Get Guardian on GoogleProminent Nigerian lawyer, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, has said that Nigeria must take its rightful place in the comity of nations.
Agbakoba said this during an interview whose video recording he shared on his official X account even as Nigeria preparing for the 2027 general elections.
The former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) also voiced non-partisan frustration with the country’s inability to convert its population, natural resources, and Atlantic coastline into meaningful global influence and respect.
“I have never been driven by party affiliation, and I have no intention of making that the basis of my position,” he said.
“I am deeply saddened by Nigeria’s declining ability to command the respect, attention and influence that should come with its position, resources and strategic importance.
“We have the population, the natural resources, the geographical advantage and access to the Atlantic Ocean. Yet, we continue to struggle to translate these advantages into meaningful influence in international affairs.
That should concern every Nigerian.”
In the attached video, Agbakoba called for the next president to possess deep understanding of geopolitics, geoeconomics, and strategic positioning, contrasting Nigeria’s underperformance with smaller, landlocked countries whose leaders assert themselves on the world stage.
Agbakoba also argued that true national power derives from purposeful leadership, strong institutions, and effective asset utilization rather than raw size or wealth, framing it as a critical issue of national interest beyond party lines.
“My concern is not about political parties. I have never been driven by party affiliation, and I have no intention of making that the basis of my position,” the legal luminary said.
“What matters to me is the quality of leadership Nigeria gets. Whoever becomes Nigeria’s next President must understand that governing a country in today’s world requires much more than domestic political calculations. It requires an understanding of geopolitics, geoeconomics, international relations and strategic positioning.
“The world is changing. Countries with fewer geographical and economic advantages are finding ways to assert themselves, command attention and shape conversations beyond their borders. We must ask ourselves: what is preventing Nigeria, with all its advantages, from doing the same?”
Agbakoba stressed that a country’s size does not automatically translate into influence neither does its natural wealth guarantee international respect.
He pointed out that influence is built through purposeful leadership, strategic thinking, strong institutions, sound economic policies and a clear understanding of where the country wants to position itself in the world.
According to him, Nigeria cannot continue to measure its importance by what it possesses, as such, he said: “We must begin to measure it by what it is able to achieve with what it possesses.
“I want a President who understands the world beyond Nigeria’s borders; someone who recognises that our economic interests, maritime resources, diplomatic relationships and security priorities are interconnected with developments across the globe.
“This is not a partisan argument. It is a question of national interest. Nigeria must take its rightful place in the comity of nations. And that responsibility begins with the kind of leadership we choose and the standards we demand of those who seek to govern us.”
