CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
In recent time, the unstable global politics demands that a country must adopt a crucial role with unavoidable diplomatic efforts to achieve its goal and to promote its culture in the global scene (Thompson & Macridis, 2012). In the same vein, countries use cultural tools to build their relationship with other countries by demonstrating their values, beliefs and traditions through cultural means. This culture attracts and endear countries to one another since the era of utilization and reliance on military and economic means alone in order to interact with other countries has elapsed (Stark, 2017).
In Africa, cultural heritage has become the major tool used in order to relate amongst the states through the ministries of foreign affairs. Against the nature of traditional mediation which is solely between the governments involved, country’s cultural wealth are now targeting people as well. This has been used a number of times to engage the international environment through the attraction of foreign audience (Sen, 2012).
In Nigeria, cultural values have been thrown to the air and consequently fading away. Culture is seen as falling in the realm of preservation of the heritage of the people rather then been seen as a process of enrichment and renewal of Nigerian values (Landsberg, 2010). Consequently, development fails to reconcile with the present and the demands of the challenges of the future. Rather than making use of Nigeria’s culture for national building, Nigerian has discarded her rich and enviable cultural heritage for an alien one (Sen, 2012).
Cultural diplomacy is a soft spot of diplomacy that arguably has more influence than formal diplomacy in contemporary International Relations (Barston, 2016). Apparently, the promotion of foreign cultures in several countries of the world has been very beneficial and this has helped in attracting tourists and supporting economic ventures, especially trade and foreign investment. Many leaders of the Third World countries who studied in Western countries have unconsciously become agents of cultural values of those countries. To be sure, this includes areas such as music, movies and literature which serve as effective weapons of cultural diplomacy (Asobele, 2002).
The inherent hospitable nature of Africans to other people makes diplomacy essentially an African culture (Babawale, 2017). In effect, the Nigerian musicians and actors have shown to the global society that they understand the full import of Nigeria’s new diplomatic position, which is citizen-centered diplomacy. Musicians like Sunny Okosun, Onyeka Onwenu, Chris Hanen, Majek Fashek and Ras Kimono have immortalized the need for total eradication of colonialism, racism, and apartheid in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and Azania (South Africa), when they sang “Fire in Soweto”, “Winnie Mandela”, “Free Mandela, Margret Thatcher”. Musicians are cultural workers and their contribution to Nigeria’s foreign policy is immense. Indeed, our musicians and actors have contributed largely in projecting Nigeria’s cultural heritage abroad (Asobele, 2002).
In essence, the objective of Nigeria’s cultural diplomacy is essentially to make friends, expose and convert other nations to the values Nigeria cherishes and her cultural patrimony (Cultural Diplomacy Outlook Report, 2011). The Nigerian cultural diplomacy therefore seeks to make other nations of the world take notice of Nigeria and by establishing friendship; there would be an atmosphere of understanding between Nigeria and other members of the international community, which would in turn foster cooperation and development. Cultural exchange and communication between Nigeria and other countries of the world can go a long way in defending Nigeria’s cultural values, furthering Nigeria’s national interest and also fostering national development (Asobele, 2002, p.4).
Based on the foregoing the current researcher see it as necessary to explore on the relationship between cultural diplomacy and Nigeria’s global culture.
1.2 Statement of the problem
The growth of cultural diplomacy as a means of engaging in international discourse has become increasingly prevalent in developed countries in the Western World, but it is by no means restricted to these states. In recent years, there have been numerous examples of cultural diplomatic effort exercised by states, corporations and individuals across the African continent and in particular, Nigeria. Nigeria is blessed with enormous potentials of both human and natural resources. Inspite, of this, the country is confronted with one of the greatest challenges facing most nations of the world which is underdevelopment.
However, cultural diplomacy and building Nigeria’s global culture can be used to address many of these problems of underdevelopment. Another major challenge is the issue with the country’s reputation in the committee of nations and how Nigerians are being treated poorly and discriminated against in other countries, even by its African neighbours.
Cultural rights, heritage, cultural identity, cultural life and the integration of cultural expression are fundamental realities and very important tools which stimulate dialogue and provide legitimacy for collective and participatory governance. Cultural rehabilitation and dialogue are crucial for stabilization and for sustainable development. The integration of cultural expression is a very important tool in stimulating dialogue and participatory governance. Culture represents a sense of identity, innovation and creativity. Embracing cultural traditions of local communities promotes optimal outcomes for environmental protection. Hence, the need to explore the relationship between cultural diplomacy and Nigeria’s global culture.
1.3 Objectives of the study
The main objective of this research is to examine the relationship between cultural diplomacy and Nigeria’s global culture. The following are the specific objectives:
- To examine the advent and development of cultural diplomacy in Nigeria.
- To analyse the effect of cultural diplomacy on the Nigeria’s global culture.
- To explore how Nigeria is coping with cultural onslaught in the advent of modern technology across the world.
1.4 Research Question
- What is the origin and history of cultural diplomacy in Nigeria?
- What is the effect of cultural diplomacy on the Nigeria’s global culture?
- How is Nigeria coping with cultural onslaught in the advent of modern technology across the world?
1.5 Significance of the study
The following are the significance of this study:
1. The outcome of this study will enlighten government, policy makers, stakeholders and general public on the relationship between cultural diplomacy and Nigeria’s global culture.
2. The findings from this study will constitute a basis for future research and also contributing to the body of knowledge since it will be used as empirical literature.
3. Outcome of this study will also be a guide for policy formulation both at state and national level by improving on the approaches to cultural diplomacy.
1.6 Scope of the study
This study covers the relationship between cultural diplomacy and Nigeria’s global culture. It will also cover the advent and the development of cultural diplomacy and how Nigeria is coping with cultural onslaught in the advent of modern technology across the world. It will also cover issues spanning 2010 to 2019. This period was chosen because of the level of discrimination that Nigerians are confronted with in the global scene.
1.7 Methodology
Methodology is part of the research that shows the ways and approaches of collecting the data (Oliver, 2004). This research is primarily qualitative as it is based on the relationship between cultural diplomacy and Nigeria’s global culture. The reason for choosing the qualitative analysis strategy is the exploratory and the qualitative nature of study. According to Robson (1993), flexibility is always the main strength of the case study strategy in terms of interpretation and getting access to the specified places. The research is a based on secondary data. We used document analysis/content analysis as main method of data collection. Document analysis/content analysis also called “textual analysis” (Travers, 2001) in the study will include all kinds of academic articles, textual and multi-media products, ranging from television programmes to web sites on the internet.
1.8 Operational Definition of terms
Culture: the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society.
Cultural diplomacy: is a type of public diplomacy and soft power that includes the "exchange of ideas, information, art, language and other aspects of culture among nations and their peoples in order to foster mutual understanding"
Globalization: means the speedup of movements and exchanges (of human beings, goods, and services, capital, technologies or cultural practices) all over the planet. One of the effects of globalization is that it promotes and increases interactions between different regions and populations around the globe.
International relations: the interactions of states in the global interstate system
Cultural values: are the core principles and ideals upon which an entire community exists. This is made up of several parts: customs, which are traditions and rituals; values, which are beliefs; and culture, which is all of a group's guiding values.
References
Asobele, J. (2002). Nigerian Cultural Diplomacy in the Twentieth Century. Lagos: Promo comms Ltd.
Babawale, T. (2017). Culture, Politics and Sustainable Development: Lessons for Nigeria. CBAAC Occasional Monograph Series, No. 4. Lagos: Concept Publication Ltd.
Barston, R. (2016). Modern Diplomacy. England: Pearson Education Limited
Cultural Diplomacy Outlook Report (2011). Cultural Diplomacy Initiatives in Civil Society (Chapter 5) Lagos: Nigerian Film Corporation and National Film and video censors‟ board. Retrieved from http://www.smc.edu.ng/nollywood-in-africa-africa-in-nollywood
Landsberg, C (2010). The Diplomacy of Transformation: South African Foreign Policy and Statecraft, Johannersburg: Macmillan
Sen, A. (2012). Development as Freedom. New York: Alfred A. Knopf
Stark, R. (2017). Sociology (2nd Edition). USA: Wadswarth Publishing Company.
Thompson, K. & Macridis, R. (2012). Foreign Policy in World Politics. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
