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FOREIGN POLICY AND THE PATH TO PEACE IN A DANGEROUS NEIGHBOURHOOD

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2 years ago

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FOREIGN POLICY AND THE PATH TO PEACE IN A DANGEROUS NEIGHBOURHOOD

By: Michael
Mike

Nigeria’s foreign policy to promote peace and prosperity is a constitutional obligation as much as it is a considered and sensible manifesto pledge, writes Hon Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

I was born in a civil war and was not able to vote for my leader until I was in my 30s. Nigeria is now a country guided by the rule of law and a constitution that clearly defines our system of government. This includes our foreign policy objectives, and rightly so, because in an interconnected world, we define our sovereignty in the context of certain, key principles: our right to self-determination; our right to defend our autonomy and secure our borders; and responsibility to respect our obligations under international law.

As foreign minister, I think these provisions are not just reasonable but vital – both for our own democracy, domestic peace and prosperity but also for a more just and stable international order. But the point is this: it is the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not the manifesto of a political party or predilections of a particular politician, that lays out these provisions. In a democracy, we have the privilege of healthy debate about our values, policies and performance. But if we are to live up to the responsibilities that come with democracy, that debate should be informed, fair and reasonable.

I respect the Constitution and its vision for Nigeria’s place in the international community, as do many of us. It has been an honour and a privilege to protect and promote those constitutional principles. They are the best guarantees for legitimacy, and the authority all governments need if they are to deliver. It is complex and time consuming. To our cost, we have learnt that there are no short cuts. Some Nigerians find fault in our Constitution, while others seek to amend it. There is always room for serious debate in a healthy democracy. But the fact remains it is the very document that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and every public official has sworn to uphold since 1999.

Nigeria’s Constitution declares that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, from whom government, through this Constitution, derives all its powers and authority. The same Chapter of the Constitution goes on to state Nigeria’s five foreign policy objectives: promotion and protection of the national interest, African integration and support for African unity, promotion of international cooperation for peace and mutual respect, respect of international law and treaty obligations and promotion of a just world economic order. Those who suggest Nigeria does not have a foreign policy or those who agitate for a shift away from an Afro-centric foreign policy are wrong; either they are ill-informed, or deliberately disingenuous.

The irony of it all is that Nigerians are able to speak in support of our military-ruled neighbours, governed without constitutions, precisely because Chapter Four of our own constitution guarantees them these rights and freedoms. This is not the same for the citizens ruled by the very regimes for which they seek to cheerlead of those countries governed without constitutions. Nigerians who are older than 30 know this to be true because we have been there, done that. Somehow in the passage of time, some forget that the military regime here that despatched troops to restore democracy in Sierra Leone and Liberia in the 1990s had first – and by force – taken that same democracy and rule of law away from us – just as military regimes continue to do the world over.

The Constitution also makes clear why any responsible Nigerian government should be concerned when neighbours are governed without a constitution or codified rules. It goes without saying that the sovereignty of our neighbours is their business. They can grant powers to whatever governing structures they deem fit and should expect their autonomy to remain safeguarded. But when our Interdependence Sovereignty overlaps, we equally have a right to exercise control over our borders in those cases where neighbours face insurgencies that significantly comprise territorial integrity and state authority.

International Legal Sovereignty also becomes an issue when we consider that respect for international law and treaty obligations is one of our irreducible foreign policy objectives. This is not the Tinubu administration’s foreign policy; it is a constitutional provision that every Nigerian President and government official swears to uphold. Nigeria is a member of ECOWAS, which is founded on treaties and protocols to which our foreign policy objectives commit us. All 15 member countries are signatory to the treaties and protocols, which is why it was no surprise that President Tinubu, as one who swore to uphold the Constitution, abided by it when ECOWAS leaders collectively objected to Unconstitutional Changes of Government.

In reality, the contemporary nation-state system is highly competitive and Nigeria exists in a self-help world. Our Constitution and international laws are meant to serve as guard rails in navigating the system. And by virtue of our size, we have the additional responsibility of being the regional power. Regardless of how some may try to diminish our standing, it is the way other countries perceive us. Our Constitution further reifies this leadership role right from the preamble- dedicating ourselves to promoting inter-African solidarity, to the foreign policy objectives- promotion of African integration and support for African unity and elimination of discrimination in all its manifestations.

The Tinubu administration comes at a time when an interlocking suite of occurrences have made our neighbourhood less secure; implosion of Libya, failure of the EU Sahel Strategy, terrorism and criminal gangs, effects of climate change and population explosion. Nigeria did not create these challenges and was equally contending with its own domestic issue as these challenges escalated. Nigeria was not part of Operation Barkhane or the G5 in the Sahel, which were intended as efforts to fight terrorism and irregular migration but instead strengthened some irridentist Azawad/Tuareg groups that controlled border areas. This created a cauldron of disharmony between them and their national militaries, trained for a lifetime to keep their countries intact.

Nor was Nigeria part of the Partnership Framework with Third countries that conditioned aid and trade deals for Sahelian migration transit states in exchange for reducing the flow of migrants, with penalties for those who do not comply. In the case of Niger, a moment of truth was the passing of Law 2015-36 in May 2015 when its government, in consultation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and technical and financial support from the European Union and its member states, criminalized ancillary activities of the migration economy, such as providing transportation and accommodation to foreign nationals anywhere north of Agadez, in direct contravention of ECOWAS Protocol on the free movement of people. They were persuaded to use a blunt hammer to crack a delicate nut. There is a highly politicised migration crisis in parts of Europe, that together we can and should resolve. But it was reckless to seek to solve one problem by creating another.

There is a reason why we have free movement in West Africa; seasonal migration- referred to in Hausa as ‘Ci Rani’. Seasonal migration in the semi-arid Sahel can be a matter of life and death, which is why we have always had turbaned Tuaregs going as far as Lagos and Port Harcourt to work as Maigadis (security) during the dry months, only to return back north during the rainy season. The weaponisation of sub-Saharan migration in Europe as a political tool led to the securitisation of the Sahel region, further exacerbating the security situation by forcing many of those affected to turn to criminal activities and terrorism. European migration figures show majority of migrants are from Syria, Afghanistan and Central Asia, not sub-Saharan Africa.

Yes, we need to work with our Sahelian neighbours to fight terrorism, by maintaining a right of pursuit into each others territories. But it would be myopic to think of this in absolutist terms, because we can accede to all conditionalities laid by them, it would still not be enough to tackle the challenges without a lasting solution to the bifurcated Libyan State as a source of weapons, training and fighters, as well as the shadowy involvement of a range of other state and non-state actors.

To achieve a lasting peace in Libya and the Sahel, Nigeria needs to deal with all the countries in the neighbourhood as well as all the major powers. For this reason, it does not make sense to simply deduce that Nigeria has to distance itself from France because that is the prevailing trend in its former colonies. The fulcrum of the Tinubu administration’s foreign policy is Strategic Autonomy, providing us with the clarity to engage with any and all nations based on our national interests and not those of others. As a nation, Nigeria is adult enough and sophisticated enough to deal with countries without being unduly influenced, because that has been part of our historical and civic tradition. You cannot cure an illness by picking which symptoms to consider and which to ignore.

Nigeria and ECOWAS will continue diplomatic efforts towards Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. At a minimum, we have shared interest in peaceful co-existence. President Tinubu has sent a number of high-level delegations that included a former Head of State, traditional rulers and religious scholars. President Tinubu pushed for the unconditional removal of ECOWAS sanctions imposed on Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. What he has consistently asked of the countries in question is for them to come up with a timetable for the restoration of constitutional rule and, in the case of Niger, the release of ousted President Bazoum.

Their response was to declare their intention to leave ECOWAS. With the one-year notice period coming to an end in January 2025, President Tinubu further pushed for ECOWAS to extend the grace period for another six months whilst intensifying diplomatic efforts. The response to this initiative last month was evidence-free allegations that Nigeria was harbouring foreign soldiers and as sponsoring state terrorism. Whenever President Tinubu and other democratic leaders offer stoic statesmanship and an opportunity to work together towards our common interests, it is met by confected controversy designed to divert and distract from a failure to meet the basic responsibilities of public administration. I know why coup leaders might seek to do that: it’s harder to understand the motives of apologists closer to home.

On my part, since assuming the office of Minister of Foreign Affairs on 21st August 2023, I have engaged diplomatically without pause, proposing personal visits and inviting senior government officials and representatives. Response has been akin to a diplomatic cold shoulder. We constituted a ministerial advisory committee that visited Niger and Mali and facilitated the visit of the Nigerian CDS to meet with his counterpart in Niamey. I regret that a proposed return visit was suspended by Niger after a date had been set. But let there be no doubt: we will continue to pursue diplomatic efforts assiduously, with a Ministry of Foreign Affairs that has existed for 67 years.

Nigeria’s principle of strategic autonomy is one that abhors the presence of foreign forces and private military companies in our region, whether from east or west. Nigeria presently has troops on peace keeping operations in Guinea Bissau and Gambia, with Sierra Leone on the way, where it is also supporting the setting up of a logistics base in Lungi. Nigeria is also leading the actualisation of the ECOWAS standby force, all in an effort to fight terrorism and instability within our region under the rule of law. We work closely with our partners on sharing of intelligence in order to guarantee the same rights and freedoms are enjoyed by all the people of the region.

As several of my colleagues in the region remind me, we are the hegemon, whether we admit it or not. And global politics works almost like physics, with polarity, ordering principles, distribution of power, balancing, etc. Nigeria has never had expansionist tendencies, never been threatening towards our neighbours and always chosen the path of peace and conciliation. This in part may have to do with the makeup of our polity and social fabric. Being such a huge country, we are used to the virtues of principled compromise. It is not by accident that we are the only country on the continent with six former leaders living in peace and harmony within our borders. Diversity, not division, is our strength. This is as true for Nigeria as it is for the smallest of countries – and collectively for all of our region.

FOREIGN POLICY AND THE PATH TO PEACE IN A DANGEROUS NEIGHBOURHOOD

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NUJ FCT Congratulates Lanre-Oke, Jesus Praise Ministry on 10th Anniversary

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October 19, 2026

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NUJ FCT Congratulates Lanre-Oke, Jesus Praise Ministry on 10th Anniversary

By: Michael Mike

The Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, has congratulated the founder and Senior Presiding Pastor of Jesus Praise Evangelical Ministry International, Abuja, Dr Femi Lanre-Oke, on the church’s 10th anniversary and eighth convention, HEBRON 2026.

The Chapel commended the ministry for its contributions to leadership development, education, social empowerment and community service over the past decade, saying its various initiatives had touched lives and helped nurture a new generation of Nigerian leaders.

In a congratulatory statement signed by its Chairman, Felix Ojo, the Chapel described the double celebration as a milestone marking 10 years of service to God and humanity, sustained commitment and teamwork.

It highlighted the ministry’s interventions through its mission centres, His Praise Publishing and Bookshop, scholarship programmes, FLO Leadership Academy, FLO Marriage Seminar, FLO Mentorship Programme, Davidstone School of Ministry and Still Waters Foundation.

Other initiatives cited included social empowerment outreaches, business grants, Staystrong conferences, the TED Women Initiative, conventions, and counselling and mentorship programmes.

The Chapel said the programmes reflected the ministry’s commitment to developing people, strengthening families, promoting leadership and equipping young Nigerians to assume greater responsibilities in society.

It also praised the resilience and dedication behind the growth of the ministry, which it said had evolved from a simple family gathering into an outreach with a wider reach.

According to the statement, the ministry has contributed to building moral values, shaping character and preparing young leaders to influence families, religious institutions, workplaces and society.

The Chapel said it shared the ministry’s vision of a church that exists to serve the people, particularly the oppressed, discouraged, neglected, rejected and disadvantaged, by offering relief, support and comfort.

It further expressed appreciation to Lanre-Oke and the ministry for their cooperation with journalists over the years and their commitment to the welfare of members of the profession.

The Chapel expressed optimism about strengthening the relationship through deeper partnership and collaboration in advancing their shared commitment to public service and community development.

It wished the ministry continued growth and greater commitment to its mission, while congratulating Lanre-Oke, the church leadership and members on the anniversary and HEBRON 2026 convention.

NUJ FCT Congratulates Lanre-Oke, Jesus Praise Ministry on 10th Anniversary

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Ikpeazu at 62: Ambassador Unveils First-Class Scholarship, Says Empowerment Must Go Beyond Handouts

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4 hours ago

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October 19, 2026

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Ikpeazu at 62: Ambassador Unveils First-Class Scholarship, Says Empowerment Must Go Beyond Handouts

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain and former Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, has announced plans to establish the DOVIS Scholarship Scheme for exceptional first-class students, declaring that sustainable empowerment requires investment in education, skills acquisition and human capacity development rather than the distribution of handouts.

Ikpeazu made the disclosure at the celebration of his 62nd birthday and the Fifth Okezie Victor Ikpeazu Colloquium, organised by the Pa Ismael Ikpeazu Library and DOVI Scientific Leadership Centre, where speakers called for a shift towards empowerment programmes that equip young people with the knowledge, practical experience and resources needed to achieve lasting economic independence.

The colloquium, themed “Empowerment Beyond Handouts: Building Responsible, Skilled and Self-Reliant Young People for Sustainable Development,” examined how education, mentorship, enterprise development and practical training could help Nigeria harness the potential of its youthful population.

Under the proposed scholarship scheme, Ikpeazu said beneficiaries would be expected to maintain high academic standards, warning that the award would be suspended if a student’s academic performance declined.

The initiative reflects the central argument of the gathering: that empowerment should be measured not by the immediate value of assistance distributed but by the capacity beneficiaries develop to sustain themselves and contribute to society.

Reflecting on his years in public service, the former governor said effective empowerment must combine training, mentorship, practical experience and access to resources, citing agricultural initiatives undertaken during his administration in Abia State as an example of the approach.

He recalled the establishment of poultry clusters designed to prepare young people for independent enterprise through structured training and practical exposure.

The programme provided facilities including poultry pens, feed stores and veterinary clinics, while expert instructors guided participants through classroom instruction and practical farm management before their transition into independent poultry businesses.

According to Ikpeazu, the model helped reduce the risk of business failure by ensuring that participants acquired the necessary knowledge and experience before setting up their own enterprises.

The approach, he suggested, demonstrated the limitations of distributing funds or equipment without providing beneficiaries with the technical competence and managerial skills required to make productive use of them.

Ikpeazu also expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing him Nigeria’s ambassador to Spain and commended the President’s economic reforms, which he said had placed the country on a positive economic trajectory.

He thanked members of his family, friends and political associates for their support throughout his academic, professional and political journey.

The keynote lecture, delivered virtually by Professor John Uzoma Ihendinihu, Professor of Accounting and Taxation at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, reinforced the argument that genuine empowerment must focus on building capacity rather than creating dependence on periodic assistance.

Ihendinihu said sustainable youth development required an integrated approach that developed character, knowledge, competence and self-reliance.

He argued that empowerment programmes should extend beyond cash transfers and material gifts to incorporate formal education, vocational training, mentorship, entrepreneurship support and access to markets.

The professor also presented Ikpeazu’s career and administration as an illustration of the relationship between education, discipline, enterprise development and public service, citing several initiatives introduced during his eight years as governor of Abia State.

Among the programmes he highlighted were the promotion of the Made-in-Aba campaign, the sponsorship of local artisans for international training, the establishment of the Enyimba Automated Shoe Company and the Enyimba Automated Garment Factory, as well as efforts to secure institutional markets for products manufactured by Aba-based entrepreneurs.

The Made-in-Aba initiative sought to strengthen local manufacturing, promote indigenous craftsmanship and expand opportunities for businesses operating in Aba, a major commercial and manufacturing centre in southeastern Nigeria.

By supporting artisans with training and promoting locally manufactured products, the initiatives were intended to improve productivity, create employment opportunities and help local enterprises compete in wider markets.

Ihendinihu argued that such interventions represented a shift from consumption-based assistance towards capacity building, in which beneficiaries were equipped to produce goods, develop businesses and generate sustainable incomes.

He urged governments, educational institutions, businesses and community leaders to prioritise the development of responsible, skilled and productive young people capable of driving long-term economic growth and national development.

The argument also raised a broader policy question about the effectiveness of empowerment programmes in Nigeria: whether interventions should be judged by the number of beneficiaries reached or by the jobs, enterprises and sustainable livelihoods they create.

The birthday colloquium’s emphasis on practical training and entrepreneurship built on four previous editions that examined the socioeconomic future of the Igbo people, entrepreneurship as a driver of economic development, business survival in an inflationary economy and the shortcomings of conventional empowerment programmes.

The first edition, themed “Socio-Economic Future of Ndigbo: Setting the Agenda,” considered pathways towards a more prosperous and inclusive future for the Igbo people. The second focused on “Entrepreneurship as a Pathway to Economic Growth and Development,” while the third examined “Maintaining Business Growth in an Inflationary Economy.”

The fourth edition, titled “The Paradox of Empowerment: Why Empowerment Programs Rarely Empower,” questioned why the distribution of resources often failed to translate into lasting economic independence.

This year’s theme sought to advance that discussion by focusing on how young people could be equipped with the skills, values and experience necessary to create value, sustain livelihoods and adapt to changing economic conditions.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, the event’s moderator and former spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, described Ikpeazu as a scholar, statesman, diplomat and public servant whose career had been shaped by scholarship, humility and service.

Ebienfa said the annual colloquium had consistently provided a platform for discussing economic development, entrepreneurship and sustainable empowerment.

He noted that the conversation had progressed from examining entrepreneurship and economic growth to questioning the limitations of conventional empowerment programmes and exploring how human capital development could deliver more enduring results.

The event also featured tributes and goodwill messages from friends, family members, associates and guests who participated physically and virtually from different parts of the world. They commended Ikpeazu’s contributions to public service, youth development, education and community advancement.

Born on 18 October 1964 in Umuebere, Umuobiakwa, Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State, Ikpeazu earned a bachelor’s degree in Clinical Biochemistry from the University of Maiduguri, a master’s degree in Biochemical Toxicology and a PhD in Biochemical Pharmacology from the University of Calabar.

He worked as a university lecturer and researcher before entering mainstream politics, subsequently serving in various public offices before becoming governor of Abia State in 2015. He served two terms, ending in 2023, before taking up his diplomatic appointment in Spain.

The celebration concluded with goodwill messages, birthday tributes and a birthday song in honour of the ambassador, as family members, friends, associates and well-wishers marked his 62nd birthday.

Beyond the celebrations, the proposed scholarship scheme and the discussions at the colloquium placed education, practical skills and sustained enterprise development at the centre of the debate on how Nigeria can turn its youthful population into a driver of economic growth.

The underlying message was that lasting empowerment requires more than providing people with immediate assistance: it demands the knowledge, discipline, opportunities and institutional support that enable them to build independent and productive lives.

Ikpeazu at 62: Ambassador Unveils First-Class Scholarship, Says Empowerment Must Go Beyond Handouts

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Man, Son Burnt Beyond Recognition, Three Injured in Jos South Crash

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4 hours ago

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October 19, 2026

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Man, Son Burnt Beyond Recognition, Three Injured in Jos South Crash

By: Zagazola Makama

A man and his son have been burnt beyond recognition, while three other persons sustained varying degrees of injuries in a fatal road crash involving a commercial tricycle at Sabon Barki area of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The incident occurred at about 4:20 p.m. on Sunday, when the family was reportedly returning from church.
Sources said the tricycle, popularly known as Keke NAPEP, was allegedly hit by a commercial bus, causing it to burst into flames.

The man and his son were trapped in the burning tricycle and died before they could be rescued, while three other occupants sustained injuries.

Among the injured was the man’s wife, who reportedly suffered a broken leg. Two other children of the family and the tricycle rider were also injured and rushed to a hospital for treatment.

A witness, identified as Gyang, said he arrived at the scene shortly after the incident while returning from work.
“I was passing by on my way from work when I saw people crying. I went closer to find out what had happened and saw people trying to rescue the victims.

“But the fire was too much for us to handle. It was beyond our strength, and we could not do much to rescue them from the burning tricycle,” he said.

Gyang, however, clarified that he did not witness the actual collision but arrived after the crash had occurred.

He added that the driver of the other vehicle allegedly fled the scene after the incident.
Efforts to reach the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

The cause of the crash and the circumstances surrounding the alleged flight of the commercial bus driver remain unclear.

Man, Son Burnt Beyond Recognition, Three Injured in Jos South Crash

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