NIGERIA AND ITS FOREIGN POLICY

Since Nigeria’s Independence in 1960 from the British Government, its Foreign Policy has been characterized by a focus on Africa, especially its unity and independence, as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes. It has also ensured non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations, and striven to promote regional economic cooperation and development.

In pursuing the goal of regional economic cooperation and development, Nigeria was central to the creation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 1975 which seeks to harmonize trade and investment practices for its fifteen member nations.

It would be recalled that a Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon led a delegation of Nigeria and Togo to tour West African Countries towards persuading them and build a regional body that would promote socio-economic and political emancipation of the region.

To this end, since the return of democracy in the past decade, Nigeria has continued its tradition by playing a pivotal role in the support of peace in Africa. It is on record that Nigeria has provided the bulk of troops for the United Nations Peace-Keeping Missions in Sierra Leone and Liberia, as well as the African Union Mission in Sudan while Nigeria’s role during South African Apartheid regime still fresh in our memories.

Suffice to say that Nigeria has demonstrated commitment to the strengthening and renewal of its ties with the International Community. The regimes of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua visited several countries of the world in an effort to renew Nigeria’s ties with some other countries of the world.

In June, 2007, late President Umaru Yar’Adua attended the Annual G-8 Summit in Helligendamn, Germany, after an invitation by German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, where he met many world leaders. Among issues discussed with the leaders were the fixing of the crisis-ridden energy sector, economic exchange, as well as questions relating to the African Union and the West African regional organization.

President Goodluck Jonathan has also since his emergence in May, 2011 visited a number of countries which include the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and several other African Nations in the name of strengthening the nation’s diplomatic relations with other countries of the world. The question is to what extent were those overseas trips in the name of strengthening bilateral or multilateral ties or wooing investors have impacted on the lives of ordinary Nigerians?

It must be noted that several regimes have employed many foreign policy thrusts ranging from Concentric, Citizens Diplomacy to Economic Diplomacy with a view to promoting Nigeria’s national interest and attracting Foreign Direct Investment into the country.

Emphasizing the new shift of using Nigeria’s diplomatic platform to drive growth and national development, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru stressed that henceforth, Nigerians missions abroad would form the new vanguard and foot-soldiers of the country’s economic diplomacy.

At the opening of the 3-day seminar to review the nation’s foreign policy, Ambassador Ashiru maintained that the new thinking in government is the use of the nation’s foreign policy initiatives to induce economic growth and overall national development at home, pointing out that Nigeria’s foreign policy thrust must translate into putting food on the table of ordinary Nigerians at home.

In essence, all diplomatic gestures of the Federal Government must be tailored towards improving the living standard of the people, while Nigeria should make effort at making meaningful presence at sub-regional, regional and international community rather than unproductive and unfruitful diplomatic assistance like "Old Father Christmas" to some countries under the guise of being the giant of Africa.

Nigerian leaders should therefore halt the growing spate of insecurity, corruption and non-adherence to the rule of law as key instruments towards attracting Foreign Direct Investment into the country. This is because, domestic events would tell much on the success or otherwise of any foreign policy objective.

Hence, there is the need for a strong domestic policy in order to build a vibrant foreign policy abroad by adequately funding the Nigeria missions abroad to enable them perform diligently and promote the image of Nigeria, her people and goods in their various places with a view to wooing more foreign investors into the country.