Assessing the Theoretical Underpinning of Nigeria's Quest for a Permanent United Nations Security Council Seat

Since the creation of the United Nations Organisation in 1945, the membership and structure of the UN Security Council has been one of the most contentious and recurring questions debated by UN member-states. Following the recommendations of the UN High Level Panel on "Threats, Challenges and Change" (A/59/565) that countries who have contributed the most to the UN accessed budget, military, and diplomacy should be considered for a permanent place in the Council, Nigeria has expressed her intention to occupy one of the proposed permanent seats. However, the significance of this position and the power that goes with it remains a stumbling block for most of its citizens who feel alienated and distant from the government's policies and programmes. This study seeks to underscore the value of this position through the lens of realpolitik. The realist approach enunciated by Henry Kissinger, which is hinged on the following premise: States use their national power to protect national values and ensure their national interest; empowering the citizens in the international system so as to enhance the nation's image and legitimacy should serve as a guide to rationalising Nigeria's bid to occupy one of the proposed permanent positions. Essentially, this quest is predicated on the realist theory, which correlates the bid to the welfare of Nigerian citizens. The link between foreign policy and the citizens' welfare is very significant as the country shifts from the Afro-centric foreign policy to a more "Citizen-centred Diplomacy".