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.

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.