Citizens’ in foreign policy theorising

President Yar’Adua and Nigeria’s citizen diplomacy

Bibliographic Data

ID6030631
AuthorsSegun Oshewolo (0000-0001-6830-1975, Landmark University, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume19
Issue4
Pages522-535
Publication date2021-10-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAfrican Identities (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1472-5843 • E-ISSN: 1472-5851
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14725843.2020.1804827
OpenAlexW3047688213
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited13

The link between citizens and international diplomacy has received attention in foreign policy theorising. As a participant in the diplomatic process, the individual/citizen is closely connected to diplomacy and its outcome. While he is expected to be involved in the crafting and framing of foreign policy choices and their attendant diplomatic instruments, he is also the object of diplomacy as the ultimate goal of diplomacy is to promote his well-being. The managers of Nigeria’s foreign relations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under President Umar Musa Yar’Adua adopted the foreign policy thrust of citizen diplomacy to address the problems confronting Nigerian citizens at home and abroad. Although the crafting of the policy was a welcome development, there were critical issues involved in its implementation. The study observes that the pursuit of the policy was hampered by poor articulation of the policy and general abysmal exposition of diplomacy in the context of Nigeria, poor budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the lack of ‘full’ citizenship considered sacred and inviolable by the Nigerian state. These encumbrances must be addressed if the policy must yield the anticipated dividends in the post-Yar’Adua era

Diplomacy · Foreign policy · Foreign policy analysis · Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Global Political and Social Dynamics · Law · Public Administration

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