Diplomacy as Patronage: Ambassadorial Appointments, Elite Politics, and State Power in Nigeria

Abstract

This article examines ambassadorial appointments in Nigeria as a historical lens through which to understand the relationship between patronage, elite circulation, and state legitimacy. Situating diplomatic postings within debates on neopatrimonialism, symbolic power, and the performative dimensions of the state, it argues that ambassadorships have long functioned not only as instruments of foreign policy but also as mechanisms for managing political loyalty and elite cohesion. Using the contentious November 2025 ambassadorial list as a historical entry point, the study traces the historical evolution of diplomatic appointments from the colonial period through the First Republic, military rule, and the Fourth Republic. It shows how public controversies surrounding figures such as Reno Omokri, Femi Fani-Kayode, and Mahmood Yakubu reflect deeper tensions over representation, neutrality, and trust in the context of contested elections and heightened public scrutiny. The article contributes to African state-formation scholarship by demonstrating how diplomacy in Nigeria operates as a ritualized political practice through which authority is negotiated, legitimacy performed, and power reproduced over time.