Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, the former Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, has issued a compelling call for African nations to fundamentally reassess and transform their diplomatic strategies.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Akinyemi critiqued the current continental approach, which he views as outdated and subservient.
He expressed strong disapproval of the practice where African leaders collectively attend international conferences at the behest of other global powers. “I never liked the idea of all African leaders marching into a country for a conference. Japan summons us and we all go.
China summons us, and we all go. Turkey summons us and we all go. I have never liked it,” he stated, highlighting a pattern that he believes undermines the continent’s agency on the world stage.
The former minister argued that modern diplomacy has evolved into a highly specialised field that requires deep expertise and meticulous preparation. He pointed to nations like China, which invest significant resources—up to six months of analysis—into defining their objectives and strategies before engaging in any international meeting. In stark contrast, Akinyemi lamented that African countries often neglect this expert-driven approach.
He identified a critical weakness in the continent’s system, where diplomatic appointments are frequently based on personal connections rather than merit and expertise, leading to a “bureaucratic” handling of foreign affairs that fails to advance national or continental interests effectively. To achieve its agenda and assert its influence, Bolaji Akinyemi insists that Africa must abandon this ineffective bureaucratic diplomacy and instead embrace a more strategic, specialist-led approach.
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cc: Daily Post NG
