Foreign Policy and Leadership in Nigeria : Obasanjo and the Challenge of African Diplomacy

"Steve Itugbu, for many years a foreign policy aide to Obasanjo, draws on an extensive corpus of official documents, interviews, unpublished material and first-hand experience to explore the president's multi-faceted personality in depth. In so doing, Itugbu demonstrates that Nigeria's foreign policy has suffered through a combination of personalisation - that is subjugation to the will of Obasanjo - and the failings of bureaucratic structures. The book focuses specifically on Nigeria's decision not to intervene in Darfur in 2004, which is shown to be attributable to Obasanjo's politicking and inherent focus on shoring up his own position. Ultimately, an important opportunity for the African Union to set a precedent for humanitarian intervention was missed - a pattern which has since repeated itself across Africa. Such personalisation is common in the region, and the book therefore acts as a case study for better understanding the problems facing foreign policy making, diplomacy and leadership in Africa. Throughout, Itugbu provides a reasoned and thorough analysis of the complex and interconnected issues facing Nigeria and Africa today, and the prospects of resolving these in the future. This behind-the-scenes account of the mechanics of Nigerian foreign policy is essential reading for all students, researchers and policy makers working on Africa."--Bloomsbury Publishing. Olusegun Obasanjo has played an extraordinary role in Nigeria's modernisation-from army dictator to prisoner to democratically elected head of state. Steve Itugbu, for many years a foreign policy aide to Obasanjo, draws on an extensive corpus of official documents, interviews, unpublished material and first-hand experience to explore the president's multi-faceted personality in depth. In so doing, Itugbu demonstrates that Nigeria's foreign policy has suffered through a combination of personalisation-that is subjugation to the will of Obasanjo-and the failings of bureaucratic structures. The book focuses specifically on Nigeria's decision not to intervene in Darfur in 2004, which is shown to be attributable to Obasanjo's politicking and inherent focus on shoring up his own position. Ultimately, an important opportunity for the African Union to set a precedent for humanitarian intervention was missed-a pattern which has since repeated itself across Africa. Such personalisation is common in the region, and the book therefore acts as a case study for better understanding the problems facing foreign policy making, diplomacy and leadership in Africa. Throughout, Itugbu provides a reasoned and thorough analysis of the complex and interconnected issues facing Nigeria and Africa today, and the prospects of resolving these in the future. This behind-the-scenes account of the mechanics of Nigerian foreign policy is essential reading for all students, researchers and policy makers working on Africa. Book jacket Cover Half-title Title Copyright Contents List of Abbreviations Acknowledgements Introduction Theoretical framework Book’s structure 1. Obasanjo, Nigeria and the AU Obasanjo’s early life Obasanjo in the military Obasanjo Farms President Olusegun Obasanjo Obasanjo’s foreign forays Obasanjo and Afrocentrism Nigeria’s crisis of nationhood and the roots of the personalisation of foreign policy-making Why Darfur? Nigeria as a regional hegemon Conclusion 2. The Impact of Darfur 3. The Ethical/Philosophical Motivation Driving Obasanjo’s Diplomacy on Conflicts in Africa 4. Investigating Obasanjo and Darfur Interviews Data analysis of archival materials on the conduct of foreign policy under Obasanjo Afrocentrism Afrocentrism and Nigeria’s quest for a UN Security Council seat Diplomatic expectations Personalisation of foreign policy decision-making Peacekeeping Strong and failed states Undercurrents of diplomacy 5. Analysing the Interviews: Using the Public View as Commentary on the Inside View Discernible patterns/continuity Collegial management/personalisation of foreign policy decision-making Ethical/philosophical concerns and motivations Future challenges Comments Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index