By Victor AhiumaYoung, Abuja

President of the Society for International Relations Awareness, SIRA, renowned columnist, journalist, unionist and human rights activist, Owei Lakemfa, has said Nigeria must ensure the welfare and well-being of its citizens, among others, to have an effective foreign policy.

According to Lakemfa, who was a secretary general of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity, OATUU, and Acting General Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Foreign Policy is a reflection of Domestic Policy.

In a remark as the Chairman, at the 2023 Annual Lecture of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria ARCAN, titled “Foreign Policy Agenda Under the Tinubu Administration”, he argued that “No country can be great if its Domestic Policy is floundering and not sound.”

The annual lecture was delivered by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar.

The OOATU scribe is of the opinion that Nigeria “should make the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS,  a key component of our Foreign Policy. Of course our Africo-Centric Foreign Policy which makes Africa a centre piece is also important.”

Lakemfa contended that “If we want to have an effective Nigerian Foreign Policy, four things are important. First, we must ensure the welfare and well-being of ordinary Nigerians. Secondly, we need to ensure the security of Nigeria and Nigerians. Thirdly, we must build a strong economy and currency, and fourthly, we must defend and promote the first three.”

He said “Nigeria is on the verge of a foreign policy thrust based on the Conceptual Framework of a 4D Diplomacy focusing on Demography, Development, Diaspora and Democracy. This is quite commendable. But it is important to concretise the abstractions. For example, the Diaspora has become ever so important given our foreign exchange situation and the importance of remittances from the diaspora estimated at over USD $30 billion dollars per annum in recent years. This is a huge amount which can make significant contributions to our economy.  It is also an enormous resource we can build on as there are Nigerians in virtually every part of the world. “But we need to think through this Diaspora component. For instance, should it remain a separate entity or be part of our Foreign Ministry? For me, the Presidency is so huge, and the daily, if not hourly challenges it faces, are so enormous, that it cannot effectively be the engine room of our foreign policy. That engine room should be the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

Lakemfa suggested that Nigeria “should organise an all-inclusive foreign policy retreat as we did at the April 1986 All-Nigeria Conference on Foreign Policy in Kuru in which all segments of society participated. Such a Retreat will provide a Road Map with practical recommendations that will guide us and this administration, guide our incoming Ambassadors and Diplomatic outposts, not just for the next four years, but extending beyond the Tinubu administration.

Earlier, President of ARCAN Amb John Shinkaiye, among others said “We are aware that the country faces significant security challenges which include terrorism, insurgency and internal conflicts. Dealing with these issues will require collaborating with regional, continental and global partners, as the current situation in Niger Republic and other countries under military rule in the region, demonstrate.

He added that “ARCAN notes that every country builds its strength from within its geographical and political base without which it is unlikely to achieve its foreign and other policies and goals. Change is necessary, but change that is based on the best interest of the Nation is what ARCAN will advocate.”

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