A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF NIGERIA'S FOREIGN POLICY UNDER THE MILITARY REGIMES: 1966 - 1998
A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF NIGERIA'S FOREIGN POLICY UNDER THE MILITARY REGIMES: 1966 - 1998
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Date
2003-06
Authors
APIKINS, MAINA WILLIAMS
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Abstract
The Nigerian Military began its involvement with governance on
January 15, 1966; by May, 29, 1999 Nigeria had been through six Military
Regimes, and collectively, the Military had governed Nigeria for a total of
about 28 years.
Over the years, there had been consensus on the broad Foreign Policy
Principles outlined by Prime Minister Balewa at Independence. While
there was a national consensus in support of these broad Foreign Policy
Principles, each of the Military Government over the period of 28 years
gave its own elitist interpretation to these principles. Thus, from the
appraisal of the different Military Regimes under the period of study,
Nigeria's Foreign Policy can be classified into five phases or epochs viz:
• The period of uncertainties;
• The Post war and Naira Diplomacy (Diplomacy of Prestige)
• The period of radicalization.
• The Adventurist and populist period (Economic Diplomacy);
and
• The Combative or Abrasive period.
Each of these phases concurred with Military leadership styles and
the exigencies of the time. It is generally recognized that the involvement of the Nigerian
Military in governance has done more harm than good, resulting into
negative impacts and consequences. It is not, however, true that
there had been no progress or achievements recorded since the first
Military Regime in 1966. In the field of foreign policy for instance the
Military had impacted positively. It is as such that the Military
phenomenon has become very central in the analysis of the Nation's
Foreign Policy and National image abroad.
Description
A Thesis submitted to the Post-Graduate School, A.B.U. Zaria,
In Partial fulfilment for the Requirement for the award of
M.Sc. International Studies, Department of Political Science,
Faculty of Social Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Keywords
CRITICAL APPRAISAL,, NIGERIA, MILITARY REGIMES, FOREIGN POLICY