Nigerian Foreign Policy in the Last 47 Years
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The Role of Nigeria In Restoring Peace In West Africa Remmy Chuks Nweke A dissertation presented to The Faculty of Arts in the University of Malta For the degree of Master in Contemporary Diplomacy May 2010 i Declaration I hereby declare that this dissertation is my own original work. Remmy Chuks Nweke May 1, 2010, Lagos, Nigeria ii Acknowledgement: My heartfelt gratitude goes to my supervisor, Prof. Kappeler Dietrich of Faculty of Arts in the University of Malta, Diplo Foundation Education Coordinator, Mrs Hannah Slavik, management and staff of Champion Newspapers Limited, and Diplo Foundation. Special thanks to leadership of Remnek Kommunications Ventures, for bankrolling my Internet access throughout this programme, and Mr. Dele Odebiyi of Times Journalism Institute (TJI) Lagos, for his support and advice; Management of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Lagos, especially the Library Assistant, Mr. Rex Anaemeje, Deputy Chief Sub, Champion Newspapers Ltd, Mr. Canice Opara, Head, Lagos State Library, Yaba-Lagos, Mr. Taiwo Bogunjoko and Rev. Fr. Chike Uba, Bursar All Hallows Seminary Nkpor, Anambra State-Nigeria. My gratitude also goes to: Adekeye Adebajo and Rashid,I. (2004), Akinterinwa, O, 2005, Akinyemi (1979), Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chambas, M.I. (2004), Ghali B.B. (1992); Khobe, M.M. (2000), Ki-moon, B. 2007: Niyiragira, Y., Nuhu-Koko, A.A, 2008: Dr. Obiozor George, Prof. (Mrs) Ogwu, Joy U. and Alli, W.O. 2006, Okachie, Leonard (2008), Okochi, Ibe N.A. (1990). Olusanya, Gabriel O. & Akindele, R.A. (1990): Oni, S.K. (2002): Sinclair, M. 2004, Sowole, J. (1998), Wang, T. Y. among others. iii Dedication: To my parents; Ozo Sopuluchukwu Dominic Udegbunem Nweke and Ezinne Christiana Okwuchukwu Nweke, for giving birth to me and my dear wife, Nkemdilim Anthonia Nweke, who stood by me during the candle nights; Messrs Andy Ezeani, Ugo Onuoha, Ifeanyi Ubabukoh, Seyi Fasugba, Justus Nwakanma, Azeez Olaleye, Innocent Nwobodo, Emma Agu, Desmond Okoye and Mrs. Cordilia Onu of Champion Newspapers Limited, as well as Prof. Guy Berger of Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, who encouraged my professionalism. My special thanks, goes to Dr. Roland Stanbridge, for spurring my continental instinct, Mrs. Evelyn Umah-Chukwurah (late) for her encouragement and Felicia Ikeh. My sisters – Chichi Iloduba, Ijeoma Phil Nebenanya and Ms Ujunwa Ebele Nweke, brothers Onyeka Victor, Emma Emeka-Chinedum, Obinna Anthony, Uchenna Cele Dom for bearing with my shortcomings. The first President of Nigeria and Owelle of Onitsha, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe for his inspiration and Chief & Mrs. Emmanuel Okwuchukwu and Lucy Igweze of Awka, for their guidance, as well as Awba-Ofemili Development Union (ADU) Lagos branch, for their understanding. May 1, 2010. Remmy Chuks Nweke Senior Reporter, IT & Telecom & Head, ICT Desk, Champion Newspapers Limited Lagos-Nigeria. Editor, ITREALMS Online, www.itrealms.blogspot.com email: [email protected] 'First Nigerian IT African Siemens Profile Award winner-2004' Second prize winner, ECA-AISI Media Award-05 'Two-time winner, African Siemens Profile Award IT Business Solution-2005' Highway Africa News Agency (HANA) Journalist of the Year 2006, Top prize winner HP contest for Nigerian media 2006, First runner up Nigeria IT & Telecom Awards 2006, First runner up AISI-IICD award on Research and Innovation 2007. Merit award in business solution @ Africa Siemens Profile 2009 Nominated into the International WHO'S WHO of Professionals 2009 Edition iv Table of Content TITLE COVER - i DECLARATION - ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT - iii DEDICATION - iv CONTENTS - v ACRONYMS - vi – vii INTRODUCTION - viii - xii CHAPTER 1: NIGERIAN FOREIGN POLICY IN THE LAST 50 YEARS - 1 - 9 CHAPTER 2: AFRICA, CENTRE OF NIGERIA’S FOREIGN POLICY - 10 - 21 CHAPTER 3: NIGERIA’S ROLE IN AFRICAN UNION (AU) - 22 - 30 CHAPTER 4: CONCEPT OF PEACE-BUILDING AS NIGERIA’S FOREIGN POLICY - 31 - 49 CHAPTER 5: OUTCOME OF NIGERIA’S FOREIGN POLICY INITIATIVE IN WEST AFRICA - 50 – 55 CONCLUSION - 56 – 57 References - 58 – 63 v Acronyms: Meanings: 1. AD - Anno Domini; 2 2. AEC - African Economic Community; 24, 28 3. AFRICOM - African Military Command; 60, 71 4. ALF - Africa Leadership Forum; 31 5. AFL - Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL); 56 6. ANC – African National Congress; 48 7. APPA – African Petroleum Producers Association; 5 8. APRM - African Peer Review Mechanism; 29 9. APSTA - African Peace Support Trainers Association; 62 10. AU – African Union; vi, xii, 5, 6, 23, 26, 27-35, 40, 42, 43, 46, 48 - 60, 63 11. AU-UN – African Union and United Nations; 39, 58 12. BBC – British Broadcasting Corporation; 55 13. BC – Before Christ; 2 14. CASS - Centre for Advanced Social Studies; 33 15. CDRT - Centre for Democratic Research and Training; 33 16. CTO – Commonwealth Telecommunication Organisation; 57 17. CWG – Computer Warehouse Group; 25 18. DRC - Democratic Republic of Congo; 28, 45 19. ECOMOG – ECOWAS Monitoring Group; 2, 5, 10, 36, 37, 40, 43, 44, 54, 55, 63, 65. 20. ECOWAS – Economic Community of West African States; 2, 5,6,8,9, 16, 17, 36-38, 40-44, 52-54, 61. 21. EU – European Union; 25, 27 22. FCT – Federal Capital Territory; 5, 50 23. FEC – Federal Executive Council; 56, 57 24. IBB – Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida; 16, 17, 25 25. ICJ - International Court of Justice; 38, 55 26. IAPTC - International Association for Peacekeeping Training Centres; 64 27. ICT – Information and Communications Technologies (ICT); 57 28. ICTJ - International Centre for Transitional Justice; 64 29. IGSR - Institute for Governance and Social Research; 33 30. ISS - Institute for Security Studies; 65 31. JDA - Joint Development Authority; 59 32. MDC - Movement for Democratic Change; 42 33. MFA – Ministry of Foreign Affairs; 5, 8-10, 61 34. MINORSO - United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara; 49 35. MOU/MoU - Memorandum of Understanding; 31, 54 vi 36. NAN - News Agency of Nigeria; 64, 68 37. NEPAD – New Economic Partnership for Africa Development; 9, 30-33, 62 38. NIIA - Nigerian Institute of International Affairs; 9, 33, 61, 62, 64 39. NISER - Nigerian Institute for Social and Economic Research; 33 40. NMO - Nigerian Masses Organisation; 65 41. NWG - National Working Group; 32, 33 42. OAU – Organisation of African Unity; 9, 19, 27 – 32, 46, 48 43. OIC – Organisation of Islamic Countries; 8 44. OPEC - Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries; 8 45. SADC - Southern African Development Community; 37, 42 46. TA – Technical Assistance; 6 47. TRIs - Technical Research Institutes; 33 48. UK – United Kingdom; 5 49. UN – United Nations; 9, 43, 45, 46, 49, 54, 58, 63 50. UNAMIR - United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda; 46 51. UNDP - United Nations Development Programme; 32 52. UNECA - United Nations Economic Commission for Africa; 28, 32 53. UN-ECOSOC - United Nations Economic and Social Council; 55, 64 54. UNESCO - United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation; 46 55. UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; 54 56. UNIFIL - Lebanon under the United Nations; 48, 49, 50. 57. UNIKOM - United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission; 46 58. UNIPOM – United Nations India-Pakistan Observation Mission; 45 59. UNIPROFOR - United Nations Protection Force in Yugoslavia; 45 60. UNMIL - United Nations Military; 64 61. UNO - United Nations Organisation; 8 62. UNOMOZ - United Nations Operation in Mozambique; 45 63. UNOSOM - United Nations Operations in Somalia; 45 64. UNTAG - United Nations Transition Assistance Group; 45 65. UNVEM - United Nations Angola Verification Mission; 45 66. US – United States; 58, 59, 65 67. USA – United States of Africa; 42 68. USA – United States of America; 19 69. VOA – Voice of America; 42, 59, 63, 65 70. WTO – World Trade Organisation; 6 71. ZANU-PF - Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front; 42 vii INTRODUCTION The Nigerian nation is known as one, whose foreign policy is essentially tailored to reflect her commitment to the well-being of all African countries; particularly in the areas of peaceful co- existence, prevention of violent conflicts - at intra-national and international levels - restoration of peace where necessary; and maintenance of peace all over the world. For the purpose of this thesis, it is necessary to attempt a search into the rationale behind Nigeria‟s decision to make Africa the cornerstone of her foreign policy, since, according to J.A. Price in his book Political Institutions in West Africa,1 “the foreign policy of a State is liable to reflect the State‟s personality, but foreign policy cannot be developed in a completely arbitrary manner, since policy is bound to be affected by many considerations concerned with the circumstances and internal problems of the State.” So, some of the vital factors that gave rise to this kind of foreign policy are namely the symbiotic relationships, religious affiliations, economic affairs and historical background. 1. Symbiotic Relationship: First, Nigeria is the most populated country in the West African sub-region, if not in the entire African continent. This would not have been of any significance but for the fact that millions of Nigerian nationals are permanently resident in all the neighbouring countries of Togo, Benin Republic, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, the Gambia, Guinea, Cameroon and even countries to the north of the country like Chad and Niger Republics. Several other Nigerians based at home are itinerary traders; artisans and other unskilled workers make their living in these neighbouring countries, as well as Nigerian students now studying in these countries. 1 Price, J.H – Political Institutions in West Africa, Hutchinson of London, 1975, page 181. ii. Adeoshun, Oba S.A. in Elements of Democracy – Obasanjo Olusegun and Mabogunje Alain, ALF Publications, Abeokuta, Ogun State, South West Nigeria, 1992, p. 63. viii The implication is that Nigeria cannot afford to be hostile to these other countries if only because a large number of her citizens benefit from the symbiotic relationships, just as nationals of these other nations reside and make a living in Nigeria. 2. Religious Affiliations: Nigeria is a secular state where freedom of religion is guaranteed.