Major Contentions on Nigeria’s Afrocentric Policy

Abstract

The quest for dominance/leadership in the region of Africa has been an enduring component of Nigeria’s foreign policy. However, the literature on Nigeria’s Africa policy is replete with ideas that favour the policy and those that make the policy indefensible. These opposing ideas—including the underlying arguments—have been carefully articulated by foreign policy authors, observers and practitioners. Although the arguments for the retention of the policy have been largely influenced by realist considerations, those holding opposing views have wondered whether sustaining the policy will be in the overall interest of Nigeria—particularly given the country’s changing/fluctuating fortunes in pursuing the policy. While this study finds the contending views intellectually stimulating, its objective is to contribute to the debate by offering a perspective which represents a compromise position between the contending ideas. This study argues that it will be in Nigeria’s overall interest to retain the policy while allowing critical reforms that could help mitigate the misgivings surrounding the policy.

“Instrumentalizing” The United Nations: Nigeria and Its Quest for Regional Leadership in Africa

“…Finally, while hegemonic considerations in Africa have always defined the pursuit of Nigeria's foreign policy, political leadership sometimes fails to infuse the needed sense of purpose in its implementation (Oshewolo 2019c). As correctly argued by Gambari (2012, 56–57), Nigeria has demonstrated, on occasion, “a lack of interest in exercising its influence on the international scene and at the UN.” This problem has more to do with foreign policy personnel, “implementation mechanism, vision and sense of purpose.” He further explains that this episodic docility had pushed “much smaller African countries to speak on behalf of the continent and on several occasions punch above their weights in international affairs” (Gambari 2012, 57).…”