Exploring Religion as a Tool of Nigeria’s Public Diplomacy

Abstract

On April 26, 2016, former United States Secretary of State, John Kerr, emphasized the link between religion and foreign policy. He underscored how religion can have either a positive or a destabilizing influence on world affairs. Religion today remains deeply consequential, affecting the values, actions, choices, and worldview of people in every walk of life on every continent. This paper argues that religion, which is often considered a cultural element of soft power, has become an inevitable and important factor in the furtherance of public diplomacy goals in this day and age. It conceptualizes religious institutions as non-state public diplomacy actors. To this end, the influence of religion on Nigeria’s relations with the international community is examined. The study also examined the global engagement efforts of Nigeria’s religious institutions and how they can be better utilized as a constructive instrument for the country’s public diplomacy.