Africa Development, Volume XLVI, No. 3, 2021, pp. 97-126 © Council for the Deve
Africa Development, Volume XLVI, No. 3, 2021, pp. 97-126 © Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, 2021 (ISSN: 0850 3907) Nigeria’s Foreign and Defence Policies During Babangida's Regime: An Assessment Dele Jemirade* Abstract This article investigates the changes to and achievements of Nigeria’s foreign and defence policies from 1985 to 1993. It also examines the economic, political, and sociocultural implications of these policies on the nation. The article argues that despite some identified failures of Ibrahim Babangida’s regime, certain innovations and actions, especially the foreign and defence policies that were introduced and carried out by his government, were significant in nature. The article also addresses the interlocking relationship between defence and foreign policy execution and concludes with recommendations on how this can be managed to promote the effectiveness of Nigeria’s external relations. The article depended largely on archival materials from the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, supported by scholarly journal articles, books and newspaper materials. Résumé Cet article étudie les changements et les réalisations de la politique étrangère et de la politique de défense du Nigeria de 1985 à 1993. Il examine également leurs implications économiques, politiques et socioculturelles sur la nation. L'article soutient qu'en dépit de certains échecs palpables du régime d'Ibrahim Babangida, certaines innovations et actions, en particulier la politique étrangère et la politique de défense qui ont été introduites et mises en œuvre par son gouvernement, ont été importantes. L'article aborde également la relation d'interdépendance entre l'exécution de la politique de défense et de la politique étrangère, et conclut par des recommandations sur la façon dont cela peut être géré pour promouvoir l'efficacité des relations extérieures du Nigeria. L'article s'appuie en grande partie sur des documents d'archives de l'Institut nigérian des affaires internationales, que viennent appuyer des articles de revues savantes, des livres et des journaux. * Department of History, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Email: delej@yorku.ca 98 Africa Development, Volume XLVI, No. 3, 2021 This article examines the foreign and defence policies of Nigeria from 1985 to 1993, when General Ibrahim Babangida was the military head of state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It also examines the impact of these policies on the economic, political and sociocultural conditions of the country. A lot of research and studies have been done on the foreign policies of various Nigerian governments, including that of the Babangida administration, but few have shown the relationship of these foreign policies to the defence policy objectives of the government and the overriding effect on the nation. This research is a synthesis and reassessment of the foreign and defence policies of the regime. Many scholars and researchers, including Iyayi (1989), Ake (1995), Falode (2019), Agbese (2012), McDikkoh (2010), Mimiko (1995a), Bamikole (1995), Ihonvbere (1995), Fawole (1995), G. Ajayi (1995), Sa’id (1995), Kolawole (1995), K. Ajayi (1995), Adekanye (1993 and 2005), Okafor (2006), Bamidele (2012) and many others, have condemned the Babangida government as a failure in terms of most of its policies. But this article shows that despite this being so, the administration’s foreign and defence policies were meaningfully successful. The article is divided into five sections. Section one reviews Nigeria’s foreign and defence policies from 1960 to 1985, section two addresses the foreign policy of the Babangida administration, section three examines the defence policy, section four analyses the relationship between the foreign and defence policies and its impact on the nation, and section five assesses Babangida’s foreign and defence policies. Review of Nigeria’s Foreign and Defence Policies, 1960–1985 Before independence on 1 October 1960, Britain represented Nigeria’s foreign and defence matters, as its colonising power (Ogunsanwo 1985). Even after independence, Britain continued to influence the country’s foreign policy through the new ruling elites who inherited Nigeria’s foreign policy from Britain. This is the reason why there were no immediate visible changes in Nigeria’s external relations after independence (Ogunsanwo 1985). According to a publication of the Federal Ministry of External Affairs, 1991, ‘Nigeria at the United Nations: A Partnership for a Better World’, the principles and objectives of Nigeria’s foreign policy are: 1. Protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nigerian state. 2. Promotion of the socio-economic well-being of Nigerians. 3. Enhancing Nigeria’s image and status in the world at large. 4. Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states. 99 Jemirade: Nigeria's Foreign and Defence Policies During Babangida's Regime 5. Non-interference in the internal affairs of other states. 6. Promotion of the unity and solidarity of African states. 7. Total political, economic, social, and cultural emancipation and rejuvenation of Africa. 8. An unflinching commitment to the elimination of apartheid and racism. 9. Emancipation of countries still under colonial rule as well as the removal of the remaining vestiges of colonialism in Africa. 10. Promotion of international cooperation and understanding conducive to the consolidation of world peace and security. 11. Enhancing the dignity and promoting the welfare of African and people of African descent all over the world. 12. Contributing to efforts aimed at redressing the imbalance in the development and progress of developing countries. 13. Promotion of peace, prosperity, stability, and development of Africa. 14. Promotion of political goodwill and understanding among African countries despite the cultural, linguistic, and economic barriers erected by erstwhile colonialists. 15. The discouragement of international intervention and presence in Africa. 16. The promotion of rapid socio-economic development in Africa through regional economic integration, strengthening of sub-regional economic institutions and the reduction of economic dependence on extra-continental powers. 17. The development of cultural cooperation as a means of strengthening political ties with all African countries. 18. And the eradication of all forms of racial discrimination in Africa. From independence in 1960, Nigeria had no well-articulated and documented defence policy, until 1979 when Major General Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration finally documented its principles and objectives. This document remained in place until 1988, when General Ibrahim Babangida’s administration reviewed it. According to Babangida (1988), Abacha (1992) and Osobie (1988), the following is what are generally accepted to be the principles and objectives of Nigeria’s defence policy: 1. The defence and protection of the country’s territorial integrity, her people, and internal peace. 2. The defence and maintenance of the country’s independence. 3. The defence of the economic and social well-being of the people. 4. The defence, preservation and promotion of their culture and way of life, especially their democratic values. 5. Defence of the general development of the nation and the effective management of national energy. 100 Africa Development, Volume XLVI, No. 3, 2021 6. Defence of equality and self-reliance in Africa and the rest of the developing world. 7. Promotion of necessary economic and political conditions in Africa and throughout the world that will foster national self-reliance and rapid economic development. 8. Promotion of social justice and human dignity everywhere, particularly for black people. 9. The enhancement of the country’s standing and status in world capitals, especially Africa. 10. Ensuring peace and stability in the African continent through mutual collective defence and security system. 11. Commitment to the United Nations and the promotion of world peace and international security. After independence, Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa presented some cardinal points of the principles and objectives of Nigeria’s foreign policy, with Africa as its focal point (Gray 1965; Tukur 1965). The principles and objectives mentioned above still apply today, and most Nigerian leaders have pursued them one way or the other with variations only in style of leadership and implementation. Under Balewa, Nigeria accepted and honoured all the treaties and agreements signed by Britain; this further increased British influence on the country’s foreign policy. Although Balewa declared Nigeria a non-aligned nation, like most of the members of the Non-Aligned Movement, he did not respect the principle behind this statement. It was clear that he was pro-West, certainly because Nigeria was economically tied to Britain and the Western Bloc. When Nikita Khrushchev, the then prime minister of the Soviet Union, demanded that Nigeria should permit that nation to establish its embassy in Lagos in 1960, Balewa replied that ‘Application for diplomatic exchange would be considered in order of receipts and would be judged on their merits.’ However, the same request was immediately granted to the United States of America (Gray 1965:85). Balewa was anti-communist, and turned down scholarship awards to Nigerians from the Soviet bloc as well as delaying the opening of diplomatic relations with them. On the other hand, he invited apartheid South Africa to Nigeria’s independence celebrations, being an advocate of a gradual approach to Africa’s decolonisation. He also rejected the Organisation of African Unity’s (OAU) plan to break diplomatic ties with Britain because of Rhodesia’s (Zimbabwe) Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). And only Balewa supported the unpopular Moïse Tshombe during the Congo crisis (Tukur 1965). 101 Jemirade: Nigeria's Foreign and Defence Policies During Babangida's Regime Balewa’s administration believed that the West and Britain were Nigeria’s best friends. This is seen in his independence speech: ‘We are grateful to the British officers whom we have uploads/Politique/ 5-africa-development-46-3-2021-jemirade.pdf
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- Publié le Jui 29, 2022
- Catégorie Politics / Politiq...
- Langue French
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