Come March, 2024, the Nigerian Political Science Association, (NPSA) is staging a conceptual intervention in Nigerian foreign policy. A statement to that effect from Prof Hassan Saliu, NPSA president, reads in part:
Recall that a few months back, the Nigerian State announced another thrust for Nigeria’s Foreign Policy. Ever since, no effort is being spared by the Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, to propagate the thrust of 4Ds as the new guiding principles of the country’s foreign relations. Based on the level of engaging the new thrust by Nigerians, one can say that there are still grey areas that need to be addressed. For instance, the connection between Democracy, Demography, Diaspora and Development is not too clear to Nigerians and their foreign friends, even though the overriding concern of the thrust of 4Ds is the use of the instrumentality of foreign policy for domestic development. Why not simply call it economic diplomacy as we have had in the past, and then use the 4Ds as its focal points, some have argued.
In view of the need to contribute to the shaping of the new thrust and Nigeria’s Foreign Policy in general, the NPSA has decided to take up the challenge of x-raying Nigeria’s external relations under the current dispensation.
Towards this end, three papers and speakers have been chosen to make presentations on Nigeria’s external relations under President Tinubu. They are:
- An Assessment of Major Thrusts of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy – Dr. Emeka Okereke
- The State of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Today – Prof. Kamilu Fage.
- The Value of the Thrust of 4Ds in the Conduct of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy – Prof. Femi Mimiko.
This intervention should be very interesting when it comes because observers would like to know if 4Ds is an extension or a critique of the ‘Africa as centrepiece of Nigerian foreign policy’ directive principle or a reformulation of the ‘concentric circle’ practice. The intervention would also clarify what democracy as an anchor of foreign policy might refer to – democracy promotion ala Nigeria or importation of democracy and which expression of democracy.
Lastly, the seminar will provide opportunity for hints about Nigeria’s self-understanding in the era of multipolarity in a world that seems headed for the Asian century at last. With India, China and smaller but sophisticated Asian countries at the driver’s seat in the global car, where might a Nigeria that has not addressed much less settle the key questions in political development find itself? Would it be sitting at the appropriate table of power the way South Africa has meandered itself into the status of a core actor through deft normative moves or just a disfigured, marginal actor with no weight?
It is a short waiting game, seeing as March 2024 is already here!
