A Research Professor at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Professor Femi Otubanjo, has said President Bola Tinubu’s absence from the ongoing United Nations General Assembly should be viewed in the context of his annual leave, arguing that the UNGA is “not so important.”
Otubanjo stated this on Tuesday while speaking on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, during a discussion on Tinubu’s absence from the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The professor said the criticism surrounding the President’s absence had failed to properly consider the circumstances, stressing that the central issue should be Nigeria’s national interest and not merely the physical presence of the President at the international gathering.
“Majority of people talk without putting it in the proper context. Number one context is that President Bola Tinubu is on his annual leave and when he is on leave, he leaves the work of the office to other people to do it and UNGA is not so important. People give the impression as if when you go you have all the details of international relations or international political system. No, it is not. It is another subject to diplomatic practice.”
Otubanjo said Nigeria’s participation at the UNGA should therefore be assessed from the standpoint of representation and what the country seeks to achieve through its presence at the global gathering.
“The main thing is Nigeria’s national interest.”
He said the country had not been left without representation, noting that Vice President Kashim Shettima was leading Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st UNGA.
“What is important, very important, is that we are represented. And we are represented at the highest level. That is the Vice President.”
Shettima arrived in New York on Sunday to represent Tinubu and lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st UNGA. The high-level general debate opened on Tuesday and will run until September 28.
According to the Federal Government, Shettima is expected to deliver Nigeria’s national statement and participate in high-level meetings and bilateral engagements with world leaders, international organisations and development partners.
Otubanjo further argued that presidential attendance at the General Assembly should not be treated as a compulsory requirement, saying diplomatic responsibilities could be delegated where appropriate.
“It is not compulsory for a president to be at the United Nations General Assembly. What is important is representation, and this time we are represented by the number two man in the country.”
The professor also questioned the assumption that a President’s physical presence at the UNGA automatically translates into substantive diplomatic engagement.
According to him, some encounters between heads of government during international gatherings may amount to brief exchanges rather than detailed working meetings.
“If you have a meeting with the president of France, and for five to ten minutes, it is that we enjoy, we are happy with our relationship, I hope we continue, we will continue. These are the kinds of complementary things that I’ve said at those meetings. They are not working meetings.”
DIPLOMACY CAN CONTINUE BEYOND PHYSICAL MEETINGS
Otubanjo said more substantive diplomatic discussions could take place through bilateral meetings and established diplomatic channels, rather than being dependent solely on the physical presence of the President at the UNGA.
He also cited the changes brought about by technology, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as evidence that leaders can conduct official engagements without always being physically present.
“COVID taught all of us how to work remotely. The President is talking to his ambassadors and talking to businessmen outside Nigeria.”
His comments came against the backdrop of Tinubu’s ongoing stay in Europe.
The President departed Nigeria on August 30 for London to begin what the Presidency described as a three-week annual leave before travelling to Paris, where he held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bollore. The Presidency announced on Monday that Tinubu had extended his working vacation by a few days and would return to Nigeria at the weekend.
The Presidency said Tinubu had remained in contact with developments at home and continued to direct the affairs of government while away. It also said the President had delegated Shettima to represent him at some official functions during his absence.
The President’s absence from the UNGA has nevertheless generated political debate, particularly because Shettima is representing him at the gathering for the third consecutive year.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has questioned Tinubu’s repeated absence from the General Assembly, arguing that although Shettima could represent Nigeria, repeated delegation could not substitute for the President’s personal authority and visibility at a major diplomatic gathering.
The Federal Government, however, has maintained that Nigeria is fully represented and that Shettima is attending with the full mandate of the President and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
OTUBANJO ON PRESIDENTIAL LEAVE
Otubanjo said the President’s annual leave should also be considered when assessing his absence from the UNGA and other official engagements.
He argued that delegation of responsibilities during a President’s leave was part of the normal functioning of government and that public discussion should not create the impression that the President personally had to attend every international engagement.
His argument was that the effectiveness of Nigeria’s participation should be measured by the representation provided and the diplomatic objectives pursued, rather than simply by the President’s physical presence.
The professor also questioned the assumption that attending an international gathering automatically gives a leader a complete grasp of international relations and the international political system, stressing that diplomacy is a broader field requiring sustained engagement through various channels.
‘A NATION’S DOMESTIC IMAGE DETERMINES ITS INTERNATIONAL IMAGE’
Moving beyond the question of Tinubu’s UNGA attendance, Otubanjo said Nigeria’s international standing was closely connected to how the country was governed at home.
“A nation’s domestic image determines its international image.”
He said Nigeria’s growing global visibility meant that developments within the country could no longer be separated from how the country was perceived internationally.
“There is no remote country as information is easily accessed from any location on earth.”
Otubanjo therefore called for what he described as a domestic reset centred on good governance, accountability, transparency and frugality.
He argued that Nigeria’s aspirations to play a stronger role in Africa and the international system must be supported by improvements in governance and the management of public resources.
ON GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND PRIORITIES
The professor also criticised what he described as misplaced priorities in public expenditure, citing spending by the Federal Government on infrastructure, an aircraft and religious pilgrimage.
“Those listening to him know that the Federal Government had just spent N21 billion on building a house for Shettima; spent $150 million on an aircraft; wasted N90 billion for people to go to Mecca…”
Otubanjo linked the issue of government spending to the broader question of how Nigeria presents itself to its citizens and the international community.
“Nigeria has leaders who don’t know how to order their priorities and focus on their people.”
He said the country’s international ambitions should be accompanied by greater attention to the welfare of its citizens and stronger standards of accountability in the management of public resources.
NIGERIA’S GLOBAL AMBITIONS
Otubanjo also spoke about Nigeria’s aspirations to maintain its position as the Giant of Africa and play a stronger role in international affairs.
He noted that Nigeria seeks greater influence in organisations such as the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States, while also pursuing a permanent seat for Africa on a reformed United Nations Security Council.
The professor said such ambitions would require Nigeria to combine diplomatic engagement abroad with credible governance at home.
His comments came as Nigeria participates in the 81st UNGA under the theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”
The Nigerian delegation is expected to use the gathering to advance the country’s positions on global institutional reform, sustainable development, climate finance, international cooperation and stronger African representation in global decision-making.
For Otubanjo, however, the question of Nigeria’s international influence cannot be separated from the country’s domestic realities.
He maintained that Nigeria’s national interest should remain the guiding consideration in assessing its participation in international engagements and that representation could be provided by senior officials when the President is unavailable.
“The main thing is Nigeria’s national interest.”
And on the immediate controversy surrounding Tinubu’s absence from New York, his position remained that the President’s annual leave, the presence of the Vice President and the nature of diplomatic practice should all be considered before judging the significance of his absence from the UNGA.
