Recent happenings around the world suggest that civil diplomacy is being flushed away especially when one takes a critical look at the brazen and unprovoked statements from some political leaders within the international community.
The idea of a sovereign state does not seem to hold strong seeing how America in particular has been conducting international relations. From all indications, international diplomacy has been surrendered to international lobbying (cash and carry international influence peddling based on who you make your dollars available to or country’s natural/mineral resources are rendered to) and bullying.
Ukraine is being muscled to surrender its natural resources with the pledge of being helped against Russia, such is the transactional nature of international diplomacy today. The government of America is also preparing to launch a military offensive in Venezuela to topple the government and take control of the country’s oil wealth.
Today, Nigeria no longer relies on America as her core trading partners which is one of the reasons for the ineffective trade tarrifs imposed by the Trump government on Nigeria. There’s no gainsaying that Nigeria for the first time since independence has been able to remove herself from America’s economic strangulation. Definitely, America is foaming in the mouth.
Also, the Trump government tried to make Nigeria a dumping ground for the people being deported from America, again, Nigeria said, that’s not happening. From the foregoing, Trump’s ego has been badly bruised and battered which makes it easy for the enemies of Nigeria to woo the Trump government for a hatchet job to destabilize Nigeria. The diplomatic circus is now a dangerous bend ready to consume the unprepared.
With the ongoing coordinated religious inflamed attacks on Nigeria over an unfounded “Christian Genocide” push, here comes a test of Nigeria’s readiness to play in the murky waters of diplomacy. The Christian genocide claims are not a ploy to win elections but to disintegrate Nigeria by elements who have for decades been hell bent on bringing Nigeria to her knees —they identify with any destabilization agenda no matter how silly it looks.
These attacks are well funded and are not likely to stop anytime soon. Nigeria’s foreign policy can be strengthened significantly by building diplomatic friendships outside of formal government channels, a concept often referred to as “multi-track diplomacy” or “citizen diplomacy” (sometimes known as Track Two, Three, or Four diplomacy).
The Power of Non-State Diplomacy
Engaging influential foreign citizens—such as prominent academics, business leaders, cultural icons, artists, and civil society actors—can create channels for “underground diplomatic maneuverings” that complement and sometimes surpass traditional government-to-government (Track One) relations.
Access to Key Circles: Influential citizens often have direct or indirect access to high-level decision-makers in their own governments, media, and business sectors.
Action: Cultivate strategic relationships with think tanks, business magnates, and journalists in priority countries who can advocate for Nigerian interests, open doors for investment, or offer behind-the-scenes conflict resolution support.
Crisis Management and Advocacy: Non-state actors can often continue dialogue during diplomatic crises or undertake sensitive negotiations that formal government officials cannot be publicly associated with.
Action: Establish a private, well-funded foundation or entity composed of respected Nigerian non-state actors (and supported by government intelligence) to engage in informal “back-channel” discussions on issues like investment, security, or global policy debates.
This approach recognizes that global influence is no longer solely the domain of foreign ministries. It is achieved by appealing to the culture, political values, and foreign policy of a country, thereby creating an environment of attraction and persuasion rather than mere coercion or formal negotiation.
Nigeria’s Diplomatic Landscape and the IPOB Challenge
Nigeria’s lack of diplomatic foot soldiers is very worrisome and calls to question the policy thrust of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra have declared a diplomatic war on Nigeria, this is not about winning elections but an attempt to weaken the Nigerian state from all sides especially through international diplomatic muscling, arm twisting and bullying of Nigeria.
This is a different kind of war that needs more than one individual trying to do the diplomatic shuttling for Nigeria. There’s an urgent need for the Nigerian govt to build diplomatic friendships across the world outside of the regular formal diplomatic set up.
Diplomatic friends amongst influential citizens of foreign governments who can engage in underground diplomatic maneuverings.
1. The Threat of Diplomatic Muscling
Nigeria does not seem prepared or aware of a “different kind of war”—a diplomatic and public relations contest on the international stage that is unfolding. IPOB is reported to be actively engaging the international community, including government officials and NGOs, to advance its cause and present its narrative of marginalization. This necessitates a sophisticated counter-narrative and lobbying effort from the Nigerian state.
2. The Need for “Diplomatic Foot Soldiers”
The lack of “diplomatic foot soldiers” and the impact of relying on a single individual aligns with recent commentary regarding Nigeria’s diplomatic deployment.
• Ambassadorial Vacuum: The widespread recall of ambassadors and high commissioners, and the subsequent delay in appointing and deploying replacements, has been cited by analysts as a significant weakening of Nigeria’s global diplomatic representation.
• Impact: A lack of fully-empowered ambassadors in key capitals hinders critical functions like high-level lobbying for Nigeria’s interests (e.g., the UN seat campaign), negotiating bilateral agreements, facilitating citizen services, and effectively countering negative narratives from groups like IPOB.
Building an Informal Diplomatic Network
Nigeria, as a matter of urgency need to “build diplomatic friendships across the world outside of the regular formal diplomatic set up”—what can be called Track-Two or Citizen Diplomacy—is a widely recognized and potent tool for modern state craft. Going this route requires spending big money that will be widely spread as overt and covert diplomatic engagements.
This is not the time to say “we are a sovereign nation”! We have seen many sovereign nations overrun diplomatically and militarily after losing the diplomatic grounds.
• Strategic Diaspora Engagement: The Nigerian diaspora is a massive, educated, and influential resource.
• Action: Systematically identify and empower key diaspora figures in law, media, business, and politics in major countries (US, UK, Canada, EU). These individuals can serve as high-impact, non-official advocates for the Nigerian state’s interests and unity narrative. We need to tell our stories using our strongest voices.
• Think Tanks and Academia: Influential policy recommendations and government opinions are often shaped by think tanks and university researchers.
• Action: Fund chairs, establish fellowships, and sponsor dialogues at respected international institutions to ensure Nigeria’s official perspective is consistently heard and well-articulated in global policy discussions.
• Political Lobbying and Public Relations: Governments often rely on professional lobbying firms in foreign capitals to advocate on specific issues…. Nigeria cannot be playing catch up. As a matter of policy, it is in the best interest of Nigeria to have “friends of Nigeria” in the political firmament of every key nation. International diplomacy involves courting political friendships.
• Action: Proactively hire reputable lobbying firms in the US and EU to push Nigeria’s narrative and directly engage key legislative and executive offices on the official proscription of IPOB as a terrorist organization and the unity of the Nigerian state.
• Cultural and People-to-People Diplomacy: Fostering good will can shift public and political perception.
• Action: Leverage Nigerian soft power (Nollywood, music, fashion, cuisine, literature) in cultural exchange programs to build positive, emotional connections with foreign citizens and influencers, making the Nigerian state a partner people are willing to defend.
Nigeria as a nation is short in supply of patriotic citizens. Patriotism to one’s country is not a lack of challenges but a deliberate resolve to make things better no matter what. Citizens build or destroy any nation. Most Nigerians think albeit naively and stupidly that patriotism to one’s country is tantamount to support the political system.
The enemies within are more than the ones without. Alot of Nigerians love to celebrate adversities thinking they’re immuned to its impacts. Look around you and tell me the demography of those celebrating this gang up against Nigeria.
Now is the time for all well-meaning Nigerians to band together and resist any attempt to turn Nigeria into another Libya. To those celebrating, where do you have to run to when the bombs begin to drop?
