General Yakubu Gowon, 1966-1975: Fac- Tors and Interests
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NIGERIAN FOREIGN POLICY UNDER MAJOR- GENERAL YAKUBU GOWON, 1966-1975: FAC- TORS AND INTERESTS BY OLADIMEJI TALIBU A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the require- ment for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (Po- litical Science) Kulliyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences International Islamic University Malaysia APRIL 2013 ABSTRACT This study examines Nigeria’s foreign policy under Major-General Yakubu Gowon. It analyses the internal and external factors that influenced Nigeria’s foreign policy under Gowon. The research employs qualitative method of data collection. The historical overview of post-independent Nigerian foreign policy suggests that Nigeria’s foreign policy under Gowon has been formulated in pursuit of national interests such as territorial integrity, citizen’s welfare etc. The internal factors of Nigeria’s foreign policy under Gowon identified in the study are: personality of Gowon, national interests, political terrain and economy. While external factors considered are: continental factor, major powers, the Cold War international system and the Middle East factor. This study found that Nigeria under Gowon began to assert independent foreign policy after it gained sovereignty from Britain in 1960. It also found that the Nigerian civil war that lasted for 3 years had a profound effect on Nigerian foreign policy under Gowon. The study recommends that Nigerian government should abandon its strategy of unwarranted financial aid that could be detrimental to the domestic economy. It also recommends that citizen’s diplomacy is needed for dynamic foreign policy formulation. ii ﺧﻼﺻﺔ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﺗﺒﺤﺚ ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍﻟﺪﺭﺍﺳﺔ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﺔ ﺍﳋﺎﺭﺟﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻨﻴﺠﲑﻳﺔ ﰲ ﻋﻬﺪ ﺍﻟﻠﹼﻮﺍﺀ ﻳﺎﻛﻮﺑﻮ ﺟﻮﻭﻥ. ﻭﲢ ﻠﹼﻞ ﺍﻟﻌﻮﺍﻣﻞ ﺍﻟﺪﺍﺧﻠﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﳋﺎﺭﺟﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﱵ ﳍﺎ ﺃﺛﺮ ﻭﻋﻼﻗﺔ ﺑﺴﻴﺎﺳﺔ ﻧﻴﺠﲑﻳﺎ ﺍﳋﺎﺭﺟﻴﺔ ﺃﺛﻨﺎﺀ ﺭﺋﺎﺳﺔ ﺟﻮﻭﻥ. ﺍ ﺗﺨﺬﺕ ﺍﻟﺪﺭﺍﺳﺔ ﰲ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﺍﻷﺳﻠﻮﺏ ﺍﻟﻨﻮﻋﻲ ﳉﻤﻊ ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺎﻧﺎﺕ. ﺍﻟ ﻨ ﻈ ﺮ ﺓ ﺍ ﻟ ﺘﺎﺭﳜﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻣﺔ ﻟﻠﺴﻴﺎﺳﺔ ﺍﳋﺎﺭﺟﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻨﻴﺠﲑﻳﺔ ﺑﻌﺪ ﺇﺳﺘﻘﻼﳍﺎ ﺗﺸﲑ ﺇﱃ ﺃﻥﹼ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﺔ ﺍﳋﺎﺭﺟﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻨﻴﺠﲑﻳﺔ ﲢﺖ ﻗﻴﺎﺩﺓ ﺟﻮﻭﻥ ﻗﺪ ﲤﹼﺖ ﺻﻴﺎﻏﺘﻬﺎ ﻟﺘﺤﻘﻴﻖ ﺍﳌﺼﺎﱀ ﺍﻟﻮﻃﻨﻴﺔ ﻣﺜﻞ ﺍﻟﺮﻋﺎﻳﺔ ﺍﻹﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﺴﻼﻣﺔ ﺍﻹﻗﻠﻴﻤﻴﺔ ﻭﻟﺮﻓﺎﻫﻴﺔ ﺍﳌﻮﺍﻃﻦ ﻭﻣﺎ ﺇﱃ ﺫﻟﻚ. ﻓﺈﻥﹼ ﺍﻟﻌﻮﺍﻣﻞ ﺍﻟﺪﺍﺧﻠﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺴﻴﺎﺳﺔ ﻧﻴﺠﲑﻳﺎ ﺍﳋﺎﺭﺟﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﶈﺪﺩﺓ ﰲ ﺍﻟﺪﺭﺍﺳﺔ ﲢﺖ ﺟﻮﻭﻥ ﻫﻲ: ﺷﺨﺼﻴﺔ ﺟﻮﻭﻥ ﻧﻔﺴﻪ، ﻭﺍﳌﺼﺎﱀ ﺍﻟﻮﻃﻨﻴﺔ، ﻭﺍﻟﺘ ﻀ ﺎ ﺭ ﻳ ﺲ ﺍ ﻟ ﺴﻴﺎﺳﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻹﻗﺘﺼﺎﺩﻳﺔ. ﺑﻴﻨﻤﺎ ﲢﻠﻞ ﺍ ﻟ ﺪﺭﺍﺳﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﻮﺍﻣﻞ ﺍﳋﺎﺭﺟﻴﺔ ﻣﺜﻞ: ﻋﺎﻣﻞ ﺍﻷﻗﻠﻴﻢ، ﺍﻟﻘﻮﻯ ﺍﻟﻜﱪﻯ، ﻭﺍﻟﻨ ﻈ ﺎ ﻡ ﺍ ﻟ ﺪﻭﱄ ﻟﻠﺤﺮﺏ ﺍﻟﺒﺎﺭﺩﺓ ﻭﻋﺎﻣﻞ ﺍﻟﺸﺮﻕ ﺍﻷﻭﺳﻂ. ﻭﺟﺪﺕ ﺍﻟﺪﺭﺍﺳﺔ ﺃﻥﹼ ﻧﻴﺠﲑﻳﺎ ﺑﺪﺃﺕ ﺗﺄﻛﻴﺪ ﺳﻴﺎﺳﺘﻬﺎ ﺍﳋﺎﺭﺟﻴﺔ ﺍﳌﺴﺘﻘﻠﺔ ﺑﻌﺪ ﺇﺳﺘﻘﻼﳍﺎ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﺩﺓ ﺍﻟﱪﻳﻄﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﰲ ﻋﺎﻡ 1960. ﻛﻤﺎ ﻭﺟﺪﺕ ﺃﻥﹼ ﺍﳊﺮﺏ ﺍﻷﻫﻠﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻨﻴﺠﲑﻳﺔ ﺍﻟﱵ ﺍﺳﺘﻐﺮﻗﺖ ﺛﻼﺛﺔ ﺳﻨﲔ ﻛﺎﻥ ﳍﺎ ﺗﺄﺛﲑ ﻋﻤﻴﻖ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﺳﺔ ﺍﳋﺎﺭﺟﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻨﻴﺠﲑﻳﺔ ﲢﺖ ﺟﻮﻭﻥ. ﻭﺑﺎﻟﺘﺎﱃ ﻭ ﰲ ﺍ ﻟ ﺘﺤﻠﻴﻞ ﺍﻟﻨﻬﺎﺋﻲ، ﻓ ﺈ ﻥﹼ ﺍ ﻟ ﺪﺭﺍﺳﺔ ﺗﻮﺻﻲ ﺍﳊﻜﻮﻣﺔ ﺍﻟﻨﻴﺠﲑﻳﺔ ﺑﺄﻧﻬﺎ ﳚﺐ ﺃﻥ ﲡﺘﻨﺐ ﺍﳌﺴﺎﻋﺪﺍﺕ ﺍﳌﺎﻟﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﱵ ﺗﺴﺒﺐ ﺍﻟﻀﺮﺭ ﻟﻼﻗﺘﺼﺎﺩ ﺍﶈﻠﻲ. ﻭﺍﻹﻋﺘﻤﺎﺩ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﳌﻮﺍﺭﺩ ﺍﻟﺬﺍﺗﻴﺔ ﻭﻛﻤﺎ ﺗﻮﺻﻲ ﺑﺄﻥﹼ ﻫﻨﺎﻙ ﺃﻣﺲ ﺍﳊﺎﺟﺔ ﺇﱄ ﺍﻷﻋﺘﻤﺎﺩ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍ ﻟ ﺪﺑﻠﻮﻣﺎﺳﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﺸﻌﺒﻴﺔ ﻟﺰﻳﺎﺩﺓ ﺩﻳﻨﺎﻣﻴﺔ ﺍ ﻟ ﺴﻴﺎﺳﺔ ﺍﳋﺎﺭﺟﻴﺔ. iii APPROVAL PAGE I certify that I have supervised and read this study and that in my opinion, it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (Political Science) ……………………………………………… Wahabuddin Ra’ees Supervisor I certify that I have supervised and read this study and that in my opinion, it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for the degree of Master of Human Sciences (Political Science) ……………………………………………… El Fatih A. Abdel Salam Examiner This dissertation is submitted to the department of political science and is accepted as fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Human Science (Political Science) ……………………………………………… M. Moniruzzaman Head, Department of Political Science This dissertation is submitted to the Kulliyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences and is accepted as fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Human Science (Political Science) .. …………………………………………. Mahmood Zuhdi, Dean, IRKHS iv DECLARATION I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted as a whole for any degrees at IIUM or other institutions. Oladimeji Talibu Signature…………………. Date………………… v INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH Copyright (c) 2013 by International Islamic University Malaysia. All rights reserved. NIGERIAN FOREIGN POLICY UNDER MAJOR-GENERAL YAKUBU GOWON; 1966-1975: FACTORS AND INTERESTS. No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the copyright holder except as approved below. 1. Any material contained in or derived from this unpublished research may be used by others in their writing with due acknowledgement. 2. IIUM or its library will have the right to make and transmit copies (print or electronic) for institutional and academic purposes. 3. The IIUM library will have the right to make, store in a retrieval system and supply copies of this unpublished research if requested by other universities and research libraries. Affirmed by Oladimeji Talibu …………………………… ……….………… Signature Date vi DEDICATION I sincerely dedicated this work to the following people: MY DAUGHTER, HIKMAT OLADIMEJI, MY PARENTS- SHEIKH SAFIYU OLADIMEJI OLODO AND MRS HASSANAT AWEKE OLADIMEJI vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful All praise be to Allah (SWT) for enabling me to complete this study. I am thankful to Him for the health and energy that He gave me throughout my academic endeavours. Peace and blessing be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), his family and his companions. In carrying out this research I am greatly indebted to the following people and institutions from whom I directly or indirectly benefitted. First of all I would like to express my sincere and deepest appreciation and thanks to my supervisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wahabuddin Ra’ees, for supervising this study. His guidance, comments, suggestion, and financial support were instrumental to the successful completion of this thesis. I would also like to thank Prof. Dr. Elfatih Abdel Salam for reading this thesis. I appreciate his valuable suggestions and comments. I am also indebted to Dr. Tunku Mohar, the former Head of the Department of Political Science for his useful suggestions and comments at the initial stage of this work. My endless thank also goes to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Moniruzzaman, the Head of Department of Political Science, for his moral and constant financial support towards the completion of this study. I am also indebted to Prof. Dr. Abdul Rashd Moten for his comments and suggestions in the early stage of the work. My sincere appreciation also goes to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ishtiaq Hossain and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Garoot Eissa for their useful comments and suggestions in the early stage of the work. My gratitude also goes to the Management of the KIRKHS for sustaining my research progress with graduate teaching assistantship. May the blessing and mercy of God be with you all. My special thanks also go to the staff in the IIUM library and Centre for Postgraduate Studies (CPS) for being there for me throughout my study. I would also like to thank the Princess of the State of Johor, Tunku Masera Zahira Iskandariah binti Sultan Iskandar, for her invaluable and generous financial support during my study in IIUM. May Allah also sustain and provide for your needs. I am thankful to Sr. Noor Syahada Sedik, for her constant accommodation and hospitality in the Office of Deputy Dean (Academic Affairs) KIRKHS. My final appreciations go to my family members especially my sibling, here in IIUM, Mohammed Munerdeen Olodo Alshafii, my wife, Oladimeji Tawakalt, Mr and Ms Sheriff Ajiteru, friends, Aderibigbe Akeem, Abidoye Morufu, and Adegoke Surajudeen. I am very grateful for their encouragements, finance and prayers. May we together live to reap the fruit of the labour. God bless you all. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ...................................................................................................................... ii Abstract in Arabic ...................................................................................................... iii Approval page ............................................................................................................ iv Declaration page ........................................................................................................ v Copyright page ........................................................................................................... vi Dedication .................................................................................................................. vii Acknowledgement ..................................................................................................... viii List of figure .............................................................................................................. ix List of abbreviation .................................................................................................... x CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Background to the Study ............................................................................................ 1 Statement of the Problem ..........................................................................................