A Reflection on Nigeria’s Past: Africa as the Centerpiece of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Revisited

Abstract

Over the years, Nigeria had lived with the big name and informal recognition as the ‘giant of Africa’. Perhaps her population might, of about 140 million, the largest in Africa, and her reputable oil wealth, have placed this diplomatic privilege in clear perspective. In acquiescence, Nigeria had variously lived more than this expectation. The country had overwhelmingly given both solicited and unsolicited supports to African neigbours: intervened positively in their internal crisis, provided humanitarian services, doled out billions of dollars as charity, sent technical aid corps, formed and sent military supports, and so on. In most cases, these flamboyant gestures were defiantly done against home interest and survival. However, there seems to be a disconnect between what is given out and what is given in return. Therefore, this paper seeks to build a linkage between Nigeria’s flamboyant foreign policy thrust in Africa and the ironical diminishment of Nigeria’s prominence and economic value both home and abroad. The qualitative mechanism of data collection and analysis is applied. We argue that the superfluous involvement of Nigeria in Africa’s problems, in defiant of home problems, aimed at acquiring cheap fame, rather makes her unpopular and diminishes whatever prestige that had been built already. Not only that, these beneficiary countries never appreciate such, they rather sabotage Nigeria’s interest in global politics in recompense. It is observed, also, that in the present, Nigeria’s foreign policy thrust has not shifted radically from the ‘Africa centerpiece’ bent. We conclude that for Nigeria to achieve genuine economic and political standing/reputation, a holistic revision and redirection of this blind focus on Africa is highly imperative.

Keywords: Foreign Policy, Afro-centrism, West Africa, African Union, ECOMOG, ECOWAS, NEPAD, Economy.