An Appraisal Of General Sani Abacha Foreign Policy(1993 – 1998)

An Appraisal Of General Sani Abacha Foreign Policy(1993 – 1998)

Chapter One

Preface

Background of the study

Since Nigeria came independent in 1960 its foreign policy, like that of utmost other countries, has witnessed successes and failures. The foreign policy of all nations indicates the public interest to be pursue by the country. also, the ideal of similar policy is part of the determinant factors of the country ‘s image at the global system. Nigeria like numerous other countries of the world, has been intentional on this, which yielding appreciatively to the country. This is because both conduct and responses of Nigeria to issues concerning it, is arguably guided by its foreign policy objects. piecemeal from the issues affecting Nigeria, the country also insure that Africa matters are adequately taken care of in its foreign policy objects. In other word, Nigeria ‘s favourable policy towards Africa has given it an edge over other countries in the mainland. As described by Northedge( 1968), a country foreign policy is ― interplay between the outside and inside ‖(p. 15). This arguably shows that foreign policy of a country is one of the determinant factors for countries to relate with one another. The foreign policy of Nigeria has told the action and decision of the country on the issues in African mainland. This has also made Nigeria a reckoning point for any meaningful development in Africa. Hence, this has canvassed for a number of studies on Nigeria ‘s foreign policy similar as Inamete( 2001), Osuntokun( 2007), Ashaver( 2014) and Gambari( 2017) where the study concentrated on how Nigeria ‘s foreign policy has told the country in terms of decision timber process.

still, consecutive military totalitarianism in Nigeria have used the Africa foundation watchword to bait biddable like- inclined African administrations to support their unpopular administrations. This was the price Nigeria had to pay for the support of dictatorial African countries. This exploration thus examines the transformation of Nigeria’s foreign policy from its traditional posture of a responsible nation in the transnational community, to a reckless player under the service between 1993 and 1999.

Statement of the Problem

On November 17, 1993 when General Sani Abacha took over from the Interim National Government led by Chief Ernest Sonekan, he took a number of measures that were easily antique in an age of globalized republic. His dissolution of popular structures and institutions, relinquishment of full martial laws and supposition of broad powers, massive apprehensions and detention of political opposition, clampdown on the press and stalking of the winner of the June 12 election after the latter’s Epetedo( Lagos) Declaration as President, demonstrated a clear objectiveness in resolving the 1993 presidential election heads or stabilizing an formerly pulverized polity. Nigeria’s character as a respectable state lowered under the Abacha governance, whose despotism led to multiple violations of mortal rights and breaches of transnational moral and legal canons. This ignominious posture eroded Nigeria’s track record of provision of indigenous and global leadership. Its mineral and oil painting wealth had naturally assessed redundant burdens of leadership in the mainland of Africa and the world. The exploration critically appraises this significant transition and departure from traditional foreign policy posture and transnational image during the Abacha period; and using the decision- making model of analysis, it discovers that with the Abacha intervention, a new chapter of domestic travails(anti-democracy conditioning, state- patronized terrorism, poor mortal rights records, large- scale corruption and fiscal crimes, and the creation of artificial sequestration against the world), coupled with an unorthodox manner of dealing with the transnational community commenced, which clouded the good image of the history. and got Nigeria alienated in the global system.

Ideal Of The Study

The broad end of this study is estimate General Sani Abacha Foriegn Policy( 1993- 1998). Specifically the study seeks

1. To examine the obsession of conflict and resolution that steered Sani Abacha Regime

2. To probe the birth of Nigeria- Cameroon Boundary disagreement

3. To estimate the Abacha’s Foreign Policy riddle and Image Problems

Exploration Question

1. What are the political prepossessions that steered Sani Abacha Regime?

2. What’s the birth of Nigeria- Cameroon Boundary disagreement?

3. What was the situation of Abacha’s Foreign Policy Conundrum and the Image Problems his governance posed at the transnational community.

Significance of the study

Findings from the study will be applicable to government, policy makers and academia. The understanding gained from the result of the study will shape the law makers perception and guide them into making applicable policy that’s of significance to achieving millennial pretensions and enhance sustainable profitable development while promoting good Nigeria public image at the transnational community. The study will contribute to empirically to the body of knowledge and serve as reference material to both pupil and scholars who wishes to conduct farther exploration in related content.

Compass Of The Study

The compass of this study borders on foreign policy with particular reference to General Sani Abacha military governance. The study will further uncover the Nigeria’s character as a respectable state lowered under the Abacha governance, whose despotism led to multiple violations of mortal rights and breaches of transnational moral and legal canons. The study is still demarcated to 1993- 1998 as was the governance of the General Sani Abacha.

Limitation of the study

During the course of the study, the experimenter encountered constrains similar as time and dearth of data owing to the fact that the exploration made use of secondary sources only for the information. It was tedious gathering accoutrements that relates to the content while utmost literature concentrated on the political perspective of the governance none compactly exhumed the foreign policy of the governance. Also the experimenter combined other academic conditioning with the exploration which limited her from given so important time to the experimenter. still in the midst of the constraint the experimenter assured painstakingly the success of this exploration.

Methodology

The study adopts a a literal descriptive approach and with the aid of systems proposition the review of literature concentrated on foreign policy, tactfulness, birth of Nigeria- Cameroon disagreement, ICJ opinions, Abacha Policy Conundrum was exhumed. The study is a qualitative type which employed data from secondary sources. The secondary sources of data involve the published accoutrements of experts gathered in the field of transnational relations. also, the literature on Nigeria ‘s foreign policy settings reported in journal papers, books, policy documents, journals among others were also used as accoutrements for the study.

Theoretical Framework

The study makes use of systems proposition to estimate the Nigeria ‘s part through its foreign policy under a service. The proposition is used to dissect the nature of foreign policy and what it’s supposed to be to the country and to the entire Africa at large. Systems proposition is also known as the systems wisdom. It’s began from natural lores by its authors Bertalanffy Ludwing and Maturana Humberto( Boulding, 1956; von Bertalanffy, Ludwig, 1974). It was latterly employed by numerous disciplines to probe marvels from a holistic perspective. Scholars who subscribe to systemic perspective of assaying events, believe that it’s insolvable to understand an event or issue by breaking it into small factors. Rather, they assumed that global assessment is bear to understand miracle. The scholars viewed an individual or group as ― an ecosystem with moving corridor that affect each other ‖( Adams, Hester & Bradley, 2013).

The proposition is featured in a group of corridor that interact to form a coherent total. It’s also described as having a ― distinct boundary separating the system from external rudiments and distinguishing between inputs, or factors that impact the system, and labors, or effect and products of the system ‖( Mele, Pels & Polese, 2010,p. 130). The systems proposition is emphasizing on the connectivity of every part of the system with one another. Meaning that, if any part of mortal body is suffering from pain or any insufficiency, the entire body will be feeling similar pain which arguably can make the whole mortal body to malfunction. thus, the proposition is applicable to the study due to the fact that, the foreign policy of Nigeria is designed is such a way that the country will be concerned with passing within Africa. This is because, it perhaps illogical for Nigeria not to show concern over any problem/ difficulty that perhaps encountered by any African countries, particularly the neighbouring States( Ashaver, 2014; Dauda, Sakariyau & Ameen, 2018). piecemeal from being illogical if Nigeria turn a eyeless eye to the problems facing by other African countries, the fate of similar problems on Nigeria will be lesser than the cost to be incurred if the country in extremity is deliverance on time( Wapmuk, 2014). Hence, another applicability of systems proposition to the study is that it serves as a defensive signal to Nigeria. This is because, the proposition assists Nigeria on the requirements to maximize its favour or benefit to other African countries which at the same guarding the country from participating or inheriting products of similar heads( like deportees, rebellion, terrorism, and other social vices) from other country.