PEACE KEEPING MISSIONS AND NIGERIA’S FOREIGN POLICY; FOCUS ON THE LIBERIA CRISIS
1Mba, Ahamefula Uka, Ph.D.
Hezekiah University, Umudi Nkwerre Orlu, Imo State, Nigeria
Email: lifters_ent@yahoo.com
&
2Mba, Charity Ahamefula
Hugh Goldie Theological Institute
Arochukwu, Abia State Nigeria
E-mail: ihechilurum85@gmail.com
ABSTRACT – Since Nigeria gained independence in 1960, the country’s foreign policy has been Afro-centric. The need to study Nigeria’s peace keeping missions in relation to Nigeria’s foreign policy was the main objective of this research. The focus is particularly on the Nigeria’s role in the Liberian crisis. The study adopted the content analysis technique where-in Nigeria’s participation in the restoration of peace in Liberia under the auspices of the ECOWAS ceasefire monitoring group (ECOMOG) was seen as very commendable and underlined Nigeria’s Afro-centric foreign policy drive. Evidently, Nigeria’s interest in global peace and, in fact, her physical involvement in peace operations especially the Liberia crisis falls into the middle range of foreign policy objectives. The study exposed the fact that Nigeria has committed to her foreign policy in other areas such as technical assistance, economic blocs, trade, transport, communication etc. Thus, Nigeria’s leadership position as the giant of Africa was cemented with her efforts in economic integration, and notably peace keeping operations. It also did consolidate Nigeria’s foreign policy which is Afro-centric. Nigeria indeed played the big brother’s role, by leading and almost wholly financing the Liberian peace keeping operation. It was recommended that Nigerian leaders should conduct a comprehensive review of the country’s foreign policy in line with her current economic realities and challenges.
Key words: Afro-centric, Foreign policy, Liberia crisis, Nigeria, Peace keeping missions.
Mba, A.U. (2021). Peace Keeping Missions and Nigeria’s Foreign Policy; Focus on the Liberia Crisis. International Journal of Research in Education and Sustainable Development, 1(12), pp18-28. Available online at: https://www.ijaar.org/articles/ijresd/v1n12/ijresd-v1n12-dec21-11219.pdf.
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