Challenges in the Era of Globalization - iaabd

Challenges in the Era of Globalization
Edited by Emmanuel Obuah
understandably never been the nerve-center for the conduct and management of the country’s
diplomacy. The ministry’s policy objectives are imprecise. Broad objectives to be translated into
specific national interests and program of actions in a constantly changing external environment not
under our control are relegated. The principal task of MFA, in the making of foreign policy in
Nigeria is undermined. Gambari (1989) explains that the National Defense and Security Council
presided over by the Head of State deals authoritatively with broad foreign policy issues. The
Council is flexible machinery for supervision and coordinating the greater part of our external
relations which has been badly needed and always missing. The fact is that the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs is and has never been the principal actor or one of the central actors in the making and
implementation of Nigeria’s external economic policies. Foreign Affairs Ministry must perform
duties and responsibilities for external relations among the various ministries and agencies of
government.
Challenge of Training and Capacity Building
For better results in Nigerian conduct of foreign relations, specialization and training cannot be
overemphasized. Observation in Federal Government views on the Report of the Committee on the
Training Needs of External Affairs Officers, is that, “the success or failure of the government in the
pursuit of its foreign policy objectives is directly correlated to the caliber of its Foreign Service
officers and to the type of training of its officers who have to cope with an increasingly complex
and constantly changing international situation. This was not frontally and systematically addressed
until the establishment in 1982 of the Foreign Service Academy within the Ministry of External
Affairs itself. Also the Aguda Committee in 1984 reviewed the training needs of the ministry of
External Affairs officers and the Federal Government recognized three categories of officers for
training purposes: new entrants (GL. 08); mid career officers (GL 10-13) and senior cadre officers
(GL 14-17); and prescribed different durations of training for them (Akindele, 2002). These are
clearly capacity-building measures designed to improve the performance, efficiency and
productivity of the officers, but corruption and lip service has not made it feasible and tenable.
Challenge of Political Interference
Akinterinwa explains that his appointment as Special Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in
September 2003 took place when the NIIA was no longer at its best, particularly in terms of
fulfillment of its official mandate, motivational leadership, and funding of research activities. The
Nigerian Foreign Minister has not been regarded and does not sit on the highest policy councils of
state. Gambari (1989) insists that, a Foreign Minister or Permanent Representative to the United
Nations can not operate in a political vacuum. He has to relate to the economic, po1itica and
institutional environment inside and outside the government under which he serves. His success is
directly dependent on his standing with and support from the Head of State and Government and
the highest levels of the administration. Ishaya Audu was not a member of NPN policy making
caucus, this during President Shagari’s administration posed a serious handicap in his conduct of
foreign policy. Under the Buhari and Babangida administrations, when the Foreign Minister was
not a member of the Supreme Military Council and the Armed Forces Ruling Councils, it was also
difficult for the Foreign Affairs ministry to exercise authoritative inter-ministerial coordination for
external relations, and in their security, political, trade, and economic dimensions.
Challenge of Federal Character Principle
The principle of maintaining a “federal character” where public servants must be selected from the
distinct states of the federation for recruitment of Foreign Service officers badly sacrifice merit,
talent utilization, and efficiency. Recruitment into the Foreign Service should be highly competitive
and only the best should be good enough for Nigeria. Talent is fairly spread in Nigeria and with
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