Kukah said he is worried that Nigeria’s foreign policy remains unclear despite the many challenges facing the country and noted that at a time when Nigeria needs strong international engagement, there is still no clear direction on how the country is positioning itself globally.
The Catholic bishop expressed concern that the absence of Nigerian ambassadors in key countries has continued for too long, according to him, this gap weakens Nigeria’s voice on the international stage and limits the country’s ability to effectively defend its interests abroad.
He said this situation is difficult to understand, especially given the scale of Nigeria’s economic, security, and diplomatic challenges.
Kukah drew attention to the frequent foreign trips by President Tinubu, noting that such visits should ordinarily be supported by a fully functional diplomatic structure and suggested that without ambassadors in place, many of the gains expected from these trips may not be fully realized.
He described the situation as one where efforts are being made at the top, but there is no strong system in place to sustain them, according to the bishop, diplomacy requires continuity, planning, and presence, all of which are weakened when embassies are left without substantive heads.
"Also, I don’t know why we’re taking so long with all the problems we have, why foreign policy still remains in a state of flux and why until today, for example, with all the challenges that Nigeria faces, with all the trips that the president is making, that we still do not have ambassadors," he said.
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