Tuggar Tasks Foreign Service graduates to and debunk negative religious narratives

Tuggar Tasks Foreign Service graduates to and debunk negative religious narratives

By: Michael Mike

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar has charged newly graduating Foreign Service officers on the need to project the country’s image while at the same time debunking the ongoing negative narratives about the state religious persecution.

Tuggar gave the charge on Tuesday at the closing ceremony of the 26th Regular Course of the Foreign Service Academy in Abuja.

He said: “For our Foreign Service, this imposes a clear mandate: to project the narrative of a reformed, confident, and forward-looking Nigeria. Our missions must serve as economic outposts, actively promoting investment, trade, and technological cooperation in every host country.

“You must also debunk false narratives at every opportunity, such as the ongoing campaign against the Nigerian state alleging religious persecution.”

He also reminded them of sections 10, 38 and 42 of the country’s Constitution that make it impossible “to have a state religion, guarantee freedom of religion, and prohibit religious and ethnic discrimination.”

He added: “Explain that our judicial system has secular courts of appeal and constitutional override to set aside rulings and judgements of first instance courts if they infringe on any citizen’s rights. Tell them that our state governments do not have blasphemy laws. “What they have are breach of peace or incitement offences to prevent communal violence, necessary in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious nation of 230 million souls.”

The Minister also informed the graduates their expected role in the ongoing reforms under President Bola Tinubu, stating that: “Complementing these domestic reforms, our foreign policy is now a pediment of strategic autonomy sitting atop the 4 Diplomatic pillars of Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora—which serve as the compass for Nigeria’s global engagement. This doctrine reinforces our commitment to good governance and the rule of law, shared prosperity through innovation, the immense potential of our youthful population, and a vibrant diaspora that projects Nigeria’s excellence across the world. Together, these four pillars form a people-centred and forward-looking framework that defines Nigeria’s renewed voice and influence on the world stage.

“We must avoid over-alignment because it creates threats in our region. Strategic Autonomy is sophisticated statecraft, not wanton opportunism. We must reject binary ideological alignments and focus on issues-based relationships as defined by our foreign policy objectives and national aspirations.”

The Minister also disclosed that the process of reviewing the curriculum of the Foreign Service Academy has commenced, adding the review, Tuggar is to reflect the current global realities.

He noted that we are in an era where diplomacy itself is being redefined.

The Minister stressed that the world has become more interconnected, and international relations more complex, driven by technology, data, and artificial intelligence.

He noted that the Foreign Service is a profession that demands patriotism, integrity and most importantly, competence, stressing that: “In this regard, and following my recent visit to the permanent site of the Foreign Service Academy in Badagry, I am pleased to announce that the process of reviewing the curriculum to reflect these global realities has commenced.”

He explained: “We live in an era where diplomacy itself is being redefined. The world has become more interconnected, and international relations more complex, driven by technology, data, and artificial intelligence.

“The Foreign Service is a calling to represent Nigeria’s dignity and aspirations. Every word you speak, every negotiation you enter, and every decision you are part of, will project the image of this great country.”

He also added that the Ministry has created the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Desk in recognition of the evolving world.

According to him: “It is in recognition of this evolving reality that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently created a dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) Desk and hosted a seminar on Artificial Intelligence in Modern Diplomacy. These initiatives are part of our broader commitment to ensuring that Nigerian diplomacy remains forward-looking, adaptive, and competitive.”

He also reminded the graduates that “the Foreign Service entails a lifetime of learning. You must keep reading and improving yourselves. Each assignment will teach you something new about nations, about humanity, and about yourself. I urge you to embrace this journey with humility, curiosity and discipline.

“Your diplomatic life will know no limits if you look beyond postings and protocol assignments and aim to be innovative, resilient and purpose-driven.”

The Minister also disclosed that the Ministry has commenced a review process of its Station Charters “to set new, contemporary performance targets that reflect modern diplomatic demands. “Our goal is to derive greater value from Nigeria’s presence in over 109 countries, not just through political engagement, but also through human capital development, business process outsourcing, local minerals processing, and trade facilitation.”

He noted that the country’s diplomats “must understand their role within the framework of the Regional Partnership for Democracy (RPD), an initiative championed by President Tinubu to strengthen democratic institutions, promote stability, and address the root causes of insecurity across West Africa. As representatives of Nigeria, you will serve on the front lines of this task, helping build coalitions to protect democracy and development in our region. Bear in mind that RPD recognises the variable geometry of Democracy- it’s different forms and speeds of application, especially in our region and our continent.”

The minister also used the opportunity to reaffirm the government’s commitment to ensuring that the Foreign Service Academy returns to its permanent site in Badagry, Lagos. Discussions are ongoing to secure partnerships and funding through both public–private collaboration and development partners to make this a reality.”

He equally urged the National Assembly to accelerate the passage of the Foreign Service Commission Bill, which will provide the legal framework necessary to strengthen the Academy’s autonomy, attract partnerships, and expand its capacity to train not only Nigerians but diplomats across brotherly countries in Africa.

Tuggar Tasks Foreign Service graduates to and debunk negative religious narratives