that  African nations laws on homosexuality. And  that  is an  issue that I feel  sooner  than later will divide Africans  and  western  nations  because  it  is  an  issue  that borders on a clash  of civilization  and culture as well as a new definition of sex and  marriage  from the  West  that is irreconcilable  to both  cultures and peoples.  Let    me now  see through  my passion on these  issues   to  arrive  at  my conclusions,    which  I  hope  should  be objective !.

    First is the verbal  gymnastics between CNN’s  Jim  Acosta  at  the press interview  given at the  White  House  by the American President after  the Nov  6  Mid  term  elections in the us. Undoubtedly  the two personalities  had  a history  of hostility and  mutual  hatred and disdain. CNN  had  unabashedly labeled the US president a compulsive liar  and he too had  called CNN  fake  news repeatedly.

    But  on this occasion it  was the mood  of CNN  and the US president after  the results of the November 6 Mid  Term elections that led to the  verbal  exchange  which  later  led to the CNN reporter  being denied access  to do his job at the White  House. The  heated exchange  to  me  was  a product  contrasting  mood of elation  on the election results  by both Donald  Trump  and the CNN. Donald Trump  was in a celebration mood because he felt victorious in the GOP improving its majority in the Senate and winning some  governorship elections  in some states in which he personally  campaigned furiously  for  Republican candidates. The CNN on  the other hand felt and showed that the President  had lost  because the Democrats had the new majority  to  control the House of  Representatives.

    In questioning Trump, Jim Dacosta  went on and on in talking about immigrants and insisting that  the US president  should  admit  what he saw as his fault in calling those in the caravan invaders. The CNN reporter was rude and the US president told him  that  much. Even though press  conference  was rowdy Trump  took on so many questions that I  gave him kudos for his self  given  assignment  during which he once asked if he had not outstayed  his welcome and the press asked him  to go on.

    To  appreciate  the element of bias against  Trump  you only need to recall  a similar post Mid term election given by Nancy Pelosi  who is expected to be Speaker in the next  Congress. It  was a very orderly affair and the press asked questions seated. Whereas  at  the White  House correspondents sprang  and  yelled questions  and in Da Costa’s case, he refused to hand over the mike even after the US President in anger,  did  as if he would leave the venue. Indeed the CNN ‘s Dacosta’s  action  was aggressive  and symbolized in physical form  the digital and communication enmity  between the CNN and  the American  president. It  was a show of  disrespect  for  the US president  and quite  shocking  and revulsive  for  me as a writer and communications professional  to behold  or  comprehend.

    The  second issue  was the statement credited to the Prince of Wales to the effect that he won’t speak on issues when  he becomes  king because  he is not stupid. He  then  referred to  some parts  of Shakespeares plays Henry 1V and  Henry  the  fifth  my favorite play. Henry V  is the story  about the Battle  of Agincourt  in which  the young Henry  who  led a dissolute  life of a youth  became  a brilliant    English leader and warrior  who  defeated  a much larger French army at the famous Battle of  Agincourt.

    Of  course I want to link this with the visit  this week  of Prince Charles to  Nigeria and the beautiful  regal  pictures he took  with the royal  fathers in  Nigeria. I  felt  happy  seeing  those pictures  and  confess  to some  element  of  colonial  mentality which Nigerians born after Independence  in 1960  may  not understand.  This is because in  spite of hostile  Nigerian  observations and writings  against Colonial  powers especially  Britain,  most former  Commonwealth subjects like me still feel  some love and affinity  for the British  royal  family. So  one can understand the Oba Of Benin  diplomatically asking future  King Charles  to arrange to return ancient war, art works    antiquities  looted from Benin, during the colonial  era,  now adorning  the  well  visited  London Museum. But  yes  in spite of that, we still  have fond memories of the Queen, her  family  and especially  of Diana, her  sons and now  the old, future King  Charles. Let  me end this bit  with an apt    quote  from  Henry V  to show that Charles  will  not say anything stupid when  he becomes king – ‘ In  peace there is nothing so  befits a  man  as modest stillness and humility;  but when  the blast  of war blows in our ears,  then imitate the action of the tiger…. ‘

    The  last  issue is the  recall  of its Ambassador  to  Tanzania  by the European  Union and  a threat to review its $700m  aid  programme spread over  2014 – 2020  to  that African  nation. The threat  is based on what  the EU  had  labeled ‘a deterioration of the human rights  and rule of law  in Tanzania because it is implementing Tanzanian laws that  forbid Tanzanians to be gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender.  On  the  surface,  to  the  EU,  this is like – who pays the piper  dictates  the tune. But  for African  nations like  Tanzania  it is  a clear  case of buyer, beware. The  EU must  learn  how  to differentiate  between laws  and values  of  non EU  nations  especially  African  nations, based on the traditions and customs of such  nations. Indeed it needs to do that before giving aid  and do due cultural  diligence  or face its own  caveat emptor in default  of such error. In  EU terms African  nations are homophobic  and anti  gay. That  does    not  however make them opponents of human  rights or traducers of the rule of  law. It  is just  their culture and that deserves respect, aid or  no  aid. Once again long live the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

     

     

  • Accountability, politics and diplomacy 

    Crazy  as  Nigerian  politics can  be at  times,  it can have its lofty  and edifying  moments. As  the film with that unique title-  ‘the  good, the bad  and the ugly ‘goes –  it can  be all  of these  and more. Today  we  look  at a   series  of events not only in  Nigeria but the world at large that  show that while   the morals expected  amongst  world leaders can  be of the highest  ethical  standards at most times occasionally they  fall  short  when  one least  expects.  We  tie  that with the saying in diplomacy  that in international  relations there  are no permanent  enemies  but  permanent  interests  and invoke   a popular   dictum in political  science that  says that  the morals amongst   nations cannot  be the same amongst  individual  leaders,  especially  in politics.

    We  start  with  the Nigerian  Senate which  this week  performed  the very  salutary  duty  of calling on   government  parastatals  to  render  their  audit  report  as required  by law  or face  the music of  legal  prosecution.  The  Senate according to reports  noted that only  ten  percent of the  over 400 public institutions  involved  have complied  and listed  a worrying long list  of various  periods  of non compliance  stretching   from  between one  to five  years.  More    alarming    was the fact  that the list contained  our powerful  anti  corruption  agency, the EFCC  and  the goose  that lays our golden egg, the  NNPC. Not  to talk  of many corporations  that  are supposed  to drive  our economy  and create jobs  and prosperity  for  Nigerians. This  is   aclear  case of   corruption,  institutional  irresponsibility,   lack  of  transparency and accountability   at  the  highest  level  and the government  should intervene. The reasons are obvious and the negative import of this should seriously bother government. If  government  institutions do  not render  audited  report and   accounts, as and when  due, then the  government  cannot claim  to be fighting corruption  as charity  should start  at home with public institutions  accountable  to government supervision, running  and  funding. It is not enough   or even    easy   to classify    or decry this as anti corruption forces fighting back  through  the Senate. This cannot fly. Auditing is part of government running of public institutions. Just  as corporate  bodies in the private  sector cannot  imagine  not  having Annual  General  Meetings and  audited  Annual  Reports,   it  should   be  a rule of thumb  for public institutions to  play ball  or  face  the wrath  of the law  for  negligence. Which  in   this instance  is not only  unpatriotic  and condemnable  but is also brazenly  criminal  in all  intents and purposes. Government  just  must  stop  this nauseating  situation.

    On  the international  scene we  look  at  the visit  of the Saudi  Crown  Prince to the UK  as well  as the visit  of the Liberian President  to Nigeria.

    First, in the  case  of the   visit to  Britain  of    Saudi  Crown Prince  Muhammed Bin Salman,  the British  government has shown  clearly  that in international  relations there are no permanent  enemies but permanent  interests. Protesters  were  busy in  London  condemning the visit  because  of the indiscriminate bombing of civilians in  Yemen  by  Saudi  jets propping up the government  in  Yemen  against Houthi  rebels who are Shia Muslims supported  militarily  by  Iran, Saudi  Arabia’s  implacable enemy  in the two pronged fight to get control  and leadership  of the Muslim  world as we know it today.  The  protesters  are   called ‘ Stop  the  war  Coalition ‘  and ‘Campaign  Against  Arms Trade ‘but  they  might  as well  be barking at  the moon.  This  is because  the UK  government  of  Theresa  May  is negotiating an arms and other business deal  worth over 100m  pounds  with  Saudi  Arabia  on this  visit.  The  UK  government  is not bothered  that this   is   an  unelected leader    in his thirties who  is  acting  for his   father who is  over  80  and  has seized  the powerful  levers of  power in  Saudi  Arabia  where  he locked  up  his cousins and fellow  princes in a luxurious hotel  in  Riyadh  recently, and did not release them until  they  paid huge amounts which  he alleged  they  embezzled    in his own   brand  of anti corruption  drive. The  British  establishment overlooked Saudi  politics  and its  peculiarities,  and rolled  out a royal  red  carpet  for the  Saudi  Prince  to  meet  the Queen  in person  and   the  PM  in 10  Downing  Street.  Such  is  the nature  of British  respect  for   leaders  of  nations that kill  innocent   civilians in war  and  such is the nature  of morals  amongst  nations being quite  different from those  amongst ordinary  human  beings, especially  when  juicy   contracts are  involved  in the face  of an uncertain Brexit  future.

    We  now  look  at the visit of the Liberian  President George Weah  to Nigeria   and  his  humble request  for  Nigerian  teachers  to  help  the Education  sector  in  Nigeria.  Let  me confess  first  that  I  have a soft  spot  for  Liberia  as  a nation  and a softer  heart  for  its new  president  as a  soccer  fan.  This  is because  Nigeria played  a major  role in bringing peace  to  Liberia  at a time  when the Nigerian  government  and military  dictated the pace and role of diplomacy  and even  force in maintaining  and   ensuring    the  security,  sovereignty  and territorial  integrity   of  not  only African states  in general  but that of the ECOWAS  sub region  in particular.  I  do  not want  to say  more  than that except  that the Nigerian  government of the day should help and grant  the request  of the   Liberian  government led  by   former  soccer legend, George Weah.

    With  regard  to  the Liberian  President himself,   I  say   again  that  I  admire him a lot  for   his   football  pedigree  and  success as the first  African  to win the European  footballer  of the  Year  award. I  nostalgically  and happily  recall  his soccer  success  with  the great AC Milan of  Italy   and  the pride  his exploits  gave  Africans as he  won honors  and laurels  amongst  the best clubs  and  giants of  European    soccer.

    In  Nigeria   his  equivalent  in my book  and for  my  generation,  was  my friend  and soccer  hero  Segun Odegbami, who   similarly   in  his playing days gave my  generation of football  fans so much  joy  and pride  with his runs and dribbles   for  the  Green  Eagles  at the National  Stadium  when it was really a  soccer  stadium  and not   the   rusty   event   centre   that  it is nowadays. Let  me once  again salute  the Liberian  President  George  Weah  and  wish  him a productive tenure  of office for  his nation  and   people. Once  again  long live  the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Power, media and diplomacy

    Power, media and diplomacy

    Kenya’s Raula  Odinga’s  declaration of himself  as  president  of  Kenya, this week    and his inauguration in that nation,  as well as Donald  Trump’s State of the Union Address, which  was a lesson on the ideals of government, and democracy  dominate our thoughts  today. Both  events question the essence power, authority  and legitimacy in any democracy.  Along with  these  but   on   the lighter side we look at a comment by a diplomat  at a Diplomats Night organized by  Nigeria’s premier  social  club   –  The  Island  Club, Onikan  Lagos  – at which a retired Ambassador  ridiculed  journalists  as only interested in sensationalism  while diplomats carry out   foreign policy,  a dubious claim  that I intend to expose   here  as a fallacy.

    With  regard  to Kenya I  want to remind the self- declared Peoples President  Raula Odinga of an African proverb  which states  that until  one has seized  the hilt  of his sword he does  not inquire  the cause of his father’s  death. This  proverb  is applicable  to  Odinga in  terms  of his personal  history and political  life  as well as a form of saying  of the wise  to  be respected. In  declaring himself  as president  Odinga has taken the fight to the rightful president of Kenya, Uhuru  Kenyatta. It  is a  bold  fight between  legitimate authority and a stolen and illegal presidency. It  is a challenge against  constituted  authority . Really,  Odinga’ has murdered’ sleep  and   like  Shakespeare’s Macbeth,’ will  not sleep  again’.

    Perhaps Odinga  is taking the matter  personal  between  him and Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta  as their  fathers were  President  and Vice  President respectively   and  parted company over  succession when  Kenyatta  picked  Arap  Moi  as his successor  over the leftist  father of  Odinga. More than that too,  even  though  it  does not matter,  was  the  fact   that Odinga  had won election in  Kenya before in  2007  and had to be pacified after riots   and  appeased  by a new constitutional contrivance  that created a post  of Prime  Minister  for  him  for peace to reign in Kenya then.  But  now with a self declared president  in place with an elected  president,  can peace reign in Kenya? The  answer  is definitely  No. This  is because  the legitimate government must claim  and assert its authority  or else  it will  be assumed to have been usurped  effectively  and decisively, albeit  illegally  by the self declared Peoples  presidency of Raula Odinga. Unfortunately  the Kenyatta government  moved against  the media instead of its political  challenger  and closed  the media threatening them  with total  closure  if they covered  the event  only for  a court  to overrule  even  that  misguided order  by asking that the media houses be opened for the duration of the hearing of the case on  the matter.  So   who  is in control  in  Kenya? Definitely the  whole world  is watching   with  baited   breath  political  developments in  Kenya  as  a unique  event  and development  in   and  for   Africa.

    Similarly  in Nigeria  it was widely  reported in the news  media  that  the former  governor of  Kano  State  now   Senator  Rabiu  Kwankwanso  was  advised  by the state  police command  not to come to the state during the week  until  the security situation in the state was ‘ neutralized’.  I  thought  that was a new  way  of  addressing security  situations because if security is neutralized it means it  has been  compromised  and it is not adequate. Which  can  only mean or lead to insecurity. Was that  what the state  Police  Command had in mind?  I   doubt. Anyway, what  stops a former governor visiting  a state he developed  so much  and so well  and in which he handed over  to his Deputy  who is now governor?  Definitely  something  big   and  suspicious  is happening in  Kano  politically  that  needs security  to be ‘neutralized ‘before  a  governor  who  was a hero  during his tenure  as governor cannot  suddenly  be seen in broad  daylight  by the people he once governed  so popularly.

    In  the US, Donald  Trump gave his State  of the  Union Address which  to me was a very brilliant  one to bring unity  amongst  all  Americans irrespective of their  political  leanings. That  he was able to couch  and deliver such a speech in the midst of the media war he created by lambasting  part of the media as Fake News and the on going Russia  hacking and interference in the 2016 presidential elections is really  amazing. I really do not care what the American political  elites and media make of Trump’s presidency but I  want to share some of the fascinating aspects of that  speech with anyone interested good political  literature  and fine people  oriented rhetoric.

    At a ceremony  to which  were brought  ordinary  Americans who  had performed incredible but patriotic duties like the kid who mad flags for graves of dead US military  heroes, Trump  rallied   Americans in my view  like Winston Churchill  rallied  the British people  in their  darkest  hour during the Second  World War. Except  that  the Americans are  facing no war   now,  besides   that between  the Republicans and Democrats   on one   hand, and the media war  between their president and those he had labeled Fake News on the other.

    Trump  told  his people that  in America it  is faith  and family  that count, not government and bureaucracy, because America’s motto  is – In  God  we trust.

    In  a moving exhortation  he applauded  that America gave the world  the arts and music, science and other spheres  of knowledge. The  American people he said dreamed the US, the American people built  it,  and it  is the American  people  who  are  making it great again. When   leader invokes  power  and authority   as belonging   to  the electorate   in  any  democracy   he cannot but have their  admiration   and undying support  in any   clime and  in any  polity. No matter  how grudgingly, it is difficult  not to admire Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address.

    Let  me now  round  up  with  the retired Ambassador  who  mocked  journalists  at  the Diplomats Night of the  prestigious  Island  Club  this week. I   was at the event at which  the Chief  of Protocol represented the Minister of  Foreign  Affairs. I  raised a question on  what  is now the cornerstone of Nigeria’s  Foreign Policy  which was the topic of the day. The  Minister’s  representative did her best  in identifying National  Interest  as the Ministry’s  focus  of  attention before   former  Ambassador  Segun  Akinsanya  came up to patronizingly  insult  journalists by claiming that they  are  only interested  in sensationalism  and do not know anything about   foreign   policy  which  he claimed to be the  work  of diplomats. Which  to me is a comparison  that was   as unnecessary  as it was   grossly  misinformed. This  is because  the media  has a huge input in any foreign policy, including one  that is focused on National Interest  because  even that is moulded and articulated  by the media before it becomes  foreign policy. Diplomats and Ambassadors do  not  make foreign  policies, governments and politicians  do, and Ambassadors and diplomats carry out   the dictates of  the  policy. Perhaps  the pomp  and pageantry  of diplomacy, the balls and cocktails  may  put diplomats  and Ambassadors in the lime light while the journalists  bring the issues  to the public domain as foreign  policy  from the background,  but that does not  mean that Ambassadors and Diplomats make foreign  policies. In    fact   and  indeed   they  run  errands across  the globe to  implement  foreign  policy.  They  do  not make it  just   like   the saying that ‘ the hood does  not  make the monk‘. Once  again, Long live  the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Diversity, diplomacy and confederation

    It  is becoming obvious that the world as  we know it is going to change for good  or bad whether  we like it or  not.  I am  not talking about the  doomsday  gibberish, the  religion  end of the world salvation blackmail or even the big bang computer that did not   turn up  as highly predicted  in 2000. I am  saying that this world is changing before our eyes  and there is nothing that we can  do about it.  Actually   that   was what   the Change  Management    experts   were  saying when   they  said  that the concept was an  oxymoron    and  that  change    was not manageable. Well,    the  hurricanes  in  the US  and the Carribeans    have shown  that nature  can  be disastrous   and   unmanageable   even  if predictable. In  terms  of the above topic   global  change   has shown  it has no   masters  from any part of the world. I, for one have decided to enjoy the spectacle  and  I  ask    you    henceforth   to enjoy the amazing and unfolding     global  panorama    on this  page with me.

    Let  me first start   with   some sort  of anecdotes  before  unfolding the attendant masquerades. On  the world  stage North  Korea being vilified  by the US was given a podium in another nation jointly calling for restraint from the US whose president this same week said  he had  not ruled  out the military option in dealing with N Korea’s nuisance global nuclear threats  and missile  tests . In  Nigeria it took a woman  minister to bell  the cat  and set the ball  rolling for  the 2019  presidential  election. Just   as  the Yorubas  called  for a Confederation and    labeled  it Regionalism because  that sounded historical  and less pugnacious   in the pursuit  of Restructuring. Which  happens to be the latest political  digression  from the declared  war on corruption  by the Buhari  Administration   since  assuming  power  in the 2015  presidential  elections. In   the US  the  former  presidents  have come together  to support a 15.2 bn dollars   relief  fund to support  victims of the Hurricane  Harvey  that wreaked havoc in the  US  recently  to show  the American  people  that they still  care even  though they  are out of office.  They    have   shown  that   out of sight is not out of mind and that really  counts where human management and  public responsibility   matter   as it  should,  in any polity.

    Starting with  N Korea it is apparent  that no  one really  knows  how the dreadful  charade  would  end.  It would  appear  however  that  Russia  is making merry  with the American  embarrassment  over  the entire  issue for clearly malicious  if diplomatic reasons . At  an Economic  Conference  attended by N Korea’s Minister in the  Russian city  of  Vladivostok  this week, the Russian  president spoke  along side the Japanese PM Shinzo  Abe  and the S Korean  President  Moon Jae  -in  and asked   the US  not  to play into N Korea’s  hands by  putting pressure on NK    with   President   Putin   warning  that  ‘its  counterproductive  to inflate this military  hysteria, as  this leads  nowhere. ‘Which  actually   is highly skeptical  and mischievous  especially  with regard  to the company of world leaders  he was in whose nations are on the front line with  N Korea.

    Japan  has seen  N Korea shoot  missiles over its air space in violation  of international  law in recent times  and S Korea is  carrying out war games   with  US   war   planes on its border with N Korea with  live ammunition,  which N Korea   claimed  are provocative   and are  responsible  for its nuclear  threats and tests. Yet  S Korea’s  new president was elected a few months ago on a platform  of peace  but  has  no choice if the US decides on the military  option. Is  the Russian  President Putin speaking his  mind and speaking for S Korea? Does  that mean that S Korea is shifting alliance  from the US to Russia in the Korean Peninsular’s   volatile  and war prone diplomacy?   The  same questions  can  be asked of the Japanese PM present at the occasion. Moreso as the NK Minister  for External  Economic  Relations reportedly said  there that –  ‘the US should by all  means keep  in mind the nuclear status  of our country which owns nuclear and hydrogen bombs and intercontinental  ballistic  missiles‘.

    It  is apparent that the US in the absence of the military option  can  only  seek  sanctions to  call  N Korea to  order but that can only make that rogue nation more desperate and dangerous  for global  peace. In the past sanctions  have given way to economic aid in the time of the grandfather  and father   of the present youthful NK leader. But  he  has shown he is a different and implacable  proposition as a leader. Just  as the Americans  and their European  and Pacific allies  have discovered  that they  have an equally unexpected  proposition as the leader of the American  people to contend with in global  diplomacy   and international  relations.  More  ominously  for the US  and  its allies is the fact that the new US  president is at war  with the molders of public  opinion  in the US and that is affecting his  conduct  of foreign  policy  and diplomacy.  President   Donald  Trump  has had  to play  to  the gallery  in dealing with both domestic  politics and international  issues  and nowhere  was that more apparent than in the way  he calmly  told  the  press  that the military option  was not ruled out in N Korea.  He  has  labeled the CNN as  fake news  and has   thus  murdered sleep   in the  news media  estimate  and like Macbeth  in Shakespeare’s  play, he will  not sleep  again.  Not  on Russia, and  definitely  not on NK. And  the issues  involved  will  not be appraised dispassionately  as required in both diplomacy and politics at  home and abroad in the US  because  both the US media  and their president  are  looking at issues  with jaundiced  eyes  filled with mutual  hatred  and  sheer  hatred for each  other. This  has created the unusual  political effect  and decision  of the new US President to start  campaigning  for  reelection  in four  years  time  because  he felt his fight  with the media can  only be sustained   by  the tweet  technology  that brought him  political  fame  and power  and he needs  the rhetoric  of election  campaign.   This    is   to  enable   him  face a press  out to get him on Russian meddling  in 2016 US elections by  denting his legitimacy  in the pursuit  of that goal. In  all  these  American  diversity as a nation  of migrants, its diplomacy  and much  vaunted  political  culture   of free speech  and human  rights  are being  sorely  tested  while the world  worries  on the results.  Meanwhile  the Russian  leader  puts  spanners  in the works  for  a  US  that has put Russia  under   economic  sanctions    for  various  transgressions  of International  law especially  in  Ukraine and   quite   recently  for  hacking US  presidential  elections. Surely  the end is far from  being in sight and  the future   is most  unpredictable   for the US  and  its  new unconventional   president.

    In Nigeria the next  presidential  election  is slated  for 2019  but  a cabinet  Minister  has set  the ball  rolling  by   declaring that  she would support  another  undeclared  candidate  other  than the incumbent president whose  appointment  she is still  enjoying. The  Minister  is Aisha  Alhassan, Nigeria’s  Minister  for  Women  Affairs and  Social  Development who  said  there  was no going back on her announcement to support former Vice  President Atiku  Abubakar  in the 2019  presidential  election. Let  me   say   here    that   I doff  my hat to the lady  for  her bravery  and bluntness. She  said the president told her that he would only  go  for one  term  of office  and he expects him  to keep  his word. Well, the president is not dead  and can put the records straight  and  do  the needful. But  this gallant lady  has dared  the lion  in its den  and is still  a Minister. She  reminds me in terms of audacity of the president’s  wife who  cried  foul  that her husband  has been  surrounded by strangers  and that people  who did not campaign with him  are  being given important  political  appointments.

    It  appears  that in Nigeria it is only  women  politicians  who  have  the balls  to  speak obvious  political  truths which  the men  have lost the balls or guts  to say out  on important issues.  I  remember  the play  Aikin Mata  which I took part in at  the Great  Ife  whose  title means’ Women At Arms  ‘directed by former  Kwara  State  Governor  Cornelius Adebayo and  his  colleague,  now  a famous  professor. Indeed Nigerian  women  are  at arms  and they  cannot  be kept in the kitchen  for much  longer.  Certainly   Aisha  Alhassan   has blazed  a trail  like  our  First  Lady  and  I   commend  both  sincerely   for speaking their mind and    walking   gingerly    where  angels  fear     to tread.

    Finally  the Yorubas   have met in Ibadan  their former regional  government    capital  and asked  for  a return to regional  government along  the line of the 1960  and  1963  constitutions.  The   Yorubas always know what  they  wanted  but have  not been  able to get  it,    and  that  is leading Nigeria  from the front seat  since  they  think  education  their  main ethnic  talent  makes  them  capable of doing this  . Yet  they  lag  behind in modern Nigeria power  politics  because their  only   leader, the sage Obafemi  Awolowo  wanted  them  to lead  a bigger  Nigeria than that of Nkrumah’s  Ghana  and  did  not leave the contraption called Nigeria  when  the   West   had self –  government in 1958. Now  in 2017  Yorubas  are  calling for a Regional  government  but  are making the claim  for  a Confederation  and  I  feel  that is not brave enough . What  is wrong with a Confederation if  we must restructure?   That  is the  big ‘bold question  to  be asked  and Yoruba  leaders  should seize the bull  by the horn  and put the question  on the table  once  and for  all  for  consideration by the  Nigerian  polity.  We  do not need another Moremi  from  Ife  to  unravel  us from  the forced  marriage of  1914   and the  military command structure  that  has served Nigeria  so  lopsidedly   as  a  slip   shod  federation  since  1960,   purely   to  the benefit  of those ‘born  to rule‘  in their  very  mistaken  estimation. Once  again  long live the Federal  Republic  of Nigeria.

  • Gunboat diplomacy

    •That is what the 13-point ultimatum to Qatar, by Saudi Arabia and allies, amounts to, particularly the ploy to silence Al Jazeera

    It has been dubbed the gravest diplomatic crisis in the Gulf for a long time now. That could well be true.

    However, to the civil globe — or “free world”, in America-speak — it is much more than that: it is a brazen attempt to shut down alternative voices, using terrorism as scarecrow. That should be condemned by all lovers of freedom and media pluralism.

    The crisis brewed when four Arab countries, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, craftily including terror- paranoid United States in their demand, announced on June 5, a trade and diplomatic crackdown on Qatar. They alleged that the oil-rich Gulf country was embedded with terrorism, citing Qatar’s alleged coziness with Iran and Turkey.

    Iran, ethnic Persians, are a rival civilisation to the Arabs. But it is in Islam that Iran’s rivalry with Saudi Arabia, the Arab world’s religious capital, is most pronounced.

    Iran is home to the minority Shia sect, against the majority Sunni, which Saudi Arabia leads. Turkey, the modern rump of the old Ottoman Empire, is always suspected to harbour imperialist ambitions; and the power-grabbing antics of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s maverick president, is not helping matters.

    So, “terrorism” charges from the Saudi camp could well be the result of intra-faith ideological disputations, with the conservative Sunni Saudi Arabia often decrying the radical Shia Iran. On the other hand, the so-called radicalism, on Iran’s side, could well be a defence mechanism, from a constantly harassed Shia minority, often times portrayed as near-apostates.

    In fairness, however, local radical groups in Egypt (like the Islamic Brotherhood) and the likes of Hisbollah in Lebanon and the Palestinian territory, and sundry other local charities opposed to their ruling local regimes have been linked to funding from Iran, which the local regime feels is subversive.

    So, on the score, Qatar ought to have been more sensitive to the feelings of its Gulf neighbours, before becoming too chummy with Iran and Turkey, even if it is perfectly within its rights to choose its friends. No less damning is the allegation that it grants citizenship to alleged rogue elements from these other countries.

    Still, it is doubtful if even all these could warrant an arrogant 13-point ultimatum that Saudi and allies have sapped to Qatar, to comply with within 10 days or be rendered invalid! Though the deadline was extended, the bellicosity of the demands was nothing short of the lexical equivalent gunboat diplomacy.

    Qatar was not only to summarily break diplomatic ties with Iran and Turkey (thus undermining its legal right as a sovereign country), it should also stop all contacts with political opposition in the Saudi camp, stop all aids to alleged terrorist organisations and charities, and immediately terminate all military pacts with Turkey.

    If all these could be rationalised, even as over-bearing regional power play, the demand to shut down Al Jazeera, hitherto the Arab voice to the world dominated by Western information media, now turned the Qatari albatross, cannot be justified.

    The sinister motive in that demand is underscored by the demand that other news outlets that Qatar allegedly funds — directly or indirectly — be shut down. These outlets include Arabi21, Raked and Middle East Eye. This is paranoia taken too far, which the rest of the world should help to resist.

    While Saudi Arabia and allies could claim the right to secure their own local regimes by all means necessary, attempting to shut down opposing media, under the guise of fighting alleged terrorism, is nothing but crass bullying.

    For the sake of lasting global peace, the United Nations should step in to help negotiate a fair and equitable compromise among the feuding blocs. This attempt to crack down at a perceived weaker party is so reminiscent of the post-World War 1 humiliating armistice imposed on Germany and its losing allies. That didn’t only lead to the demise of the League of Nations, it also climaxed in a more disastrous World War 2.

    The UN should learn from the failure of its failed predecessor. That is why the body should act now, especially so when America’s Donald Trump appears near-fatally distracted on issues that matter most.

  • Gambia: Triumph of diplomacy

    SIR: The departure of Gambia’s leader of 22 years, former President Yahya Jammeh on January 21 into exile in Guinea is a good ending to a drama that while it lasted created fear, foreboding and uncertainty, not only in Gambia where the unfortunate drama began but also in West Africa and indeed the rest of Africa.

    For West Africa, whose sub-regional body, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) resolved not to condone impunity; it was a case of never again. In the late 1980’s and the 1990’s, West Africa was the centre of wasting civil wars that led to the devastation of Liberia and Sierra Leone. Those struggling nations with limited but untapped resources are still battling to find their feet and get the gory experiences of the civil war that devastated their countries behind them.

    Unlike what obtained in the former cases we had in Liberia and Sierra Leone, one has to commend the singular determination of the leadership and member-states of ECOWAS who from the word go, frowned at the unfolding illegality and unconstitutionality brewing in the Gambia, and which left unattended would have presented the sub-regional body with a dilemma as well as a bad example in the attempt to enthrone democracy and orderly transfer of power in the sub-region after the commendable example of Nigeria in 2015, which brought President Muhammadu Buhari to power. It was therefore natural that in reaching the consensus to say no to sit-tightism and impunity, and ensure that the culture of democracy which has been lit in Ghana, Nigeria and to some considerable degree in other ECOWAS states was not extinguished, the sub-regional body took the unambiguous and courageous step of saddling Nigeria with the responsibility of ensuring that normalcy and the Constitution was restored in the Gambia.

    It needs be noted that while Guinean President, Alpha Conde and the Mauritanian President Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz held the final meeting that convinced former Gambian leader, Yahya Jammeh that he has no other choice than to revert to his earlier acceptance of the result of the December 2016 presidential election, the foundation had already been laid by the ECOWAS mediation team led by Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari.

    Thus as Jammeh begins his exile in Guinea, it behoves on the new Gambian leader, Adama Barrow to work hard and justify the hope, confidence and expectations of the people of the Gambia in his leadership. It is re-assuring to note that in his swearing-in speech in Dakar, President Barrow promised reforms to give the people of Gambia, a new lease of life. We urge him to go on and carry out these reforms as long as the Gambia would be better for it to correct the unpleasant aspects of the legacy of the former leader, Yahya Jammeh. That way, President Barrow would have justified the efforts and risks taken by the ECOWAS mediation team and indeed the international community, in calling the bluff of former President Jammeh.

     

    • Louis Okoroma,

     Abuja.