CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background to the Study
The dawn of another civilian rule in May 1999 headed
by President Olusegun Obasanjo witnessed a new trend in Nigerian foreign
policy. Nigeria’s foreign policy had been shaped by several past events leading
up to the period in consideration. The years in which the image of the country
was battered by several regimes of military rule and disregard to creating
environment and fostering policies to enable growth had caused damage to the
country’s economy.
General Ibrahim Babangida came into power August 27
1985, this marked the beginning of a new era in Nigerian foreign policy, this
rule however punctuated Nigeria’s external relations which has been established
from the time of General Murtala Mohammed in 1975 through to the regime of
General Muhammadu Buhari which came to end 1985 (Fawole 1990:1).
The General Ibrahim
Babangida regime brought Nigeria to a pariah state, which can be traced to when
the election which was claimed to be free and fair was cancelled. This action
ruined the image and reputation of Nigeria in the world as it resulted in a
chain of reactions from the international community.
These reactions further
led to a sharp decline in the image of the country. Subsequently, the international community (United States, Britain and other
European Union member states) imposed sanctions of various degrees on Nigeria.
(Awe, 1996:28)
Chief Earnest Shonekan assumed power from the
Babangida’s administration and was supposed to hand over to a democratically
elected president. However power was quickly unsurped by General Sanni Abacha
and he became the Commander in Chief. Abacha’s rule in Nigeria can be labelled
as the dark years of Nigeria’s foreign policy or isolation years, as the period
witnessed squandering of all the gains since 1960. Nigerian foreign policy
since 1960 showed an established pattern and tradition of commitment by
successive regimes to a purposeful foreign policy until the regime of Abacha.
Abacha’s foreign policy until His demise is a preventive diplomacy, the killing
of environmentalist Ken Saro Wiwa and other Ogonis, imprisonment of Chief
M.K.O. Abiola and other human rights activist as well as some religious leaders
coupled with unabated abuse of Human rights. The European Economic Community
(EEC) the commonwealth of Nations imposed sactions on the Nigerian government.
Different government imposed selective sanctions on Abacha. He did not allow
for bilateral trade and economic relations with the western world, only states
like India and other Asian states were allowed to carry out business in the
cuntry. This distabilised the economy of Nigeria and gave Nigeria a very poor
image in the international community.
Abacha’s rigged policies had states opting out of
bilateral relations with Nigeria. Babangida’s Structural Adjustment Programme
came to an end. The government began to kill activist and everyone that posed a
threat to the government thus allowing international
institutions and states to impose sanctions on Nigeria economically this made
Nigeria achieve a pariah status.(Fayemi, 1999).
Unfortunately, Abacha’s
plans to remain in power came to an abrupt end with his death on 8 June 1998,
General Abubakar Abdusalami, the head of military came to power on 9 June 1998.
This development brought about a new look into the status of Nigeria in Africa
and Abroad and was welcomed by the west, since the EU and the united states
(US) lifted their selective sanctions and promised to support the new
government in its transition programme. Abubakar’s intention to redeem the
battered image and economy of the Nigerian nation was accepted by the west as
the only condition for re-entering international institutions after spending
some time in a cocoon. Abubakar’s government set out to win new friends and
consolidate existing ones. (World Bank, 2000).
Despite his good
intentions for Nigeria, General Abubakar had to hand over power to President
Olusegun Obasanjo, in May, 1999, as Nigeria moved to a new face of civilian
rule. President Olusegun Obasanjo inherited a nation with a battered image and
without credibility externally. In his determination to regain Nigeria’s lost
glory and re-integrate it to the civilized world, he engaged in a deft shuttle
diplomacy across the major capitals of the globe. (Ikuomola, 2005:1).
In the light of a
damaged foreign policy, the world got more globalised as a result of increasing
trends in technology, liberalization of previously closed economies across the world, and reinstatement of more and more countries
to civilian/democratic rule. This enabled more dependence of economies of
countries on each other.
Nigeria became more
dependent on the West as a result of globalisation and the advent of
technology. The country has formulated several policies under the Obasanjo
administration in order to take advantage of the teeming globalisation trends.
In a globalised world, Nigeria as an emerging economy has little chance order
than take advantage of the trends.
Several challenges
limited the globalisation of the country and Nigeria had to formulate policies
that would enable it to take advantage of globalization.
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