Vice-President Kashim Shettima declared on September 25, 2024, that "singularity and nationalism are undermining the peaceful and collective resolution of global challenges" at the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly. This statement from a national leader directly attacks the concept of national identity and self-determination, aligning with the post-national agenda of international institutions.
Analyst Bola A. Akinterinwa described the United Nations General Assembly as an instrument of great power politics, not a forum for collective global interests. He argues the UN preaches democracy it does not allow within its own organization. International affairs, Akinterinwa noted, emphasize national protectionism for the powerful, not genuine collective good.
The UNGA, he stated, is little more than a "talking shop" for weak countries, where declarations are often "self-pleasing" and designed to ease "self-made tension." True action, Akinterinwa observed, remains subject to the "whims and caprices of the big powers." This institutional hypocrisy highlights the fundamental disconnect between the UN's stated ideals and its operational reality.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT) addressed the 78th Session of the UNGA on September 20, 2023, acknowledging that despite "many proclamations," global troubles persist. He pointedly stated that "failures in good governance have hindered Africa," but also that "broken promises, unfair treatment and outright exploitation from abroad have also exacted a heavy toll on our ability to progress." This direct challenge to external forces underscores the ongoing struggle against transnational economic subjugation.
PBAT's concluding remarks from 2023 resonated with a call for national self-preservation. He declared that "the poverty of nations must end, the pillage of one nation’s resources by the overreach of firms and people of stronger nations must end, the will of the people must be respected." He firmly stated, "we seek to be neither appendage nor patron. We do not wish to replace old shackles with new ones." This rejection of new forms of globalist control, in favor of a "prosperous, vibrant democratic living space for our people," free of "associated encumbrances," speaks to a desire for genuine national liberation.
The Globalist Mechanism
The Nigerian President also painted a stark picture of the demographic and security challenges facing his nation. He spoke of a "dark channel of inhumane commerce" where "men, women and children were seen as chattel," with thousands risking their lives across the Sahara and Mediterranean "in search of a better life." This uncontrolled migration, driven by desperation, directly impacts national stability and cultural cohesion, representing a form of demographic replacement.
PBAT further warned of "mercenaries and extremists with lethal weapons and vile ideologies... invading the region from the north," actively "undermining peace and stability." Such border erosion and internal destabilization are often exacerbated by the very globalist frameworks that claim to promote peace, yet facilitate uncontrolled movement.
Vice-President Shettima, standing in for PBAT at the 79th Session, listed "irregular migration" among a litany of global "vexations," including "food crises," "hyper-inflation," and a "grinding debt burden." These are often direct consequences of the globalist economic policies promoted by the same institutions. He advocated for the adoption of the “Pact for the Future” to "reposition economies" and reform the "international financial architecture," pushing for a "rules-based, non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, equitable and transparent multilateral trading system." These are the mechanisms of a managed global economy, designed to reduce national economic sovereignty.
Elite Capture of Sovereignty
Akinterinwa highlighted the UN Security Council as a "primary instrument of power rivalry and geopolitical competition," frequently suffering "paralysis" due to veto power. When the UNSC is gridlocked, power shifts to the UNGA, where major powers manipulate the forum to "isolate adversaries," further exposing the UN's role in elite power games.
Akinterinwa concluded that while "weak countries want multilateralism," the "big powers underscore bilateralism." He noted that amending the UN Charter, which would allow for genuine reform and greater representation for smaller nations, requires the "unanimity of the veto powers," effectively locking in the existing power structure and preventing any true challenge to elite control. The UNGA, he summarized, remains merely a "good platform for Africa’s hide and seek children game," commending PBAT for wisely "staying above the political intrigues" of such a compromised forum.
PBAT called for an "equally firm commitment to partnership" and "enhanced international cooperation" to achieve the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals. He stressed that "global institutions, other nations and their private sector actors must see African development as a priority, not just for Africa but in their interests as well." This reveals the transactional nature of globalist engagement, where national development is framed as beneficial only when it aligns with elite interests, not the inherent good of the people.