A nation is identified by its culture. Culture, therefore, holds the key to understanding the behavioral pattern any people that make up a country. Culture plays a vital role in foreign relations. It also means that culture can be a tool for diplomacy and marketing of one country, rather than through the force of imperialism or colonialism.
Because culture is critical to a country’s external relations, and works to win the hearts and minds of others by attracting them through cultural activities, the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) hosted its quarterly public lecture titled “Culture as an effective tool for foreign relations”. The lecture was held recently at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Lagos.
During the event, Former Foreign Affairs Minister, General Ike Nwachukwu (rtd) conceptualized culture as a critical element in the socio-economic development of Nigeria. He said no nation thrives above its culture. Hence, Nigeria must make effective use of its culture for development.
General Ike Nwachukwu went on to implore the Federal Government to allow the Foreign Affairs Ministry to coordinate the nation’s cultural diplomacy policies, not any other ministry. “This would allow for effective harmonization of cultural elements for the promotion of national development as well as foreign relations,” he said.
The acting Executive secretary, NICO, Louis Eriomala in his welcome address said culture is beyond the way we see it. It is our existence and heritage, greater than all the mineral resources of a nation put together. “Culture can be positively deployed on our foreign relations to create understanding, promote our national heritage; and market the Nigerian brand,” he said.
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The guest lecturer, Dr Sharkdam Wapmuk, Senior Research Fellow, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs explained that foreign relations can be enhanced through various means like sports. “We should not only promote foreign sports such as football, boxing, and others. Nigeria needs to harness, develop and promote to international levels its local sports and games, Nigerian cuisines, cultural tourism, festivals, Nigerian films, music such as Fuji, Highlife, Goge, Afrobeat and others. Others, such as dances and literature are cultural agents. The different, but collective Nigerian dress styles can also be used by the Diasporas to promote the rich and diverse Nigerian culture abroad.”
The chairman of the occasion, Otunba Olusegun Akinsanya, former Nigerian Ambassador to Ethiopia said “The conduct of foreign relations of any country, big or small, rich or poor, is guided principally by national interest, which is the totality of the political, economic, socio-cultural, particularistic or collective of group interest formulated into a framework that has guided Nigerian foreign policy since independence.”
Generally, the public lecture emphasized culture as promoting Nigerian foreign relations through sports cultural festivals, music and dance, films and culinary diplomacy. The event was wrapped up with an exhibition of the aforementioned cultural tools such as Aso Oke, Adire; Cuisines, Abacha, Amala, and Ewedu, art and crafts, etc.
Among the distinguished personalities who attended the event are acting D-G, CBAAC, Mrs. Ndidi Aimienmwawu, representing the minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Mrs. Titilayo Solarin, representing the deputy governor of Lagos; Abiola Dosunmu the Erelu of Lagos; Prof. Duro Oni; Prof. Akin Oyebode; and Victoria Agodo, pioneer Executive Secretary, NICO.
