New Presidency: Using refined diplomatic tools to push Nigeria’s interests with the US

International politics is a brand of politics that every strategic nation takes great attention to with a quest to strengthen its span of influence. The scope of its spheres of influence, however, dovetail in phases and levels of hierarchical structure with some peculiar formations. There has been classification of diplomatic relations based on relevance of friendly agreements between or among nations in the international realm based on interests. There have been categories of relationships bearing relevance to bilateral and multilateral levels of diplomatic strength. While both spheres of relations have their peculiar characters and advantages, it is however essential to note that exploiting and reaping the benefits of these brands of international political architecture, calls for an enhanced comprehension of the dynamic patterns that guide building  the foundations of either of them, and the gimmicks that informs gaining from them.

The account of the profile of Nigeria in the play of its diplomatic relations has not revealed any narrative that gives a pass mark of appreciable reckoning. The experiences of how matters are addressed diplomatically as events unfold on both lines of bilateral and multilateral spheres of activities, have often  tended more towards the end of mediocrity in the practice of international politics by the Nigerian authorities. The profile of Nigeria’s political image in the international realm has more been coloured with a lack of proactiveness and imprudent postures towards events. It draws more towards the definition of a journey leaving out the pursuit of coordinated interests, a critical parameter among the determining factors that inform action and inaction in the political structure of the workings of international politics. The fact that the building of relations among nations in the international realm is based on the reconciliation of interests, remains a potent argument in the discourse of the patterns of relationship and agreements and otherwise in the international realm.

With the foregoing, nations which understand the benefits of international relations in linking such to pursuing their interests, become strategic in their course of affairs, building relationships in the international realm. Such nations have their diplomatic course more defined and well articulated according to interests. On this basis, actions and inactions are structurally guided along these lines, as friendship is built with nations with which their interest is aligned, while hostility is maintained for the otherwise.

The need for Nigeria to begin to define its diplomatic relations according to the enlightened patterns of these lines of perspective and structural patterns is sacrosanct. It is resonating that the United States (US) as of Tuesday has had a change of power with the coming in of a new President, Joe Biden, of the Democratic Party. The change saw the exit of a Republican, Donald Trump, who was defeated in a much contested poll. The reality has therefore begun to shape the lines of thoughts and actions in the international realm. The change is a major force which will continue to drive and define the flow of affairs among nations of the world. Both domestic and international political reconstruction would have strategically begun to take shape by strategic nations which are conscious of the essence of proactive alertness in the play of international politics within and outside their frontiers. Such moves and strategies would structurally be patterned according to the definitions of their visions for international engagement based on the pristine formation of their interests.

It is likewise significant for the Nigerian government to begin to take similar moves towards promoting the Country’s interest with the world power. The docility and lack of proactivenness of the Nigerian government over key international pointers of promoting the Country’s interest and strengthening her tentacles of relevance and influence in the international realm, has been unsavoury. It is high time the Government began to take strategic moves to define how the interest and influence of the Country can be promoted with the coming in of the new government.

A prototype which gives expression to such move was found in the goodwill message of the 2019 Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Nigeria’s former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday to the new U.S. President, Joe Biden. The elements of the message giving premium significance to the interests of the Country with pointer of strengthening U.S.-Nigeria relationship, is a commendable move that gives expression into how diplomatic relations can strategically and proactively be built. In the statement titled: ‘Message of Goodwill To President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’, which enumerated a number of challenges bedeviling Nigeria, requiring the intervention of the U.S., Atiku had written: “As President Joe Biden begins his tenure as the 46th President of the United States of America, I am confident that this new era will mark America’s regeneration and her reaffirmation as the beacon of democracy to the world. As I congratulate President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, I urge them and their administration to strengthen US-Nigeria ties, and help our beloved nation’s war on terror by providing every type of support required to win our war against the insurgency we face and that threatens the peace of our sub region. I also look forward to the removal of every travel restriction on Nigerian citizens, in keeping with the good relations that has existed between our two nations, beginning with the July 27, 1961 state visit of our first Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, to President John F Kennedy, and continuing over the decades since then. As the playwright, George Bernard Shaw once said, America and Nigeria are two nations divided by a common language. And millions of Nigerians and I wish to see that relationship sustained to the mutual benefit of both our democratic nations. Congratulations once again and may God bless both our nations and bring about a beneficial tenure for your administration.”

As events unfold in the international realm with the new change, it is essential for the Nigerian government to be pragmatically proactive in strategic patterns towards strengthening a U.S.-Nigeria relations in a manner that will be in the interest of the Country in the short and long run. Working behind the scene while other nations which are consciously proactive with fostering their interests take the lead, is counterproductive. It is paramount for the Nigerian authorities to define its course of interests with the new development, and begin the strategic move towards driving the proposition through.