ABSTRACT
The overriding consideration in Overseas Policy Implementation is all the time primarily based on the concept of nationwide interest. Subsequently, nationwide interest is highly central to the corporate existence of a nation. As vital as this concept is both to the existence of a nation and as basis for the analysis of overseas policy behaviour of states, it is topic to abuse. The President of any country might disguise under the quilt of national curiosity to perpetuate individual interest. The main focus of this paper is to highlight the danger of negating national interest and to level out avenues where nationwide curiosity can contribute to nationwide development.
INTRODUCTION
As an idea, nationwide interest could provide guidance and a basis for broad consensus, but the term is so vague that everyone would possibly label any foreign policy pronouncements with such a gorgeous term. It’s due to this stack reality and for purpose of readability of focus that many analysts within the discipline of international relations wish to think of nationwide curiosity simply as national security interest. In accordance with the postulation of Walter Lippman, Nationwide security denotes that “a nation is secured to the extend to which it’s not in danger of getting to sacrifice core values if it wishes to keep away from struggle and is able if challenged, to maintain them by victory in case of battle”. With this flash on the concept of national curiosity, let us launch into the actual discussion of “National curiosity and Nationl Growth”.
WHAT IS NATIONAL INTEREST
The notion of nationwide curiosity is imprecise and so it is tough to provide a exact definition of the term. Inspite of that, national interest is defined as the overall long run and continuing purpose which the states, nation and the government see themselves as serving. The national curiosity of a state is rooted in the social consciousness and in the cultural identity of a people. In different phrases, the nationwide interest of a state is a product of social values which the individuals have. In observe, the nationwide interest of a rustic is synthesized and checked by political leaders or coverage makers. That’s the reason national curiosity is defined as “what policy makers say it is” The nationwide interest of a rustic is the curiosity of its leaders. It might also be the curiosity of a gaggle such because the bourgeoisie or proletariat relying on which class is in power. It might as well be the interest of the king. Babagida (1986) maintained that he want to consider nationwide curiosity as national security interest. This is because to him the concept of nationwide curiosity has turn out to be so imprecise and elastic. We have now been warned by social scientists that national security has many tangible ingredients which can be extra menacing than external military threat. It will probably take delicate types equivalent to subversion of core values by means of financial sabotage, counterfeiting, drug trafficking, espionage, and cultural subversion. We’re all aware of the damage which these components could cause on a nation’s psyche and survival. Nationwide safety interest can be used to confer with such concepts as “self-preservation”, self-defence”, and even “survival”. In short nationwide safety signifies that the state should survive. It means it ought to reside without serious threat to all values which can be considered important or vital (Emma 1991:19).
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The time period national development is used to seek advice from a state of maturity which characterizes a nation-state. This maturity results from the interplay of contemporary political, financial and social forces and processes which rework numerous individuals, shaping a standard geographical area, from acceptance and allegiance to and participation in a transitional policy to the acceptance and creations of and participation in a contemporary nation-state. The later is characterised by governmental machinery capable of commanding loyalty, Holding Order, eliciting legitimacy, fostering integration, permitting mass participation; and satisfying well-liked desires and expectations. It additionally has a skilled citizenry which workouts its capability to create a extremely industrial society and manipulates its setting to acquire a top quality of life for the generality of the population (Mea King: 1988:5).
NATIONAL INTEREST AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The time period national curiosity is characterised with inconsistency. People do cover beneath the quilt of national curiosity to challenge and shield their very own particular person or group interest. In a situation comparable to this, nationwide curiosity do have a adverse contribution to national development. However, where the interest of the individuals is usually projected and guarded nationwide curiosity can then contribute meaningfully and positively to national development. The analysis under will suffice to show this assertion right.
NIGERIA – CAMEROON BORDER CRISIS
In accordance with Nweke, (1990) where two Nigerian patrol boats at Ikang (border city with a population of 15,000 in Cross River State), noticed non-Nigerian patrol vessels inside Nigerian territory, they moved forward to identify the vessels, the Cameroon gendarmes in these vessels opened hearth on considered one of Nigeria’s patrol boats, Killing 5 patrolmen and wounding at least three others. After the killing of the 5 Nigerian troopers, a heavy barrage of bullets additionally got here from Cameroon gendarmes pitched at three tops within the river aspect forest. The second Nigerian patrol boat fought its technique to retrieve the attacked boat and casualties. For some days after the shooting a Cameroon helicopter continued to fly over Ikang at a really low altitude. When the then Governor of Cross River State, Clement Isong, paid his first visit to Ikang space after the incident, It Col. F. Ehigiator of the thirteen Infantry Brigade in Calabar not solely confirmed the episode however he additionally advised him that Cameroon gave Nigeria a shock attack. This incident occurred on 14th Could, 1981 and regardless of several aggressive response type politically – acutely aware and articulate Nigerians, who perceived the incident as a menace to national security president Shagari blatantly didn’t take navy motion in opposition to Cameroon.
Because the attack by Cameroon was a direct menace to Nigeria’s very important curiosity, defined in terms of nationwide security, it was justifiable for the Federal Authorities within the language of the speaker of House of Representatives, Edwin Ume-Ezeoke to return fireplace for fire. The Federal governments incapacity to return fir for fireplace subsequently, created nationwide insecurity that was capable of giving vent to nationwide disintegration. A national interest place akin to this may at finest contribute negatively to nationwide development. Due to this fact, the lack of the Nigerian Federal Government to take navy motion in opposition to Cameroon in the wake of the attack on Nigeria by Cameroon on 16 Might, 1980 just on the bottom of nationwide curiosity, can have however a damaging contribution to national growth (Olusanya, Akindele, 1990:398).
EXPULSION OF ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM NIGERIA
The action of Shagari administration with respect to sudden expulsion of illegal aliens from Nigeria, all in the identify of national interest, was a behaviour that was fairly inimical to national development. The decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria introduced on 17 January, 1983 by Alhaji Ali Baba giving all illegal immigrants numbering between two million and three million, fourteen days to depart the country, created the worst worldwide crisis for Nigeria. This resolution it must be noted created a near common and unexpected hostility towards Nigeria to the amazement of many Nigerians. It involved Nigeria in extreme acrimony and sharp disagreement with friendly in addition to hostile worldwide actors in some respects worse than international reactions to the Nigerian civil warfare of 1967-70. As an illustration, the state Department in Westhampton described the choice as surprising and that it represented a violation of each possible human rights, the European Financial Neighborhood (EEC) issued a press assertion from Brussels condemning the give up order, the pope, John Paul II denounced the expulsion as a grave, unbelievable drama and he went on to explain it as producing the largest single and worst human exodus in Nigeria, Mr. Michael Foot, then the Opposition Leader within the British Home of Commons, wrote a letter to the Nigerian Excessive Commission in Landon, Alhaji Shalu Awak, during which he referred to the expulsion order and the way by which it had been applied as an act of heartlessness and a failure of Widespread humanity. The Western mass media have been even more Violent of their assault on the Nigerian Government. In an editorial entitled “Inhuman and Heading for Disaster” the London Guardian referred to the quit order as bordering on inhumanity, high handedness and irresponsibility.
Due to this singular motion by the administration of Shagari Nigerians image abroad was put in a bad gentle and different West African Nations reminiscent of Ghana, Ivory Coast, among others, thought it smart to reciprocate by expelling Nigerian nationals in those countries. Due to this fact, in a scenario like this the place nationwide interest posture as projected by president Shagari affects the core values (nationwide safety of a nation) negatively, nationwide curiosity has little or no constructive impression on nationwide development (Olusanya, 1999:400).
ADOPTION OF STRUCTURAL ADNJUSTMENT PROGRAMME
The adoption of structural adjustment programme as a international coverage decision throughout Akinyemi’s tenure as Foreign Affairs Minister under the administration of Babangida is a foreign coverage decision, taken within the title of nationwide curiosity that’s fairly inimical to national development. Infact, to most Nigerians who were and are the victims of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), many key functionaries in government in addition to the organized private enterprise interest group, the ministers daring coverage initiatives have been thought to be a severe error of nationwide distraction from the depress and urgent enterprise of arresting the melancholy in the Nigerian financial system (The Guardian, Could 17, 1993). The structural Adjustment Programme. (SAP) introduced a lot untold hardship to Nigerians that a conference on “Alternative To Structural Adjustment Programme organized by Human Rights Activists held at Imodu Hall at Nigerian Labour Congress building, Yaba, Lagos on July 1989 to find a answer to SAP (TIMES INTERNATIONAL SEPT eleven, 1989:eleven). The necessity of the conference aforementioned hinges on the truth that the adoption of SAP which brought untold hardship to Nigerians simply within the identify of national curiosity has a negative effect on national development.
NIGERIA’S MEMEBRSHIP of OIC
In January 1986, Nigeria made a proper application for full membership of the Organization of Islamic Conference throughout the administration of Basic Babangida. Nigeria’s membership of the Organization of Islamic Conference within the cowl of nationwide interest as claimed by Babangida was an motion that may affect negatively on our national development due to the secularity of Nigeria as a nation. The Babangida administration argued that Nigeria’s full membership of IOC would afford her the opportunity to appreciate a few of is most vital overseas coverage objectives. That is so, particularly because the members of the OIC, except Turkey are non-aligned countries. Nigeria can therefore search the assist of the international locations for the purpose of realizing her vital targets within the international system. In accordance with Basic Babangida the OIC is a forum, which Nigeria can mobilize help for the battle towards racism and colonialism, and as effectively advance the interest of Nigeria as a nation. Nigeria, it ought to be famous is a secular state. Her membership of OIC within the title of national interest regardless of her multi spiritual nature is kind of inconsistent with the spirit of nationwide development.
NIGERIAN BOYCOTT OF THE EDINBURGH COMMONWEALTH GAMES
The boycott of Commonwealth Video games at Edinburgh in the name of nationwide curiosity is a traditional case the place national curiosity can promote national development. Nigeria under the administration of General Babangida determined to boycott the Edinburgh Commonwealth recreation due to the development on the commonwealth Heads of Government. Nigeria took a robust stand towards South Africa, demanding its sanction on account of its obnoxious apartheid policy at the 1995 Commonwealth summit. This was additionally the place of different commonwealth countries, however the British Sought rather to block any of such move. Mrs. Thatcher argued that the south African Government should be given a bit extra time to carry out more reforms (Olusanya, 1990:119). The British stand on this matter didn’t go properly with Nigeria and in protest Nigeria determined to boycott the Edinburgh games. Nigeria’s international policy objectives contains to maintain peaceable coexistence within her neighbours in the West-African sub-area, Africa and the World, to advertise good neighborliness in Africa, and to eradicate colonialism and realism in African. Subsequently, the boycott of Edinburgh Commonwealth games is consistent with Nigeria’s national growth as a result of it’s consistent with her overseas Policy objectives.
ECOMOG INTERVENTION IN LIBERIA
The intervention of ECOMOG within the Liberian disaster which started in 1989 is another episode that’s associated to nationwide interest that may promote national developments. The ECOMOG which was made up of such nations as Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Togo and Mali operated in Liberia with the objective of: First, imposing a cease-hearth in Liberia, Second, organising an interim authorities, third, rehabilitation of destroyed essential services similar to hospitals, electrical energy, water and food provides and so forth. It must be noted that some West African nations comparable to Burkina Faso, Cote Devoir, protested towards ECOMOG Operation in Liberia. Based on Blaise Campaore, Captain and President of Burkina Faso, the aforementioned countries that constituted ECOMOG didn’t seek the advice of with different ECOWAS members earlier than finishing up their operation in Liberia. He contended that the mediation committee of ECOWAS isn’t competent to intervene in a member state’s internal conflict except when there may be conflict between one member-state and another. Thus ECOMOG and its operation is illegal. Apart from, the question of legality the large financial investment in ECOMOG operation in Liberia was highly attacked by critics. The Diplomat, September 17, 1990 identified that the price of the ECOMOG operation in Liberia is estimated at Fifty Million Naira (50m). It is worthy of notice that the buck of the funding was achieved by Nigeria (The Diplomat, September 17, 1990). However, in spite of the critics place on Nigeria’s involvement in ECOMOG, her involvement is sort of able to promoting nationwide development. It needs to be noted that when peace was instilled in Liberia. Nigeria equally benefit from the atmospheres of peace and peace is both a vital and ample situation for nationwide development.
CONCLUSION
Nationwide curiosity can negate national growth as in the case of Nigerian Cameroon disaster, Expulsion of illegal aliens, the adoption of Structural Adjustment Programme, and Nigerians membership of OIC. Alternatively, nationwide interest can promote national improvement as within the circumstances of Nigeria’s boycott of Edinburgh Commonwealth Video games and Nigeria’s involvement in ECOMOG operation in Liberia.
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