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Nigerian Foreign Policy: a Fourth Republic Diplomatic Escapade

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Nigerian Foreign Policy: a Fourth Republic Diplomatic Escapade Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences 4 (2016 9) 708-721 ~ ~ ~ УДК 323.3(669) Nigerian Foreign Policy: a Fourth Republic Diplomatic Escapade Ebenezer Ejalonibu Lawala and Opeyemi Idowu Alukob* aFederal University Lokoja Kogi State Nigeria bUniversity of Ilorin Kwara State Nigeria Received 14.11.2015, received in revised form 02.12.2015, accepted 19.03.2016 Foreign policy is unpredictable and has no specific domestic or international boundary. The scope is not static; issues in foreign policy are continuous. Therefore, no government consciously design her foreign policy outlook, the focus of any foreign policy would depend heavily on events in and around the nation and Nigeria is not an exception. The concept of Africa as the centre-piece of Nigerian’s foreign policy has emerged as the most consistent theme that runs through her foreign policies in all the various regimes. Foreign policy of Nigeria could be called a three concentric circle, this concentric circle clearly puts Nigeria’s interest first, West African Sub-region second and then the rest of Africa. It is very crucial to note that between 1960 and 1990, eighteen civil wars in Africa resulted in about 7 million deaths and spawned 5 million refugees. Nigeria cannot ignore Africa’s problems rather she must maintain the principle of Afrocentrism. This is so because; one out of every five Africans is a Nigerian. This paper therefore seeks to critically analyze the core issues in Nigerian foreign policy and challenges facing Nigerian foreign policy in the fourth republic, some recommendations will also be suggested. Keywords: Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, United Nation, Africa and Nigeria. DOI: 10.17516/1997-1370-2016-9-4-708-721. Research area: politology. Introduction two, section 19 of the 1999 constitution of the The historical antecedent of Nigeria’s federal republic of Nigeria under the rubric of foreign policy owes much to the vision of fundamental objectives and directive principle of Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. Nigeria’s state policy. first Prime Minister and Head of Government Although a critical look at the Speeches from October 1960 to January 1966, and can be shows the paramount importance that the located in his famous speeches during the pre government placed on the continental and global and post- independent periods. The objective of issues, it cannot be doubted that an overwhelming Nigeria Foreign Policy are enshrined in Chapter and significant emphasis was placed on African © Siberian Federal University. All rights reserved * Corresponding author E-mail address: [email protected], [email protected] – 708 – Ebenezer Ejalonibu Lawal and Opeyemi Idowu Aluko. Nigerian Foreign Policy: a Fourth Republic Diplomatic Escapade issues and problems. Thus, during his UN relations with other states and with international acceptance speech, Balewa stated that; platforms such as the Commonwealth, the African Union, et cetera. We needed to restore ‘So far I have concentrated on the problems the image of the country as one where human of Africa. Please do not think that we are rights were respected, rule of law is the basis not interested in the problems of the rest of governance and administration was geared of the world; we are intensely interested towards the improvement of the living conditions in them and hope to be allowed to assist of the ordinary citizen. In short, we needed to, in finding solutions to them through this while creating a positive image for the country organization, but being human we are internationally, be able to leverage this new naturally concerned first with what affects positive image towards rebuilding the confidence our immediate neighbourhood (Ajaebili of the people in governance through delivering and Oyewole, 2011; 277). practical benefits to them. Some of the issues that have dominated It is important to note that every foreign Nigerian foreign policy since 1999 are; policy is the reflection of the personal • Citizen diplomacy idiosyncrasies and aspirations of the leadership • Economic diplomacy/ interest of the country. Nigeria’s foreign policy during the • Nigeria role as regional hegemony/ Peace- first Republic was conservative and pro- British. building and Peace-keeping in Africa The conservative posture of Nigeria’s foreign • The call for UN reform. policy in the Balewa years was evident in his words Citizen Diplomacy Although diplomacy has been variously “We are grateful to the British officers defined, however, no definition can be regarded whom we have known first as masters, and as commanding general acceptability. A then as leaders, and finally as partners, but charming characterization, though attacked always as friends (Ajaebili and Oyewole, to be vague and inadequate, is given by Ernest 2011; 277). Satow (1966:1), who defines diplomacy as “the application of intelligence and tact to the conduct of official relations between the governments Issues in nigerian foreign policy of independent states”. This definition was in the fourth republic criticized for obvious reasons – not all diplomats Since the beginning of the present are either intelligent or tactful, yet they all democratic dispensation also known as the take part in diplomacy (Ogunsanwo, 2007:1). fourth Republic there has been call for changes Geoffrey McDermott (1973:37) sees diplomacy in the objectives and principles of Nigeria as “a science which permits its practitioners to foreign policy as it was postulated by Alhaji say nothing and shelter behind mysterious nods (Dr) Sule Lamido, Foreign Minister Of The of the head…, a science who’s most successful Federal Republic Of Nigeria, 1999-2003 that; exponent is he who can swim with his head At the very onset therefore, one of the key above streams of events he pretends to conduct”. priorities of the administration was to repair the Morgenthau, one of the leading exponents of damage that military rule had done to Nigeria’s realism (1978: 529), described diplomacy as – 709 – Ebenezer Ejalonibu Lawal and Opeyemi Idowu Aluko. Nigerian Foreign Policy: a Fourth Republic Diplomatic Escapade “the technique for accommodating conflicts of Our foreign policy has come of age and interest, and the promotion of national interest by the age of innocence is over. We remain peaceful means.” proud of our track record from Tafawa However, a more comprehensive definition Balewa up till now. The country that is which underscores its essence and raison d’être the largest black nation in the world could is that: not have done otherwise. A world where every sixth black man is a Nigerian could Diplomacy is the political process whereby not have done otherwise, or where every states establish and nurture official four Africans is a Nigerian could not have interrelations, direct and indirect, to done otherwise. We should ask ourselves pursue their respective goals, interest and some hard questions: to what extents has substantive and procedural policies in our foreign policy benefited Nigerians? To the international environment (Plischke, what extent has our foreign policy put food 1977:41). on our tables? In order words where is the citizen in our foreign policy? Though the concept ‘citizen diplomacy’ appears self-explanatory, it is not exactly so, He opined that Nigeria carried enormous more so, in the context of diplomacy as a political burden to be the symbol of the success of the black concept depicting the involvement of average nation and there could never be a black story, citizens engaging representatives of another “unless it is a Nigerian success story”. Explained country or cause either inadvertently or by design differently, citizen Diplomacy “is to ensure that (Agbu, 2007:9). Ozoemenam Mbachu (2007:9) our foreign policy becomes the most powerful sees Citizen Diplomacy as an organized action way to express who we are…” And that we are that government takes to achieve the objectives not changing the fundamentals of our foreign that have been set by policy makers. And policy but we are changing the branding. that the concept, as currently being employed Bola Akinterinwa (2007: 23) explains further denotes re-orientation of Nigeria’s foreign that as conceptualized, individual Nigerians are to policy pursuit towards beneficial economic and be the main focus of any foreign policy endeavor, political engagement so as to meet up with the they are to be made important stakeholders and United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals first beneficiaries of Nigeria foreign policy efforts for Africa. According to him, this arose from in any of Nigeria’s foreign policy concentric the realization that the progress, prosperity circles. More important, they are to be specially and survival of the nation must be the concern empowered to respond to the changing challenges of every Nigerian at home and in the Diaspora. of globalization wherever they may be found. According to Okocha and Nzeshi (2007:3), He pointed out challenges before Nigerian citizen diplomacy is geared towards “protecting” government in ‘practicalising’ this new foreign the image and integrity of Nigeria and retaliates approach to include, prevention of Nigerians against countries who are hostile and who brand seeking visas in accredited diplomatic missions Nigeria as corrupt (Okocha and Nzeshi, 2007). from indecent treatment; how to ensure that Giving reasons for the adoption of the policy, the Nigerian is respected at home and abroad; and progenitor (Cited in Adejumo, 2007) explains most importantly, how to
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