Amb. Ganiyu Lawal, the President, Association of Foreign Relations Professionals in Nigeria (AFRPN), has urged the Nigerian government to maintain neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict.
Lawal told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja that diplomacy remained the best way to resolve conflicts.
NAN recalls that Russia had invaded Ukraine on Feb. 25.
Lawal advised Nigeria not to align to any party rather join in suing for peace, adding that a war in Ukraine will not have any negative impact on the world especially smaller countries.
“At this time, it is important that the Nigerian government should remain neutral as we have been non-align all along.
“Nigeria should join other countries suing for peace because the world needs peace at this time more than ever.
“The Nigerian government has made arrangements for her citizens who want to leave to leave as soon as the airports are opened.
“Where it is not possible, a safe corridor will be negotiated for evacuation of civilians,” Lawal said.
Speaking on the current tension, Lawal said that diplomacy was not failing but actors were failing diplomacy by not observing the rules of engagement.
Lawal said the world diplomatic architecture had come a long way to forestall bullying of smaller countries by bigger powers through collective security efforts.
He, however, noted that where unjustifiable provocative irritation rears its head the stronger power should always strive to remove the irritant and it would get away with it.
“However in the face of glaring bullying by bigger power the whole world will rise against it under the principle of collective security.
“And the bigger power will be defeated no matter how strong since it cannot simultaneously do battle on multiple fronts.
“The implication is to allow peace to reign and refrain from provocative moves that threatens world peace, respect for the rule and spirit of the rule of engagement,” Lawal added.
On Foreign Policy, Lawal said: “I will not weep for Ukraine because foreign policy is about national interest and for national interest to be preserved it stands to reason to carry your neighbour’s along.
“Who told Ukraine that its protection lies in the hands of so called friends located several miles away from its shores?
“It is a foolish foreign policy to play host to a distant foreign power while sharing border with a rival foreign power.”
On the implication of the Russian-Ukraine conflict on Africa and Nigeria, the AFRPN president said that the situation would have a ripple effect on the economy as African countries rely on importation.
Lawal, however, noted that this would be an eye opener for African nations to see the importance of trading internally amongst each other.
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