Wanted! Where Is Our National Interest? -By Abdu Abdullahi

Call it national interest or public interest. It is all about what is best for a nation and its citizens. In Nigeria, the disappearance of the national interest marks the destruction of the bridge of political accountability and responsibility.

Undoubtedly, the interest of a nation is an independent and paramount pillar separate and superior to the interests of individuals, subordinate areas or groups. In a broader perspective, it has to do with the survival of a state, including its people, political system and territorial integrity. Others are preservation and consolidation of culture and economy. How well have we done in this regard? The answer is obviously in the negative. What then do we do to rescue ourselves from this embarrassing position?

The real manifestation of the national interest is becoming unreal and invisible, leading to abject poverty, lingering insecurity, outrageous unemployment and the systematic decay of vibrant systems and institutions. In their frantic bid to capture political power, leaders have forgotten that there is a greater force that can be deployed to protect a people’s collective interests by providing a significant welfare.Therefore, the national issue is a driving force for the awesome designing of policies that augur well for all citizens.

Except for few occasions, the discourse on Nigeria’s national interest has continued to remain utterly dormant. The preponderance of political manipulation , exuberance and the voices of self interest rent the air continuously. We have almost discarded our sovereign state’s goals and ambitions in a complete disregard for economic prosperity, security,safety, beliefs, values and other fantastic attributes. We are still lacking a catalogue of developmental strategies that we must seek to achieve and ensure our security and survival. The failure of our elites to transcend beyond partisan political divides for the realization of state interest is drawn from our own false political beliefs and activities.

Albeit there might be casual claims of our country having a national interest, experts find it cumbersome to identify Nigeria’s conception of national interest since independence. Idumange John Agreen stresses that it is even more difficult to redefine it because of the variegated diplomatic permutations and ideologies Nigeria adopted over the years. Others observe that Nigeria has no clear cut political ideology which can serve as a panacea to our political instability and decadence.

What kind of assorted beliefs and values are we evolving and promoting to nurture our national goals? Are we poor in creating ambitions and good at self- inflicted injuries destroying our dreams? Are security and safety defending our lives or are we victims of insecurity and unsafety? Is our economy striving to meet our high expectations vis-a-vis production and consumption, the two key economic players that define national survival? Can Nigeria survive without a robust national interest? In fact, the more the crisis of national interest deepens, the more our national mess escalates.

Without serving as Africa’s reflective and inspiring mirror, Nigeria’s articulation of national interest is both ineffective and inefficient. We are left with a massive failure of struggling for political power without a successful ending of safeguarding our basic interests. Our moribund institutions are increasingly becoming a curse rather than a blessing for national aspirations.We are living with less focus on working for a defined national concern and more focus on sustainable power interest. The conflict of confidence between the rulers and the ruled is boosting and spreading like bush fire.

Contrastingly, many countries have since discovered their common interest as the propelling catalyst for collective survival and development. For instance,India’s general interest is centered on self-reliance in fulfilling basic needs, sovereignty at all costs, invention based business and technology creation using science among others. It also needs mentioning that India’s insatiable desire for patriotism has occupied the cornerstone of her political, cultural and social life.

A White Paper on China’s Peaceful Development released by the Chinese government in 2011 defined China’s core interests as national sovereignty, national security, national unity, stability of the political system and in line with the constitution and sustainable socio-economic development. China views these core interests as red lines that other countries’ behavior should not cross.

In a February 2020 article submitted to the Center for Strategic and International Studies ( CSIS), Gordon de Brouwer argued, ” The national interest has three components- security, prosperity and social well-being and they should all be part of framing the problem and the solution. All three matter. More than ever, they reinforce each other.” In Nigeria, where are we, concerning security? Are we prosperous and socially good? Are we consistent and making achievements in reconciling beliefs with realities?

When President Donald Trump threatened military action against Nigeria over what he perceived as genocide against Nigeria’s Christians, I questioned myself, ‘ Was Trump really acting on America’s interest or Christians’ interest? Many America’s Presidents have been the same in interest fraternity, enacting sinister motives in the name of liberation. We saw what happened in Nicaragua, Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam etc. For the record, the USA has invaded about 96 countries all over the world to protect and promote its ‘national interest’. The clear message here is that America’s national interest is more active in foreign affairs. Therefore, military force against nations is an integral part of expanding America’s interest.

As we continue battling for survival, Nigeria’s national interest is locked up in the midst of uncertainties. It is the collaborative betrayal and handiwork of both the leadership and the followership syndromes, resulting in the systematic collapse of institutions and a general feeling of national disenchantment. To discover and deliver our national interest, we must dig out the failure of our collective living and build a comprehensive template for the future. Already, we are working behind the flow of time and the schedule of development.

Indeed, the idea of the national interest is very striking by its pronounced and provocative vacuum in Nigeria.This spells doom for the country in particular and Africa in general. It is extremely dangerous and alarming! The question lingers: ‘Where is our national interest?’

Abdu Abdullahi
aaringim68@gmail.com
07036207998