By Sola Enikanolaiye

Introduction

Over time, it has been observed that diplomatic terms and practices are largely misused and misunderstood in Nigeria. There are publications in the media and commentators who, in their public discourses, make glaring errors, blunders, goofs, and sometimes misinterpret diplomatic terms in the context of Nigeria’s diplomatic practices.

Although diplomatic practice is universal in line with the provisions of Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963), some national peculiarities, local customs and traditions are usually respected by States in their interaction with one another. Failure to adhere to time-honoured diplomatic practices and traditions can give offence and create needless irritants in otherwise excellent, mutually beneficial relations between and among sovereign States in the international system.

For Nigeria, the two Conventions are supplemented by the Foreign Service Regulations annexed to the Public Service Rules of the Federal Government and Internal Administrative and Policy Circulars and instructions issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from time to time.

In the complex arena of international relations, the precision of language and the adherence to established protocols serve as the bedrock of successful engagements. For Nigeria, a nation whose foreign policy is central to its identity as a regional leader and to its national security and development, accurate application of diplomatic terms is not merely a matter of academic interest but also a requirement for national prestige, seamless conduct of diplomatic relations and effective governance.

Unfortunately, contemporary Nigerian landscape is increasingly characterized by a disconcerting spate of misuse and misunderstanding regarding diplomatic terms and practices. From the misinterpretation of diplomatic immunity by public officials to the blurred distinctions between career and political envoys in public discourse, these inaccuracies have frequently led to administrative frictions and a distorted public understanding of diplomacy.

Consequently, there is the need to bridge the gap between official, protocol, usage and public awareness. This short intervention derives from personal experience, is aimed at addressing this deficit by clarifying often-misused diplomatic terminologies within the Nigerian context, evaluating the practical application of these concepts in the country’s Foreign Service, and ultimately, fostering a more informed national dialogue on diplomacy and its practice in Nigeria.

May I also add that some of the materials for this piece have been taken from Satow’s Guide to Diplomatic Practice, RG Feltham’s Diplomatic Handbook and the Review Manual for Promotion Examinations in the Nigerian Civil Service for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, compiled by the author and two of his colleagues in the Ministry, Ambassadors Yemi Dipeolu and Audu Kadiri.

MISUSED TERMS, CONCEPTS AND NIGERIA’S PRACTICE EXPLAINED

This section would attempt to examine a list of terms often misused in discourse on diplomacy in Nigeria. I must state that this is not an exhaustive list.

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