Nigerians Relation With United States 2009-2020
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
The objective of this study is to assess the relationship between Nigeria and USA from 2009- 2020.Also since the USA is the largest trading partner and largest foreign investor In Nigeria, this research is carried out to know whether Nigeria has benefitted in its relations with the USA. Not only in the economy sector but in the cultural, military and other sectors of the country, since USA is unarguably a big power state in the international system.. This is further aimed at empirically evaluating whether the US initiative in the name of African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) as well as US African Command (AFRICOM) had any impact on the development of Nigeria. Therefore, the specific objectives of the study are;
- To discover the patterns of the Nigeria-USA relations since
- To investigate the effect of global terrorism Nigeria-USA
- To examine the role which democracy has played in the Nigeria-USA relations since
- To do an assessment of the Nigeria-USA relations since
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
This chapter holds so much information about the research. This chapter investigates critically Nigeria‟s relation with the United States of America. This chapter has been sectioned into three unequal parts inclusive of the conceptual and theoretical review to get better clarity of the study. There have been several scholarly works on Nigeria and the United States‟ diplomatic histories of international relations. The authors have, however, concentrated on the factors responsible for the development of such diplomatic and national interests. The present study has a lot to benefit from such existing works to provide a background for the expansion of scholarship. Amodu and Olushola (1988), for instance ,observed that the development in communication and transportation have shrunk the world into a global unit and to this extent the actualization of national interest must necessarily be tied to the intricacies of state relations with others in the international system.
The work draws a strong background in terms of its theoretical framework from the work of Bassey E. Ate‟s emphasis on the dependency paradigm, its meaning and relevance. Some other works relating to the development of this discourse included that written by Anglin (1964), in journal article entitled, Nigeria’s Economic Alignment and political non-alignment, Douglas has attempted to capture the first four years of Nigeria‟s independence vis-à-vis foreign policy relations with the U.S.A. But this was too short a period in a nation‟s foreign policy relations.
Walter (2009) wrote a book entitled, Nigeria. The work gives a credible foundation of how Nigeria‟s foreign policy was driven in the First Republic and its relations with the West, but did not, however, spare enough space for the gains and pains of this venture. The book did not equally drive home the asymmetric relationship that it characterised at the time. Idary(2003) followed Schwarz‟s example in his book, Nigeria: Internal Politics and Foreign Policy under Murtala Mohammed regime. Idary maintains same stance as Schwartz when he states that the entrenchment of the principles of non-alignment with its preoccupation in African affairs, an impervious stance which at times was emphasised when Henry Kissinger, the then Secretary of State of the U.S asked Nigeria to use its influence and act as a counter weight against the Soviet and Cuban support for the MPLA in Angola, Nigeria surprisingly gave MPLA a N 13.5 million aid in total opposition to the West and this led to the victory of the MPLA. Undermining the British link, the Nigerian Government nationalised the Shell B.P (Nigeria) limited, when it broke the oil embargo on Rhodesia.
However, the work does not have enough yardsticks to conclude that such foreign policy directions were needed to foster the national interest of the Nigerian state. Akindele and Ate (1989), argue extensively on the economic relations between Nigeria and the Western super- powers .According to them, these relations are accentuated by the diplomatic ties between Nigeria and these Western countries. The result was that Nigeria was compelled to boycott offer of aid from the Communist bloc. These two works are very close to what this study is aimed at investigating and as such they are a viable source material to be built upon. Generally, these works have provided an insights into issues of Nigeria‟s and the U.S national Interests. However, the authors may not have undertaken a particular review of Nigeria and USA relations at different times, the U.S attitude towards the advancement of Nigeria‟s national interest and how the two nations have formulated policies to advance each other‟s various interests.
Conceptualizing Clarification
Foreign Policy
Foreign policy as a concept policy makes up some of the most important and word changing decisions made today. The term refers to one country‟s goals that it wishes to achieve when interacting with aglobal community. How does it perceive and relate to the world? What is the nature of its relationship with other state and non- state actors, and conversely, how do the rest of the world perceive, and relate with, it? Global perception of another state depends on its behavioral profile either as a con-formist or non-conformist. Its image, and subsequently, its accommodation to the comity of nations, will be enhanced by a reasonable level of conformity with the international grundnum.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
The research method employed in this study is the qualitative analysis. The qualitative analysis method is used to accumulate and assess the benefits and negative aspects of the relations between Nigeria and USA from 2009-2020. The study will be approached through the combination of descriptive, analytical and historical perspectives among others.
Research Design
The research was analyzed based on the available literature and official documents regarding relations between Nigeria and USA from 2009-2020. This made it possible to have a clear identification of the data gap, the perception of the goals, benefits and problems of the relations between Nigeria and USA from 2009-2020. A variety of theories have been attempted to explain different phenomena in the relations between Nigeria and USA from 2009-2020. However, this theory adopted but I opted for the dependency theory and world system theory
Method of Data Collection
Scientific problem can only be solved on the basis of data collected and a major responsibility of the researcher is the setting up of research design capable of providing the data necessary to solve this problem. In this research; secondary data were used.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
Introduction
This chapter focuses on the presentation and analysis of data obtained from other relevant literatures and online researches. The data will be analyzed with emphasis to the objectives of the research work. This is to create justifying reasons for the efforts that the researcher put into the study. According to De Vos (1998:334) data analysis in qualitative research is a highly creative process. It starts with data collection.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
This work has carried out an elaborate study on the Nigeria-US relations over the years. Carrying out proper analysis regarding the objectives of the study led to the following findings.
Nigeria has had foreign relations with America since the inception of her independence in1960, but both parties fell out of friendship due to the dubious military government of the Abacha led government that also brought about sanctions on Nigeria by international bodies. In 2009, change to a civilian democratic lead by president Obasanjo created a renewed relationship between the two countries which has been quite beneficial. But there recent terror issues are already creating challenges in sustainable relations between both countries.
Conclusion
The global system has evolved to a point where there seems to be no barrier in relations among states from far and near through the aid of what is nowknown as multinational corporations. But, the question is: How multinational arethese multinational companies? The fact is that these corporations are mainlyowned by the imperial states in Western Europe and America. The relations between Nigeria and the US therefore seem uneven as thelatter enjoys more control and dominance over the former. The aid offered by theUS Government to Nigeria for the country‟s first national development plan, for instance, acted as a spur for the US subsequent domination of Nigeria‟s crude oil market beginning from the 1970s to the 21st century. It also served to keep Nigeriaaway from the Communist encroachments as the US saw that as an opportunity to win over a very good ally in the West African sub region. Nigeria- US bilateral ties constitute the essential channels through which the American personnel and agencies seem to exercise leverage on the policy making environment in Nigeria, and in a manner that is beneficial to the United States‟ interests and policy objectives.
In conclusion the world is indeed faced with a new reality, a reality in which the current conceptions of national interest seem untenable, and cause us to always want to think global and in universal terms, and then develop a principle of international relations based on universal welfare.
Recommendations
From the study, it is clear that Nigeria‟s bilateral relations with the United States spanned the entire years of the country‟s existence as a sovereign nation. Of note, every aspect of the intercourse, particularly the four key areas examined in this study, have been increasingly driven by the US pursuit of its pragmatic national interests while perpetuating foreign dependency, domination and exploitation on the nation, thus exerting some negative external forces on domestic programmes Packenham (1992).
Although Nigeria requires development partners on the global stage to contribute to its growth in the Fourth Republic and the future, it cannot depend solely on the United States to realize her aspirations. In order to exploit foreign policy as an instrument of national transformation, Nigeria‟s foreign relations, especially its bilateral relations, must now be prioritized. As the nation continues to pursue its transformation agenda in the fourth republic, this study recommend, among other things, that Nigeria should concentrate its foreign policy attention and resources on cultivating special bilateral relationships with countries that are strategic to its development aspirations as an emerging industrial, political and regional power. Nigeria should henceforth engage primarily in those relations that are potentially strategic to the nation‟s national transformation.
As Ate (2001) had earlier suggested, countries with which Nigeria should forge a special relationship, based on economic, democratic and security considerations might include Germany, France, China, Malaysia and India. In economic sphere, the strategic options that are available to Nigeria derived from the ability of the policy makers to develop a programme of systematic exploitation of the vital indices of relations with a strategic country and international institutions to advance the economic transformation agenda. These options should focus on a creative manipulation of channels of foreign direct investments, development assistance, trade ties, military relations and technological-scientific flows. It is crucial for Nigeria to maintain a strong and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship with the United States because of the central importance of America in the global economy, politics and international security Warris (2007). The Nigerian-American partnership must be constructed and managed in strategic terms, on the broad model of America‟s relationship with South Korea, Taiwan and Japan after World War II.
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