External Relations

CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

In our view, Nigeria can only place itself in such a position of military strength as would deter any of its underdeveloped neighbours from contemplating, much less committing, aggression against it. It certainly cannot and should not aspire to acquire military resources large and potentially effective enough to deter any of the big powers from committing aggression against it. It is our firm belief, based on the sound principles of dialectic, that if Nigeria is economically free and strong and socially stable, and plays a constructive, consistent, and peace-promoting role in world affairs, the big powers as well as Nigeria’s immediate neighbours will refrain from entertaining aggressive intentions towards it, and will positively seek to live in peace with it. But, in spite of such role, any of the so-called big powers chose, for any reason, to commit aggression against it, the only course of action open to it would be to give a good account of itself in the battlefield, and at the same time invoke the combined assistance of the other members of the United Nations Organization, in repelling such aggression.

Secondly, Nigeria owes an obligation to Africa to help in securing for all the African States political and economic freedom, justice, dignity, and equality of treatment in the comity of nations.

In discharging this obligation three considerations are worth bearing in mind.

ONE: Today, Africa is a continent of competing Beggar-States. They vie with one another for favours from the developed countries, especially their former colonial masters. They deliberately fall over one another to invite neo-colonialists to come to their respective territories to preside over their economic programmes, and exploit their resources. In short, they are politically independent and sovereign, but are economically subservient; and the big powers are leaving no stone untumed to keep them so.

TWO: In spite of the O.A.U.’s declared policy to eradicate from Africa all forms of colonialism, the Whites in South Africa and Rhodesia are determined to continue to treat Africans as sub-humans, whilst Portugal is unwilling to let the peoples of Angola and Mozambique go.

THREE: Most African leaders appear to lack the vision, sense of mission, and mental magnitude essential to enhance the status of the States under their charge to the level of self-respecting and respectable economic entity.

It will be seen, therefore, that Africa suffers from three grave disabilities: inhuman degradation, lack of sufficiently dedicated leadership, and economic subservience.

By Article II of its Charter, and by the terms of some of its declarations, the O.A.U. is committed to the following policies:

(i) the unity of all the peoples of Africa;

(ii) the eradication of all forms of colonialism from Africa;

(iii) the intensification of economic co-operation designed to achieve a better life for the peoples of Africa; and

(iv) the formulation of proposals for harnessing the natural and human resources of the continent for the total advancement, welfare, and well-being of all the peoples of Africa. The economic and eventual political unity of Africa is an ideal which is not only worth working for, but also one which can be realized. The present developments in the world confirm the well-known theory that, other things being equal, the larger the population and the more expansive the territory of a State or economic entity, the greater the chances of its effective and more rapid economic progress. Africa with a population of200 millions and an area of 111/2 million square miles (the Sahara Desert covers 31/2 million of the area), if united, would compare more than favourably with (1) Russia: population – 200 millions, area – 8,598,678 square miles; (2) China: population – 650 millions, area – 3,876,956 square miles; (3) U.S.A: population – 160 millions, area – 2,974,725 square miles; and (4) India: population – 450 millions, area – 1,709,500 square miles.

But the problem of uniting, under one Government and under one leadership, a continent which lacks the racial, cultural, and linguistic homogeneity of U.S.A., the centuries-old cultural and political unity of China and (to a great extent) of India, and the ideological cohesion of Russia must not be underestimated. The distinguishing factors which we have just mentioned are complicated by the fact that Africa has peculiar internal stresses and strains, divisions and conflicts, inherent in its political, economic, and cultural evolution.

Nevertheless, the economic unity of Africa is an attainable goal and should be pursued relentlessly. This is the greatest obligation which Nigeria owes to Africa: to work for the quick advent of its unity and thereby’ hasten the attainment of economic freedom and material prosperity for all the peoples of the continent. In this connection, the recent emergence of regional economic groupings such as the East African Common Market, the West African Common Market, etc., is a healthy and commendable evolution. It should be encouraged. But these groupings should be regarded as no more and no less than steps in the right direction. For one thing, in scale and potential, they are incapable of meeting the challenge of the gargantuan economic groupings which are now taking place in Europe and the Americas. For another, there is the danger that these regional African groupings might engage in destructive competition among themselves, unless their activities are co- ordinated and canalized at an Africa-wide level.

It is acknowledged that international organizations like the E.C.A. have done a tremendous amount of work in studying the economic and social problems of Africa, and in formulating solutions for them.

It is also acknowledged that African States have participated actively in the work of these international organizations and have derived some benefits from their activities. But it must be admitted that these international organizations are far from being adequate; nor are they compatible with the intense desire of African States for economic self-determination and independence.

CONTINUES NEXT WEEK

READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE