Reps’ deputy minority leader, others launch book on foreign policy

A book titled “Reflections on Nigeria’s Foreign Policy: 1960 – 2020” co-authored by the Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, Prof. Tony Onyishi, and Mr. Emmanuel Ukhami is to be publicly presented Wednesday, April 6, 2022 in Abuja.

The event, which is scheduled to hold at the Yar’Adua Centre under the distinguished chairmanship of Nigeria’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Permanent Representatives to the United Nations, Ambassador Aminu Wali, will also feature a panel discussion on “Nigeria’s Foreign Policy in a Changing World”.

In a statement he personally issued on Tuesday, Okechukwu said the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan would be the Chief Guest of Honour, while the Speaker, House of representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, would be the Special Guest.

Director, Centre for Alternative Policy Perspectives and Strategy, Abuja, Prof. Udenta Udenta will review the book, while former Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Senator Ekweremadu, is to give a special goodwill message on parliamentary diplomacy.

“The Tafawa Balewa administration, which formed the foundation of Nigeria’s foreign policy clearly defined the principles that would guide the nation’s foreign policy such as the principle of bilateralism and multilateralism, non-interference, non-alignment and Afrocentric.

“Subsequently, various governments in Nigeria have not shifted from those principles, as there is an increased level of bilateral and multilateral relations between Nigeria and other states and non-state actors.

“Most prominent among the principles is the Afrocentric posture the country has adopted as the centre piece of her foreign policy which no government has neglected,” he said.