INCONSISTENCY AND LOPSIDEDNESS IN NIGERIA’S FOREIGN POLICY THRUST UNDER MILITARY REGIMES: LESSONS TO LEARN

Abstract

Prior to 1999, Nigeria’s foreign policy was influenced by successive military regimes. This paper is an attempt to highlight the roles played by different military regimes towards foreign policy formulation and implementation. The paper placed strong emphasis on the inconsistent nature of the foreign policy thrust of different military heads of state in Nigeria and most importantly the gross neglect of the office of the Ministry of External Affairs by the military juntas. The paper examined the role and nature of foreign policy and actions of military heads of state such as General Yakubu Gowon, Murtala Muhammed, Olusegun Obasanjo, Muhamadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha and Abdusalami Abubakah. The paper adopted historical approach, and relied on secondary sources including journals, books, newspapers and policy documents. Interesting issues such as a comparison of the regime’s foreign policies and appraisal of the capacity of Foriegn Affairs Ministers were also explored. Finally, it was generally observed that, the rigidness and over-concentration of power in the hands of military heads of state and the lack of successor’s follow-up of their predecessors' policy is the major setback and the lesson to learn in this contemporary time. The paper contends that, the attainment of national development orchestrated on the platform of sound foreign policy should be guided by follow-up, i.e., successive regimes should not entirely discard the foreign policy thrust of their predecessors