THE DYNAMISM OF THE NIGERIAN FOREIGN POLICY

Abstract

Recent studies by Aluko, Macridis, Anyaele and Akinboye depicts Nigeria’s foreign policy as being chameleon in nature, a foreign policy constantly in a state of flux as a result of internal and external dynamics inherent in any given administration or regime. In the case of Nigeria, the formation of Nigeria’s foreign policy has gone through 14 different administrations through the external affairs ministry in the past 53 years, out of which 35 years were during military regimes. Consequently, there has been a plethora of conceptual, ideological and psychological postulations of policies in Nigeria’s foreign policy machinery, most of which were born out of a crave and selfish hunger for an identity that would leave a lasting impression about the various administrations or regimes in question While adopting the traditional critical methods of analysis in philosophy to analyze relevant data, archival materials, texts and the major conceptual and ideological constructs proposed as foundations which upholds the main trusts of Nigeria’s foreign policy, the study shall strive to show via contextual and conceptual analysis of all the data collected for the study, the reason for  policy failure and abandonment in Nigeria’s foreign policy machinery

CHAPTER ONE

                                        INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

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 coexistence, 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, “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.” A country‘s foreign policy consists of self-interest strategies chosen by the state to safeguard its national interests and to achieve its goals within the international relations milieu. It is the aggregate of a country’s national interest which results from the interaction of internal and external forces as perceived by the foreign policy decision makers. The approaches used are strategically employed to interact with other countries. In recent times however, due to the deepening level of globalization and transnational activities, relations and interactions have been known to exist between state and non- state actors in the international political arena. These relations in their own way have influenced several foreign policies between nation states.

Nigeria’s foreign policy since independence has been viewed from different perspectives (Aluko, 1981); Macridis (1985:xiii), Anyaele, (2005) in recent times. One of the most prevailing perspectives of her foreign policy is that “it is chameleon in nature”, (Anyaele, 2005) a foreign policy constantly in a state of flux as a result of internal and external dynamics inherent in any given administration or regime. Some writers however maintained that irrespective of the frequent changes, the substance of Nigeria’s foreign policy has remained the same. The later parts of this study will however argue otherwise. Buttressing the above point, (Anyaele, 2005:2) upholds the view that “the protection of our national interest has remained the permanent focus of Nigeria’s foreign policy, but the strategies for such protection have varied from one regime / government to another”.

The formation and execution of Nigeria’s foreign policy from independence has been carried out in no fewer than fourteen different administrations through the external affairs ministry. From Tafawa Balewa’s administration in 1960 to President Obasanjo’s administration in 2003; from the administration of President Musa Yar’Adua to the current administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. These various administrations – including the different military regimes which took over administrative power in Nigeria for over a cumulative period of 35 years, of the entire 53 years of the existence of Nigeria’s foreign policy- claimed to pursue the same national interest with regards to the nation’s foreign policy.

The consequence of the fluxy nature of Nigeria’s foreign policy, there has been a plethora of conceptual ideological transitions in Nigeria’s foreign policy machinery (Pine, 2011).   Studies (Aluko, 1981); (Vision 2020 Report, 2009); (Pine, 2011); (Akinboye, 2013); and indicate that past administrations strove towards an epistemological construction and definition of the thrust of Nigeria’s foreign policy. These conceptualizations are often regime specific and born out of a psychological and selfish hunger of various administrations or regimes to carve an identity which will leave a lasting impression in the minds of Nigerians. To this end, (Pin, 2011) laments: “…these ideologies are not necessarily products of deep and profound philosophical reflections”. This paper will argue that these ideologies are rather collections of selfish efforts by these various administrations to make a name or an identity for themselves and their regime or administration as the case may be. (Pin, 2011:1) strongly believes this factor was one of the major causative avenues / agencies of project abandonment and foreign policy failure in Nigeria. Concepts and ideologies that have been proposed over the years since independence include: Africa as the center piece of Nigeria’s foreign policy, Dynamic foreign policy, National consensus in foreign policy, Economic diplomacy, Citizen Diplomacy  and The transformation agenda of Nigeria’s foreign policy are a few examples among many other ideologies which in many ways have not lived up to expectations.

While adopting the traditional critical and rationalist methods of analysis in philosophy, the study shall review and offer conceptual clarifications of relevant literature, arguments, texts, library and archival materials in the areas of the subject matter of the study, with the view to evaluate these conceptual mutations in Nigeria’s foreign policy engineering.  The paper will further show how such misdirected polices breads operationally barren and philosophically vague policies which when applied resulted to more conceptual confusion and groping in the dark. 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.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Since independence Nigeria has been engaged in the struggle to come to terras with the legacy of its historical development, colonial circumstance and contemporary socio-political precepts. We have argued that, in seeking to come to terms with the realities of this predicament, Nigeria has consciously sought to manifest a perceptional image of national unity that concurrently shields the domestic stability from external demands and maximizes the country’s imporance in African affairs (and by implication, world affairs). Historically, Nigeria has been intimately involved in the main trends of the African continent. As Stremlau has suggested : Nigeria’s self-avowed political interests related almost exclusively to the changing conditions in Africa. In the broadest sense, Nigerian leaders viewed their country’s international prestige as a function of the extent to which Nigeria was considered a leader of black Africa. It is in view of the above that the researcher intends to examine the dynamism of Nigeria foreign policy.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to examine the dynamism of Nigeria foreign policy, but to aid the completion of the study, the researcher put forward the following specific objectives;

1. i) To examine the effect of Nigeria foreign policy on Nigeria’s international relation
2. ii) To examine the effectiveness of Nigeria foreign policy in the development of regional integration

iii) to examine the relationship between Nigeria foreign policy and economic growth

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION

The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;

1. i) What are they effect of Nigeria foreign policy on Nigeria’s international relation?
2. ii) How effective is Nigeria foreign policy in the development of regional integration?

iii) Is there any relationship between Nigeria foreign policy and economic growth?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of significance to the ministry of foreign affairs as the findings will aid them in policy review and formulation that will be beneficial to Nigeria’s in diaspora, the study will also be of great importance to the various government ministry and parastatals as the study seek to examine the various dynamics and the changes in the policy of various regime and administrations in Nigeria. The study will also be useful to researchers who intend to embark on a study in a similar topic as the study will serve as a reference point to further study. Finally, the study will be of great importance to students, teachers, lecturers, researchers and academia as the study will contribute to the pool of existing literature and also add to knowledge in the subject matters

1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers the dynamics of the Nigerian foreign policy, but in the cause of the study, there are some factors that limited the scope of the study;

1. a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
2. b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
3. c) Finance: Limited Access to the required financed was a major constrain to the scope of the study.

1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Dynamics

Dynamics is the branch of classical mechanics concerned with the study of forces and their effects on motion. Isaac Newton defined the fundamental physical laws which govern dynamics in physics, especially his second law of motion.

Foreign policy

Foreign Policy is an American news publication, founded in 1970 and focused on global affairs, current events, and domestic and international policy. It produces content daily on its website, and in six print issues annually

International relation

International Relations is an Increasingly Relevant Field of Study. International Relations is becoming increasingly relevant as the world grows more and more interconnected through trade and commerce, migration, the internet and through social media, and concerns about pressing global environmental problems.

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