By Sunday Oyinloye For Somaliland’s President, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, the recognition of his country by Israel is not only historic but the fulfillment of a long-held dream after years of intense diplomatic lobbying. Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said…
The politics in communicating U.S. terror strikes in Nigeria
By Collins Nweke The apparent divergence between Washington and Abuja’s accounts of the reported airstrikes on terrorist targets in Nigeria is best understood not as a contradiction, but as a function of different diplomatic responsibilities and political audiences. The United…
A Profile in Soft Power Diplomacy
By Collins Nweke It was an interview clip just under three minutes. Its title was not only inviting, but it also spoke volumes: Culture creates instant people-to-people connection in a way that no other action can. As I heard his…
Pivoting Nigeria with UNGA 80 speech from development to moral diplomacy
By Collins Nweke At the 80th United Nations General Assembly, Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima took the global stage with a speech that was as forceful as it was symbolic. His remarks, centered on the ongoing Gaza conflict, marked a…
A legacy of diplomacy: Ambassador Onowu bows out after 32 years in service
By Sunday Oyinloye The event was tagged “informal retirement from service get-together for Ambassador Obinna Onowu” and held in his residence in Abuja, Nigeria, but the caliber of attendees made it more glorious than a formal get-together. It was an…
NiDCOM controversy and the urgency of ethnic governance reform
By Collins Nweke The recent uproar over a social media post shared by the Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, which described the Igbo ethnic group in derogatory terms, has once again brought to the…
Global Lessons from the US Visa Policy
By Collins Nweke The United States Embassy in Nigeria recently reminded visa applicants that they must now list every social media handle they have used over the last five years on the DS-160 visa form. Applicants must certify that…
ECOWAS: As Tinubu passes leadership baton to Bio
By Collins Nweke In July 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria assumed leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). At that time, the regional bloc was already in turmoil. A surge in military coups,…
Open letter to Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and Belgium
Your Excellencies, The 3rd European Union–African Union Ministerial Meeting convenes today in Brussels. It has the commendable goal of advancing a 25-year-old partnership. I write to you not only as a Nigerian Diaspora leader and a Belgian of Nigerian…
Why President Tinubu should compensate Ambassador Onowu
By Sunday Oyinloye When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recalled all the Ambassadors late last year, Nigerians were shocked to note that it was blanket recall. Career diplomats who have not completed their three year tenure were also asked to return…
