A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF NIGERIAN FOREIGN POLICY UNDER MUHAMMADU BUHARI ADMINISTRATION IN 1983-1985 AND 2015-2018

Background of the study

Foreign policy is a necessary activity engaged in by each sovereign State in the international system because no State is an island unto itself, nor can any State be insulated from the actions of others whether favourable or adverse. Bilateral and multilateral inter-State relations have therefore become part of the basic ingredients of contemporary international relations Each State in the international system has to fashion out a policy that appears to possess a single will and purpose towards the external environment in a way that national interest is best protected and served. A country's Foreign policy is the extension of its domestic philosophy and psyche; hence in discussing Nigeria's Foreign policy, one needs to examine the inner workings of the society in order to appreciate what would pass for Foreign policy. Any serious observer of Nigeria's domestic scene since independence will come away with the conclusion that the Nation has been at war with itself. Can any embattled country occupied by internal conflicts at home, find time to develop a meaningful relationship with his neighbours? Since de-colonization, our country has been bedeviled by internal strifes most of which are our own making. The root cause of it is the rickety federation, which the British patched together to serve their own imperial interest. It was held together by the railway lines, which run from Northern hinterland to the southern seaports for the evacuation of tin-ore and Farm produce to Mother England. Before the British left us in 1960, we seemed to have settled on the idea that we could build a nation out of this structure. No sooner had they left our shores, a civil war broke up. The most optimistic amongst those who fought for independence tried to keep the country together; but no matter how hard they tried, a new problem always arose. It was either elections were rigged, annulled and results unacceptable; or one tribe felt short-changed in the scheme of things and it wanted out. Or, it was the Military's interventions in politics, and it went on further on too many occasions, to scuttle the Federation beyond recognition. Looting of public wealth became an art, while the poor remained at the receiving end of cruelty and wanton oppression. Hence, the Foreign policy of Nigeria and the substance of Nigeria's interaction with other countries have to be affected by a complex interaction of a horde of factors inside and outside her national frontiers. In this complex interaction, the domestic process, which is an imperfect fussion of a variety of conflicting interest and the external stimuli, requiring a response in a single voice, tremendously affects the foreign policy of Nigeria, as it will of the Foreign policy of all Nations. The diverse interests or factors of social, economic, cultural and political relevance in Nigeria that come to bear negatively on the conduct of its Foreign policy, can be considered as the domestic constraints. This basically includes the issues that have come to define the political process as the struggle for Nation building intensified.

Thus, this research will appraise Nigeria's Foreign policy under the leadership of president Muhammadu Buhari first in this era as Head of state from 1983 to 1985 and in the current disposition as civilian president from 2015 to 2018. Nigeria as a Nation was introduced to the international community forty years ago (1960) by Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in a very moving address to the United Nations General Assembly in New-York. In that historic and famous speech, according to Joe Garba, Nigeria's fundamental foreign policy principles were broadly outlined as follows:

1. The defence of Sovereignty, independence and Territorial integrity.

2. The Nigerian state shall promote African Unity; and the political, Economic, social and cultural liberation of Africa;

3. To promote all other forms of international co-operation conducive to the consolidation of universal peace and mutual respect and friendship among all peoples and states;

4. To combat racial discrimination in all its manifestations.

From the foregoing apart from accepting the fundamental principles of the United Nations' Charter, Nigeria was to work towards the emancipation of the Blackman in Africa and Diaspora. Nigeria would work assiduously for international peace and security; the deceleration of the Arms race and the downplaying of the cold -war. Nigeria wanted the United Nations, through its specialized agencies, to enhance food security, health and general well-being of the entire human race, and make our planet a more conducive place for human habitation.

The Foreign policy of many African countries has always been Afro-centric, that is, it has always centred on Africa. This was equally the case for Nigeria, because both the government leaders and the oppositions (critics) were united on the principle that Africa be the centerpiece of Nigeria's Foreign policy. The reason for this according to Rufai Ahmed Alkali, an international relations' scholar has to do with Nigeria as a geo-political entity. Several geo-political factors, and circumstances would seem to make this responsibility imperative for subsequent governments in Nigeria. Parts of these are that Nigeria has the largest population in Africa and it is blessed with enormous natural resources, compared with other African countries.

Nigeria has managed to live through the ages according to the dictates of its founding fathers; her fundamental foreign policy principles have remained the same since independence, but there has been some shifts in styles, priorities, emphases and perceptions which eventually determined the choices open to Foreign policy elites of the various regimes and shaped their foreign policy decisions. The aim for this research is therefore to appraise these modus- operandi, shifts in styles, priorities, emphases and perceptions of the various military regimes on Foreign policy issues under the period of study.

1.2 RESEARCH PROBLEM

The goal of every foreign policy is to establish and maintain a cordial relationship with other nations as well as to build a good image for a nation and meet its national and domestic interests. This invariably means that a good foreign policy is important in formulating, maintaining and sustaining a nation’s positive image. How did General Muhammadu Buhari Military leadership conduct the foreign affairs? And how is the government of President Muhammadu Buhari conducting her foreign affairs under the current disposition. This study therefore intends to critically appraise Nigeria's Foreign policy under the military Regimes, from 1966-1998

1.3 AIM OF THE STUDY

The major aim of this research is to provide a comparative analysis of Buhari’s foreign policy under his military and democracy administration from 1983-1985 and 2015-2018.