Nigeria Foreign Policy 1999-2019 a Critical Assessment
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the Study
This study seeks to achieve the following objectives:
- Provide a detailed background to Nigeriaโs foreign policy from 1999 to 2019 focusing on his achievements and shortcomings;
- Examine the impact of Nigeriaโs shuttle diplomacy in re-building Nigeriaโs image as a regional power in Africa;
- Analyse Nigeriaโs policy of partnership especially with the western powers and the implication of this partnership on Nigeria economic growth between 1999 and 2019;
- Discuss the contributions of Nigeria under the administration of Nigeriaโs presidents to the security and peace-building in Africa; and lastly,
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Review of literature in historical research is sin qua nonย in determining the nature of the research as it provides the basis for the understanding of what other have said or written about the subject matter. It therefore becomes imperative to review what other scholars have written about Nigerian foreign policy since 1960 with special attention on President Olusegun Nigeriaโs foreign policy from 1999 to 2019.
One of the most important works on Nigerian foreign policy is Ufot Bassey Inamete,ย Foreign policy decision-making in Nigeria,ย whichย examines Nigeria’s foreign policy decision-making system together with the other factors that shape and determine foreign policy. It gives the reader an understanding of the foreign-policy structures, processes, dynamics, and outputs in Nigeria. It also looks at how personalities affect foreign policy decision making in Nigeria. ย The reader also gains an understanding of how foreign-policy decision-making system impact on foreign-policy outputs in medium-sized countries. Although, no special attention was given to the administration of Nigeriaโs presidents which is the major concern of this study, this work is of importance to this study as it discusses the issues of personality in the development of Nigerian foreign policy.
Bassey Ateโs Decolonization and Dependence: The Development of Nigeria-US Relations, 1960-1984ย is a good contribution to the study. Despite the variations in the years, the work systematically analyses the development of the relationship between Nigeria and the US during the dynamic era of decolonization with special attention on General Olusegun Obasanjo first outing as head of state. This study serves as a basis for analyzing Nigeriaโs stand on some key issues with the major world powers. Although, Bassey is not directly connected to the present study, it gives a vivid background on the historical past of the friendly Olusegun Obasanjo when he was the military head of state between 1976 and 1979 and how this later helped in running the affairs of Nigeria from 1999 to 2019.
CHAPTER THREE
MAJOR FOREIGN POLICY THRUSTS IN NIGERIAโS FOREIGN POLICYย IN THE FOURTH REPUBLICย SHUTTLEย DIPLOMACY
Shuttle diplomacy is traceable to Henry Kissingerโs years as secretary of state in the United States of America, and this was based on his attempt at maintaining peace between Israel and the Arab states (Egypt and Syria) during the Yom Kippur war in the 1970s. Shuttle diplomacy according to Dauda & Bako (2012) refers to the discussions that occur between two or more states whereby an individual, usually a government official, travels to and from the countries involved either for the purposes of mediation, negotiation or partnership as the case may be. Abdul & Ibrahim (2013) note that President Obasanjo was renowned for his shuttles in a bid to forge bilateral and multilateral partnerships that sought to advance development within Nigeria and ensure the peaceful coexistence among states in West Africa. Also inherent in the goals of President Nigeriaโs shuttle diplomacy were the restoration of Nigeriaโs image from its position as a pariah state, and the securing of debt relief from the countryโs creditors.
CHAPTER FOUR
DISCUSSION OF SOME UNRESOLVED ISSUES IN NIGERIAโS FOREIGN POLICYย DOMESTIC CHALLENGES
Given the fact that foreign policy is an offshoot of domestic public policy, a stableย economicย andย politicalย economyย isย crucialย toย theย actualizationย ofย foreignย policyย inย theย international arena (Ukwuije, 2015). Since 1999, Nigeria has contended with multiple crisesย resulting from communal and religious-based violence, resource activism which has taken theย form of militancy, and fluctuations in global oil prices, thus leading to political and economicย instabilityย (Abdul &Ibrahim, 2013, p. 40).
While Nigeria may have a large economy, it is riddled with serious economic crisesย stemming from huge dependence on exportation of primary goods, especially crude oil andย importation of finished materials (Enuka & Ojukwu, 2016). Worthy of note is the role thatย corruption plays in the underdevelopment of the Nigerian state, ultimately countering foreignย policyย actionsย ofย theย state.ย Awojobiย (2014,ย p.ย 155),ย arguesย thatย fundsย allocatedย forย theย developmentย ofย theย country haveย beenย mismanagedย by politicalย officeย holdersย sinceย 1999.ย Dividends of corruption are visible in the poor health and power sectors, constantly deterioratingย road networks, and poor infrastructural development and non-functional refineries, to mention aย few. Awojobi (2014, p. 155), argues further that โpoverty is a by-product of insecurity. Theย security challenges that are facing Nigeria have been blamed on the high level of corruption andย povertyย in theย country.โ
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Conclusion
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It is observable from the discussion in this paper that Nigeriaโs foreign policy in theย Fourth Republic experienced its zenith under President Obasanjo. Subsequent administrationsย couldย notย equalย theย achievementsย ofย hisย administration.ย Thus,ย sinceย hisย exitย fromย power,ย Nigeriaโsย foreignย policy hasย notย beenย asย assertive asย itย shouldย be.ย The major foreignย policyย thrusts highlighted in the Fourth Republic could be seen as trial and error attempts. This isย coupled with the fact that Nigeriaโs foreign policy in the Fourth Republic bears convergence withย that of the Second Republic, replete with inherent domestic issues bedeviling the successfulย implementation ofย foreign policy.
Some of the major unresolved issues in Nigeriaโs foreign policy in the Fourth Republic that have been identified include: domestic challenges, Nigerians in diaspora, image crisis, and reciprocity. While these are not the only issues identifiable, this study chose to analyze these four in order to unravel the prospects for Nigeriaโs foreign policy (once they can be tackled). Prior toย the Fourth Republic, Nigeria remained a force in regional affairs because of its bold foreignย policyย stanceย and its abilityย to assert hegemonicย influenceย over states within the region.
Arising fromย theย lethargy witnessedย afterย theย Presidentย Obasanjoย administrationโsย yearsย to effectively manage the domestic situation, Nigeria plunged into issues like political instability,ย economicย crises,ย civilย unrests/terroristย activities,ย and sundryย governanceย deficits.ย Theย adoptionย ofย the linkage approach to foreign policy analysis shed light on the fact that there are remedialย measures that can be taken by the Nigerian government to review and restructure the foreignย policy in such a manner that caters for contemporary issues. To this end, this study proffers theย followingย recommendations.
Recommendations
- An urgent review of Nigeriaโs foreign policy to capture the protection of the rights andย the welfare of Nigerians at home and abroad. Once Nigerians are satisfied, they can begin toย serve as citizen diplomats and ambassadors of the country, projecting good values and a positiveย national image. There is a need to revisit and tinker with Section 19, Chapter 2 of the 1999ย Nigerian Constitution as part of the issues requiring legislative (National Assembly) interventionย toย makeย it enforceableย and justiciable.
- A more proactive and community-based approach to tackling national security should beย ย This would require a reinvigoration of security apparatus and architecture for national security, provision of adequate training of personnel, and effective motivation.
- Nigeria needs to make huge investments in cybersecurity and electronic surveillance to enable the monitoring of activities of fraudulent individuals offline or online that have contributed in rupturing the image of Nigeria
- Nigeriaโs foreign policy should reflect the reciprocity principle in the sustenance of the Afrocentric policy. If the policy is to be maintained, it needs to be carried out with recourse to achieving national interest on bilateral and multilateral platforms.
- There is a need for the current administration to be more pragmatic about tackling corruption in Nigerian public institutions. A high level of corruption stunts development within the country and consequently affects the countryโs stature in international affairs.
- Nigeriaโs foreign missions require adequate funding to cater to the needs of Nigerians in diaspora. They contribute significantly to the economic development of the country and their welfare should be a priority to the Nigerian
References
- Abdul, S. & Ibrahim, M. (2013). Interrogating Nigeriaโs Foreign Policy in the 21st Century: Reflections on the Gains and Challenges of Nigeriaโs Administration 1999-2019. Basseyย Andah Journal, 6, 31-51.
- Adebajo, A. (2008). Hegemony on A Shoestring: Nigeriaโs Post-Cold War Foreign Policy. In A.ย Adebajo, & A. Mustapha (ed.), Gulliverโs Troubles: Nigeriaโs Foreign Policy After theย Coldย War. South Africa: Universityย ofย Kwazulu-Natal Press, 1-40.
- Ade-Ibijola, O. A. (2013). Overview of National Interest, Continuities and Flaws in Nigeriaย Foreignย Policy.ย Internationalย Journalย ofย Academicย Researchย inย Businessย andย Socialย Sciences,ย 3ย (1), 565-572.
- Adekunle,ย M.ย (2017,ย May 26).ย Americaย Jailsย 3ย Nigerianย Scammersย 235ย Years.ย Vanguard.ย Retrievedย from:ย https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/america-jails-3-nigerian-ย scammers-235-years/amp/
- Adeola, G. L.& Ogunnoiki, A. O. (2015). The Pursuance of Nigeriaโs Domestic and Foreignย Policy inย theย Fourthย Republic:ย Complementarity or Contradiction.ย Journalย ofย Socialย Sciencesย andย Humanities, 1 (4), 434-444.