A Philosophical Assessment of the Challenges of Sustainability of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Image Between 1960-2013

Abstract

This paper is a philosophical assessment of the challenges of sustainability of Nigeria’s foreign policy image between 1960-2013. The problem which led to this research was the failure of the Nigerian state to secure a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. This shows that Nigeria’s image problem is clearly a treat to the country’s progress in international politics. In this way, the paper is significant in calling attention to Nigeria’s image problem. The central argument which this paper raised was that while the “survivability” or “unsurvivability” of Nigeria’s foreign policy image cannot be discussed without recourse to the Nigerian civil war(1966-1969), the actual challenges to sustainability which this paper alleges include among other things; -1) prolonged years of military misrule in Nigeria, 2)identification of Africa’s interests as Nigeria’s National interests, and 3) the absence of an efficient public relation department in the Nigerian foreign policy industry for that same purpose.

Keywords: Nigeria foreign policy image, sustainability and challenges.