Sunday Olagunju, a former foreign affairs journalist with the Daily Times and General Manager of the defunct Sketch Press Limited, recently published a book, Nigerian Foreign Policy Since 1960. In this interview with Adewale Oshodi, he discusses Nigeria’s foreign policy, how to rebrand the country’s image abroad and how the masses can benefit if Nigeria gets its foreign policy formulation right. Excerpts:
You just published a book, Nigerian Foreign Policy Since 1960. What inspired you into embarking on this project?
First and foremost, as a journalist and as an editor in the Daily Times, I wrote a column, ‘Window on the World,’ for a period of 10 years; that was from 1986 to 1996, and I covered virtually all the continents and all the leaders of the world, and I monitored the foreign policies during those periods and jotted down a lot of things and after I left journalism, I decided that it is time I put everything into a book. Again, I have read a lot of books on Nigeria’s foreign policy and none has been so comprehensive as to cover 1960 till date.
Embarking on this project is a huge task because it covers Nigeria’s foreign policy since independence. What did it take away from you?
The project covered a period of five years, even Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, who wrote the Foreword, commended me that no work has ever been comprehensive as what I did. We have had 13 leaders since 1960 and all of them were examined, that is, their achievements in the area of foreign policy.
Now, with everything you were able to gather, how do you think Nigeria has fared in the area of foreign policy since 1960?
The truth is that each regime has its objectives. For example, during the military era, if you look at the time Babangida was in power, he used the best brains in the area of foreign policy; his foreign affairs ministers were the best and they performed well compared to their counterparts across the world. People like Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, the present Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, among others. It was Professor Akinyemi who mooted the idea of medium power, where about 95 nations of the world came to Nigeria for a meeting and Nigeria was recognised in the scheme of things across the world. All other leaders tried, but Babangida’s era stood out; and if not for the annulment of the 1993 presidential election, Babangida era would have been one of the best in the country.
When we talk about foreign policy, it has to do with relations between countries, but how does this benefit the common man in the country?
Foreign policy has to do with diplomacy and diplomacy deals with people. The major problem we have that is not making us benefit from our foreign policy is because of the crisis at home. For example, if Nigeria is good abroad, then investments can come to the country and when investments come, the economy grows. In this situation, there is no way the ordinary man will not benefit. If our foreign policy is strong, many countries of the world will want to invest in Nigeria and such investments will bring returns to the country. Also, Nigerians abroad will even repatriate their money back home. The problem is just that our domestic policy is not strong enough as to be able to impact our foreign policy.
During former President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure, Nigeria actually reciprocated by deporting South Africans after the former apartheid enclave prevented some Nigerians from entering their country. In the end, South Africa apologised to Nigeria before relations were normalised. We also have such issues playing out in other African countries, and even some parts of the world against Nigerian citizens. Do you think the policy of reciprocity can help us send out a strong signal to countries on how they treat Nigerians?
In that case, the policy of reciprocity was fine, because if you know the role Nigeria played in the independence of South Africa, then the issue of xenophobia in that country against Nigerians and other Africans should not have come up at all. If South Africans are to be aggrieved with any other nation, it shouldn’t be Nigeria, and the leader at that time, Jacob Zuma, realised that and that was why they apologised. Nigeria had been playing the fatherly role in many African countries, more especially South Africa, and the apartheid policy would not have been decimated without Nigeria’s support, and it was the period Nigeria had money. Just look at the declaration by General Murtala Muhammed that no nation in Africa would remain under apartheid rule, and even after the assassination of General Muhammed, General Obasanjo took over and sustained the policy and in all the southern African countries, South Africa, Angola, Mozambique, among others, Nigeria played vital roles in their independence. So a reciprocity policy may actually help the country stamp its feet.
How will you describe the current foreign policy under President Muhammadu Buhari?
During the Babangida era, there were lots of issues to trash; there was a time the Babangida government was talking about the need for some African countries to be aided. However, presently, our foreign policy is reactionary as there is no issue the present government is initiating. The government is now weighed down by just reacting to issues that happen in other countries, which is not a strong foreign policy. It is unfortunate that the issue of insecurity has weighed down this government so much that it has no focus as far as foreign policy is concerned. It is when the situation at home stabilises that the government will be able to look beyond issues outside the country. So, when you are having problems at home, there is no way you can look abroad.
There was a period former Minister of Foreign Affairs, late Professor Dora Akunyili, championed ‘Nigeria: Good People, Great Nation.’ Do you think such rebranding can work in projecting a positive image of the country abroad?
The problem with rebranding is that Nigerians abroad complain about their own country, so what image are they giving to their host countries? Nigerians abroad are expected to sell the image of this country to their host countries. Therefore, we cannot rebrand until we are able to settle with our nationals abroad. We must let them know that they are the ambassadors of Nigeria in countries where they are and they must project the good image of the country. Doing this is not by talking alone, but by also doing things legally, and not doing things that will further soil the image of Nigeria. The embassies must equally know their aims and objectives, and this is because a lot of our nationals have issues to settle with our embassies. Many say when they have problems, our embassies don’t support them. That is why I want to commend the Nigerians in Diaspora Committee (NIDCOM), headed by Honourable Abike Dabiri. It is doing a good work in this area. So, if Nigeria is to be rebranded, it must start from our people abroad. Once our people are able to show their host countries that Nigeria is good, then the countries will see Nigeria in a different light.
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