BY
OLUWAGBEMIGA ELIJAH A.
+2348032119397
ELIJAHOLUWAGBEMIGA@YAHOO.COM
Introduction
National
role conception could be seen in the light of a regional or sub-regional power
playing the ‘big brother’ role amidst other regional states or neighbors in
such a way as to ensuring peaceful relations, providing measures to maintain
stability in the region and also intervening in situations of crises in any of
her neighboring state for the sole aim of pursuing her interests. It is also of
note that national role conception could be viewed globally as in the case
whereby certain nation-states in the International system take upon themselves
the responsibilities of ensuring balance in the international system guided by
their foreign policy. Thus, regarded as Great Powers e.g. USA. Although there
is no commonly accepted standard for what defines a powerful state, attempts
have been made by various scholars like Flemes (2007) who ascribes certain
pivotal factors that distinguish a regional power or sub-regional power from
its ordinary neighbors. Such features as leadership roles, power sources,
employment of foreign policy instruments and the acceptance of leadership by
its neighbors. It is of no doubt that Nigeria as a state is a perfect match for
a regional power considering the factors mentioned earlier. Considering the
factor of its leadership roles, Nigeria has always been at the forefront
holding the baton of leadership in Africa. Also, considering Power Sources such
as oil, a natural God given resource among others which gives her edge over
neighboring states and other regional states. This term paper will be focusing
on Nigeria’s leadership role in international peace keeping.
NIGERIA’S ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL
PEACE KEEPING
At
the sub regional level, Nigeria plays prominent roles in the integrative and
peace building efforts within the west-African region. Also regionally, she has
contributed to various peace building and peacekeeping efforts on the African
continent in places such as Somalia, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Globally, Nigeria
participated in conflict resolutions in Lebanon, Yugoslavia and in Kuwait. It
is observed that to date, Nigeria has contributed armed military contingents,
unarmed military observers, military staff officers, formed police units and
police advisors as well as civilian experts to more than 40 UN, AU and ECOWAS
missions Ahmed (2013).
History
reminds us that the first Peace keeping mission was led by the late General Aguiyi
Ironsi, who became the first military head of state in Nigeria after the bloody
coup of January 15, 1966. Due to a short term in office, his foreign policy is
sparsely recorded. As recorded by Folarin (2010), General Ironsi did not just
lead the Nigerian Contingent to the Congo peace mission, but was elected the
overall Commander of the UN Peacekeeping Forces to the Congo. Due to his
unification policy which aroused suspicion among northerners that the Ibos were
bound to dominate the country, his regime was toppled just in 6 months into
power and this led to his death. It is observed that the National Role
conception in this era was as such static and not interactive (dynamic) Folarin
(2010).
The
Murtala-Obasanjo era was undoubtedly a top-notch as the regime was
characterized by a crystal clear ideology of socio-welfarism and pan-africanism. Security assistance were rendered to African
states that suffered security crisis such as in Angola where its MPLA was
supported despite western backlash.
Taking into consideration the
Liberian crisis, it is recalled that Nigeria took a leadership role, at the
first Session of the ECOWAS Standing Committee, summoned to discuss the
Liberian crisis in Banjul from 7th to 8th August, 1990. It
is of note that the principle of non-intervention was shoved aside considering
the tragic situation in Liberia. ECOWAS was
compelled to intervene in the face of the neglect of the international
community. Under the then military head of state of Nigeria, General Ibrahim
Babangida, a proposal to establish a Cease Fire Monitoring Group to reduce
violence and to restore peace back to Liberia was raised. Thus, the ECOWAS
Cease Fire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) was established which did not just prevent
the crisis in Liberia from spreading to neighboring states but eventually ended
the crisis in Liberia. Since that initial period, ECOWAS has had to intervene
over and over again in other member states. Like it did in Sierra Leone from
1997 to 2000, in Guinea Bissau in 1999, and in Côte d’Ivoire from 2002, and
indeed, in the crises that engulfed the entire Mano River Basin (Liberia, Guinea
and Sierra Leone), the military seizure of power in Niger, in 2010, and the
military coup d’état in Mali and in Guinea (Bissau), in 2012 among several
other security challenges have imposed new dynamics on ECOWAS Alli (2012).
CONCLUSION
It is observed that there was no collective financial support
for ECOMOG by the member states of ECOWAS. Nigeria had to single-handedly
finance ECOMOG which was in turn beneficial to
Member states of ECOWAS. This apparently did not augur well for
Nigeria’s economy as the money meant to develop her economy was spent to
finance ECOMOG for the benefit of other states. Politically,
the ECOMOG operations have questioned Nigeria’s sensitivity to the plight of
the ordinary Nigerians who are in need of better standard of life. National
resources were expended without the consent of the people. At the end of
operations, nothing came back financially or materially to the Nigerian people
as a dividend.
Unarguably,
Nigeria’s active participation in Peace keeping has cost her significant human
and material losses. While most of the peacekeeping operations in which Nigeria
has participated were UN mandated and led, a few came under the mandate of the
then Organization of African Unity (OAU), now African Union (AU). More
recently, these Peace keeping missions have been authorized and carried out
under Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) mandates and often,
Nigeria took a leading role at the operational level. As an institution, the
Armed Forces of Nigeria have kept pace with the evolving doctrine of Peace
keeping. This has gone a long way in projecting Nigeria’s image in the
international community and has improved its armed forces professional
capabilities through exposure and interaction with troops from other countries.
The performance of its troops has been widely acclaimed as her contingents in
Peace keeping have repeatedly earned citations and medals for leadership,
bravery, discipline, professional competence and integrity Ahmed (2013).
But
all these external accolades were at the expense of her internal politics as
she was perceived as a hero beyond her borders but a villain and a failure at
home. Thus, Nigeria is yet to develop the capacity and legitimacy to influence
the sub-region and fail sometimes to convince other states to follow its lead
on vital political, security and economic issues Alli (2012).
Adebayo
(2004) cited in Alli (2012) posits that no country confronted with a long
period of political instability, stagnation and regression and is reported to
be one of the most corrupt societies in the world, has a moral basis to lead
others. If it tries to, it will be resisted. However, the need to ensure
security in the sub-region is essential and the role of leadership concerning
security matters must be filled. It is on this note that Nigeria takes upon
itself the responsibility to ensure security
in
her region and sub-region despite the reluctant acceptance of some of its
neighbors as a leader due to its internal shortcomings. And this is based on
the yard stick by which sub-regional leadership is measured such as economic
size, population, natural resource endowments and even military.
It
is on this note that I will conclude by saying Nigeria is viewed as a saint
abroad but a devil at home based on her policy somersault in the power
corridors.
REFERENCES
Ahmed,
M.S. (2013) “Nigeria’s participation in Peace Keeping Operations.” A United
Nations Peace Supporting Operations Thesis. Peace Operations Training
Institute.
Alli, W.O. (2012) The role of Nigeria in regional security
policy. Abuja: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Publishers.
Flemes,
D. (2007) “Violence, Power and Security.” German Institute of Global and Area
Studies’ research program.
Folarin
S.F, (2010) “National Role Conceptions and Nigeria’s African Policy,1985-2007,”
Doctoral Thesis, Department of Political Science and International Relations,
Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria.
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