A political scientist and national security scholar, Kunle Fagbemi, has criticised Nigeria’s foreign policy management under the administration of Bola Tinubu, describing the country’s diplomatic system as dysfunctional and increasingly embarrassing on the international stage.
Fagbemi made the remarks during an interview on Arise Television on Friday, where he faulted the Federal Government’s handling of the recently announced ambassador-designates.
According to him, the Presidency violated established diplomatic procedures by publishing the names and postings of the ambassador-designates before they completed the mandatory induction course required for such appointments.
He explained that standard diplomatic practice requires ambassador-designates to undergo an official induction before their names and postings are publicly announced.
“The Federal Government cannot publish ambassador-designates’ names and postings until they have undergone the induction course. Sadly, this wasn’t done in Nigeria’s latest ambassadorial nominations,” Fagbemi said.
He also argued that information about ambassadorial postings should normally be released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nigeria rather than the Presidency, suggesting that the current process reflects a lack of coordination between the two institutions.
“Posting information on these appointments should come from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not the Presidency. That shows there is a gap between them,” he added.
Fagbemi revealed that he had earlier warned about possible diplomatic missteps during a discussion on February 10, but said his concerns were dismissed by some supporters of the government as speculation and unpatriotic commentary.
“Unfortunately, the chicken has come home to roost,” he said.
The scholar also criticised the communication strategy of the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accusing him of issuing statements that further complicated the situation.
He argued that announcements relating to ambassadorial appointments should have been properly reviewed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs before being made public.
Fagbemi further warned that revealing that only two countries had granted agrément — diplomatic approval for ambassadorial appointments — could negatively influence other nations yet to approve Nigeria’s nominees.
According to him, the ongoing controversy highlights deeper structural weaknesses in the management of Nigeria’s foreign affairs.
“The idea that we are operating a dysfunctional system is causing us a lot of embarrassment,” he said.
He also criticised what he described as misconceptions within government circles about how foreign policy works, particularly the reliance on presidential diplomatic travels.
Fagbemi argued that such a strategy works effectively only when a president has long-standing personal relationships with global leaders, citing former President Olusegun Obasanjo as an example.
Referencing the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the scholar noted that diplomatic norms discourage appointing ambassadors close to the end of an administration’s tenure.
He also warned that diplomatic missions should not remain without ambassadors for more than 90 days, noting that Nigeria may already have breached several of these international standards.
“Painfully, Nigeria has fallen prey to committing a number of these gaffes,” he said.
Fagbemi urged the government to allow established diplomatic structures and procedures to function properly, warning that Nigeria’s global reputation could suffer further if the current approach continues.
