On March 5th,2021, The Center for African Studies hosted its weekly Baraza entitled: “How Should the Biden Administration Engage with a Rapidly Declining Nigeria – and Does it Matter?”. Dr. Brenda Chalfin Director of the Center for African Studies and Dr. Villalón, Dean of the International Center at UF welcomed the speaker. Ambassador John Campbell is the Ralph Bunche senior fellow for Africa policy studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, DC. His current book Nigeria and the Nation-State: Rethinking Diplomacy with the Postcolonial World was published this past December (2020). His +30-year career as a U.S. Department of State foreign service officer included posts in South Africa as well as Nigeria where he was the U.S. ambassador from 2004-2007. Ambassador Campbell’s additional overseas postings include Lyon, Paris, Geneva, and Pretoria. He also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for human resources, Dean of the Foreign Service Institute’s School of Language Studies, and Director of the Office of UN Political Affairs.
Ambassador Campbell started of the presentation by answering the question of the title of the talk: stating that “yes” it does matter for the Biden administration, as it’s in the USA’s national interest to enhance its engagement with Nigeria. But that the question remains as to “how to engage” and not whether to engage”. Ambassador Campbells Suggestion to the how is through soft diplomacy and support of rule of law and less focus on arms sales, security, and mechanism of elections. By shifting of emphasis, to a more decentralized diplomacy, away from foreign ministry and much more on traditional- leadership that is close to the grass root. Stating that for example the U.S should reduce the size of the embassy in Abuja and consulate in Lagos, focus on the branch offices in other areas of Nigeria.
Ambassador Campbell then transitioned to the themes from his book and the three issues that should shape policy. The first: Why Africa and Nigeria increasingly matter to the US, second: How does Nigeria work and how it got that way and third: How relations with Nigeria could be improved through a more decentralized emphasis on soft diplomacy. Before a dive into these themes Ambassador Campbell recalled in 2004, when he became the Ambassador for the US in Nigeria, describing his interaction with the then President of Nigeria and his experience of having to share and show credentials to get approval. The presentation transitioned to the idea of what and how Diplomacy is framed in the Nigerian context and the common understanding of conduct of diplomatic interaction. Leading to Ambassador Campbell sharing his insights on how the Westphalia system and ideas of sovereignty and nation-state were conceptualized, all states are equal, government has sovereignty and nations citizen have a shared identity and the state is the physical manifestations. The importance of this diplomatic theory, of representation of one chief of state to another- concrete shared identity- the state controls of its territory within its borders.
Ambassador Campbell transitions into why by contrast Nigeria is a shadow of a nation-state. Stating that few see Nigeria to be a State and as a shared Nigerian identity, with an example of his recent conversation with a Nigerian woman: her view of the state being a rudimentary system. Her family provided a safety net not the state, helps with life-changing events, funeral expenses. It’s the family that provides help with aging and health outcomes. Basically, that loyalty is from family not State.
Ambassador Campbell then moved to ask: Who cares if Nigeria is a Nation-State, why should we care about Africa? We were never a colonial power. Going through historical moments and relationships the US has had with the continent. From this Ambassador Campbell states that the argument is that the US can’t afford to downplay Africa and Nigeria due to four reasons: 1st: the size of Nigeria- The United Nations projection is that Nigeria will displace the US as the third most populous by 2050, Mass Migration can be destabilizing to receiving countries don’t have an idea of what this would look like. 2nd: Resources – Largest Oil, gold, coal, strategic minerals that power our digital age. 3rd– influence – traditional influence in multilaterals, AU, UN general assembly to the World Trade Organization. WTO is headed by a Nigerian Woman. And 4th – Security issues- Boko Haram operating, they don’t pose a security threat but could in the future.
Ambassador Campbell stated that it is in the early days for the Biden administration, and their appointments show that they recognize the reality of Africa’s importance. That with more engagement in Africa, policymakers have to distinguish what the core and main issues are. But also, work is required in rebuilding these relationships due to the impact of the last administration. Ambassador Campbell argues rather than a nation-state, Nigeria is something different, and thus requires a different style of diplomacy. Nigeria is organized in elites, mutual obligation, client to Patronage and vice versa. Arguing that these elites at the top compete for power and wealth, they cooperate enough to keep the state together as the state owns to oil. That patriotism is weak in Nigeria, loyalty to family, ethnicity supersedes the state.
Ambassador Campbell ended the presentation by discussing how the USA should relate to Nigeria. This can be achieved by moving away from a Westphalia / European model to post-colonial thinking and a more decentralized system around Nigeria, working with local power brokers, clergy and independent leader so that good policies are made. Arguing that being on the ground brings the core interests and not peripheral problems to the forefront. With a decentralized system a more Granular understanding of how Nigeria works. Arguing that by understanding these two things the new administration will know where it can work well with Nigeria.
Lastly, Ambassador Campbell stated: What would soft diplomacy look like? It would be more the exchange with private groups, like the national bar association here in the USA and colleagues in Nigeria. They would build bridges. Facilitate increased focus on opinion leaders such as clergy, high school teachers, religious leaders, traditional rulers. The US should focus on building relationships with civil organizations, churches, academics and other grassroots influences.
Written by: Karen Awura-Adjoa Ronke Coker