NIGERIAN FOREIGN POLICY UNDER GENERAL IBRAHIM BADAMOSI BABANGIDA (1985 – 1993)

Project Abstract

<p> </p><p>Nigeria’s foreign policy under General Ibrahim Babangida was one in which Nigeria played active role in the crises in West African sub-region especially Liberia and Sierra-Leone. Nigeria’s involvement in the internal affairs of other countries got rekindled in 1988. First was to settle the border conflict between Burkina Faso and Mali. In this instance, Nigeria brokered a peace agreement acceptable to both sides but which was frustrated by France using Code d’ivore.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Nigeria renewed interest in global and African affairs throughout the period of General Babangida. Nigeria’s foreign minister shuttled between Tripoli and Abidjan each time there crises in Africa who are French speaking people. Nigeria negotiated more with former colonial powers than the country that crisis is emanating from. Our former colonial masters still exercise much influence than the other African countries.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Today, Nigeria has responded to virtually all the calls by the United Nations, African Union, ECOWAS and other bodies for peace and conflict resolution.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Also, Nigeria has as well responded to the calls of distress by countries that are undergoing one natural disaster or the other. Nigeria recently demonstrated such swift response by providing aids to earthquake ridden Chile and Haiti.</p> <br><p></p>

Project Overview

<p> </p><p>1.1 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <strong>BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY</strong>’</p><p>Africa as noted by Chaplan (1966:376), “is an important strategic arena in contemporary world politics”. Osuntokun (1999:19) argues further “being the most populous black country in the world, Nigeria is being compelled to shoulder willingly and unwillingly the leadership of the black world. This led to Nigeria’s feeling that she had a responsibility far beyond her borders as noted by Joe Nanven Garba…” In all our dealings with international organisations we are guided not by selfish national interests, but a high sense of responsibility and concern for countries (particularly in Africa) whose needs in some respect are greater than ours”.</p><p>Ambassador Jolaoso stated further that Africa has always been the centre-piece of Nigeria’s foreign policy, with West Africa being the most crucial sector of this piece. He further stated that since foreign policy, represents the initiatives or responses by a country to issues which directly affect the interest of the country to that extent, it is related to the domestic as well as the international system.</p><p>Aghahowa (2007:59) posits that “the nature of man compels interaction and mutual dependence. According to him, man cannot survive in isolation, therefore, the associational tendencies of man manifest locally, nationally and globally.</p> <br><p></p>