Power of nations still count!
Anytime the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) takes place one can see the powers nations exhibit by the manner in which world leaders influence others in defence of their national interests. Last Week, world leaders gathered at the UN Headquarters in New York to attend the 72nd UNGA to discuss as usual, issues affecting global security. The goals of the United Nations are to “foster peace and promote global cooperation”.
Within the international environment, nations employ different strategies to achieve national interests, policies and bilateral as well as multilateral commitments in their relationship with the rest of the world. When nations are effective in doing this even in the face of resistance from others, they are said to display their power.
Over the years, power has been an essential aspect of a nation’s relationship with the world. Power is the possession of capabilities or resources that can influence outcomes globally. Accordingly, a nation is said to be powerful when it has relative large population and territory, extensive natural resources, economic strength, military force, and social as well as political stability.
In contemporary international politics, a nation’s ability to interact with other nations in pursuing its national interests is determined by the perceived or real power that is ascribed to that nation. In diplomatic circles, nations are said to be powerful to the extent that they can influence the behaviour of other nations.
Paradoxically, a nation may appear powerful because it has many military assets and other capabilities. These capabilities may however, be inadequate and inappropriate to achieve its political objectives depending on the enemy or conflict. The presence of USA in Iraq and Afghanistan are examples.
But some scholars of international relations have argued that power is not synonymous with resources that produced it. They argued further that converting resources into power in order to obtain desired outcomes require well-crafted strategies and skilful leadership at various strata of the society.
Many world leaders including President Buhari of Nigeria and Donald Trump, President of the USA were at the 72ndUNGA. For Donald Trump, it was the display of power when he slammed socialist Venezuela and challenged the sovereignty of North Korea and Iran. He referred to Kim Jong-Un of North Korea as a “Rocket man on a suicide mission,” and threatened to totally destroy the country if its leader does not step aside from the nuclear weapons program.
About Iran’s nuclear deal, Trump referred to it as an “embarrassment to the United States,” while Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, said that “it did not expect the USA to abandon the nuclear deal” despite Trump’s fierce criticisms, and that “Iran will react “decisively and resolutely” to a violation by any party.”
By my own estimate, Trump actually used the stage to threaten war while reminding other world leaders who have doubt that it is “America first”. In fact, he encouraged other world leaders to take their nations first. Trump really radiated the power of America despite criticisms in the USA and abroad. It would take the leader of any other country with equal power status to address the UNGA in the same manner Trump did at the 72nd edition. Really, it was a ceremony of powers but Kim Jong-Un of North Korea was conspicuously absent to display his country’s power.
International relations are based primarily on dealings between states, not developments within them. This is true as reflected in efforts of collective security embodied in the UN Charter. So, having stated that good governance, democracy and the rule of law were expanding in Africa, President Buhari reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the goals and principles of the UN in order to build a more peaceful and developed world.
In world affairs, Nigeria has equally radiated some level of power when occasion demands. Nigeria’s emergence as a regional power was partly due to large revenue accruing to the country from the sale of oil. And the country has on several occasions been a non- permanent member of the UN Security Council. Nigeria is a global oil producer, a leader in ECOWAS, major peacekeeping contributing country, and a stabilizing force in West Africa. Nigeria’s democracy though fragile, is threatened by various sizes and shapes of agitations with the clamour for restructuring by various ethnic groups.
Currently, the nation is engaged in a war against the Boko Haram terrorist group while the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had just been proscribed by the Federal Government after being labelled a terrorist group. Today, corruption is at the highest amplitude and security within the nation is severely compromised by cultism, kidnapping, labour unrest, wage theft, etcetera, such that the situation is a far cry from what it used to be in the 1970s and 1980s. More worrisome is the fact that Nigeria has been identified with issues of terrorism, drug trafficking and other vices.
We as a people destroyed what we have built over the years. For instance, the collapse of our value system (moral infrastructure- education, respect for elders, morality etcetera), is very embarrassing. Our educational system which was once a reference point in the international system has declined tremendously. Our children prefer to live abroad because there is high unemployment in the country, and unfortunately, violence has taken centre stage in our national life. The decay in physical infrastructure like roads, electricity, transportation, coupled with lack of strategic leadership and direction at all levels of the society puts a question mark on our preparedness for development as a people. Who to blame? Political leadership!
If the nation is still eyeing a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, our political leaders and Nigerians in general need to do things that are required of us as a nation. The way forward is for us as people to humble ourselves, be more tolerant, and respect each other, while exercising patience to listen to the truth and bear the burden of our corporate existence.
MA JOHNSON