By Eric Teniola

For a nation to achieve concrete foreign policy objectives, two key actors are required, an active President and an active foreign minister. Of course a buoyant economy will also be required. We had all these in the past.  Suddenly, we got lost on the global radar.

Sadly in the past few years, we have not been lucky in terms of leadership.

We have had outstanding foreign ministers in the past that helped us achieve concrete foreign objectives and they made us proud.

We also took part in global peace efforts. From 1960 till 2000, Nigeria took part in United Nations Operations in the Congo (ONUG), 1960-1964, United Nations Transition Assistance Group in Namibia (UNTAG), 1989-1990, United Nations Angola Verification Mission II (UNAVEM II) 1991-1995, United Nations Angola Verification Mission III (UNAVEM III) 1995-1997), United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA), 1997, United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), 1991- and United Nations Operation in Somalia II (UNOSOM II) 1993-1995.

Others are the United Nations Operations in Mozambique (ONUMOZ), 1992-194; United Nations Assistance Mission of Rwanda (UNAMIR), 1993-1996; United Nations Aouzou Strip Observer Group (UNASOG), 1994; United Nations India-Pakistan Observer Mission (UNIPOM), 1965-1966; United Nations Security Force in West New Guinea (UNSF), 1962-1963; United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTA), 1992-1993; United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT), 1994-; United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFR), 1992-195; United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia (UNCRO), 1995-1996; and the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force in Macedonia (UNPREDEP), 1995.

The lists included the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), 1995-; United Nations Transitional Administration or Easter Slovenia, Baraja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES), 1996-1998; United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP), 1996-; United Nations Civilian Police Support Group, 1998-1991; United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observer Mission (UN IKOM), 1991-; United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), 1978; and the  United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Sierra Leone, 1999.

There was a desk office in the then Cabinet Office, Lagos manned by Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar from Kaduna State; Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office; Dr Niyi Adedeji from Ilesa, Osun State; Ambassador Timothy Ayodele Olu Otunla also from Ilesa; Mr Bisi Ogunniyi from Iree in Osun State, and others, established purposely by Generals Murtala Muhammed and Olusegun Obasanjo, for the sole purpose of assisting African states in their liberation struggles.

With the approval of the then Supreme Military Council, Brigadier Ibrahim Ahmed Bako (N/548) (5 March 1943-31 December 1983) from Kaduna State, trained freedom fighters in Libya and Somalia.

Brigadier Ibrahim Bako led the Nigerian Army contingent that facilitated the transfer of about 100 former guerrillas from the Zimbabwean bushes (after the liberation struggle) for selection and training at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna in 1980. Those 100 former guerrillas formed the pioneer corps of the post-independence Zimbabwe National Army, leading Nigeria’s assistance to other Southern African countries like Angola and South Africa, in their fight against apartheid and colonialism.

There was the South African relief fund, an offshoot of the Federal Government, established by General Olusegun Obasanjo, first headed by Dr Aina from Kwara State and later by Evelyn Omawunmi Urhobo, which provided assistance to freedom fighters of South Africa. At that time every Federal Civil Servant was obliged to donate to the Fund. Nigeria donated four rooms at the National Theatre Iganmu, Lagos to serve as operations centres for the liberation struggle in South Africa. Both the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) and the African National Congress (ANC) shared the offices then.

Dr Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki (81), who later became the President of South Africa from 16 June 1999 to 24 September 2008, used one of those offices in Iganmu. He was then the head of the African National Congress (ANC) in Nigeria. At that time, Lagos was like the capital of freedom fighters in Africa. It is no exaggeration that we carried Africa’s burden.

In fact, a commercial street in Freetown, Sierra Leone, is today named after the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha GCFR (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998).

Listing the assistance that Nigeria has given to some African countries from independence to date, is like counting the planes that land daily at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia, USA – too numerous.

My late cousin, Dr Ayo Akinbobola (11th December 1942 – 19th April, 2008) Jimekenla from Idanre in Ondo state, attempted it in his book titled, “Regionalism and Regional Influentials: The Post Cold-War Role of Nigeria in African Affairs.” Dr Akinbobola was a Ford Foundation Fellow at Howard University, Washington DC, USA; a research fellow at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs, Lagos; a visiting scholar to the University of Oxford, 1979; and to the University of Michigan.

In 1972, Nigeria and the Benin Republic embarked on a N7 million cement project. The Nigerian government provided a N2 million, 35 years interest free loan, with 30 per cent equity. Both countries also have a joint sugar project. The Nigerian government had a 45 per cent equity share in the project, while Benin Republic held 49 per cent, with expatriate companies’ enjoying five per cent of the shares. Both projects were based in the Benin Republic.

The Nigeria government also invested in uranium mining in Niger and petrochemical concerns in Senegal.

In September 1972, Nigeria signed an agreement with Guinea to invest $350,000 (five per cent of the shares) in the Mifergui Nimba and Simandou Company of Guinea, which is charged with the exploitation and sales of the country’s iron ore resources. Under the agreement, Nigeria was guaranteed one million tons of quality ore yearly for its steel production at Ajaokuta.

Nigeria provided electricity to Niger from Kainji Dam. She also granted Dahomey (Benin) $2 million to pay for imports from the country. Nigeria entered into agreement with other African states to construct a 6,530 kilometre trans-Africa highway running from and Kenyan port of Mombassa to the Nigerian port city of Lagos and passing through Uganda, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo), Central African Republic and Cameroon.

In 1972, Nigeria granted an interest free N1 million loan to Dahomey to rehabilitate the Idiroko- Porto Novo road. By the time the road was opened in 1973, the Federal Government had spent a total of N2.7 million on it. The Federal Government also undertook the construction of the 92-kilometre Sokoto-Illela and Birnin Konni (both in Niger Republic) roads at the cost of N2.2 million.

On 24 February, 1975, at the ministerial meeting of the Economic Commission for Africa in Nairobi, Nigeria announced that it would make crude petroleum available to any African country that required it, at concessionary rates. The leader of the Nigerian government delegation, Mr Victor Adeyeye Adegoroye from Akure in Ondo State, who made the announcement, spelt out two conditions for this: Such countries must have their own refineries, and the crude oil sold to them must not be re-exported to Third World countries.

Nigeria also played an active role in the funding of African Development Bank (AfDB). The renowned economist, Dr Pius Nwabufo Charles Okigbo (6 February, 1924 — 13 September, 2000) from Ojoto in Idemili South Local Government of Anambra State, was the head of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) team that carried out the feasibility study on it in 1961. On 4 November, 1964, the Nigerian Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa (December 1912 – 15 January 1966) presided over its inaugural board of governors’ meeting in Lagos. Nigeria’s major on-going multilateral assistance involved the bank. It has the highest block of shares in the bank. This comes to 159,751 shares, about 15.6 per cent of the total shares and some 10.5 per cent of the weighted voting power.

Nigeria contributes 32.5 per cent annually to the ECOWAS budget (multilateral assistance). In June 1980, it settled the outstanding rent of the Community’s secretariat amounting to N80 million.

In 1970-1971, Nigeria increased its contributions to the OAU budget to N150,000, 47 per cent over the 1968-1969 contributions, making it the third largest contributor to the organisation’s annual budget. In 1978, the Federal Government gave Mozambique N5million to cope with problems associated with the closure of its borders with Sothern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. Nigeria played a major role in the establishment of the River Niger Basin Commission and the Chad Basin Commission. Both of which have potential as investment. In 1979, Nigerian contributed N30,000,000 to the Lake Chad Basin Development Fund.

Nigeria’s military assistance to other countries has generally taken the form of contributions to troops and equipment to peacekeeping missions in countries having internal conflicts. The country was yet to become independent when it became involved in the UN Congo mission. Its generally effective and widely acclaimed participation in that peacekeeping mission laid a foundation for later involvements in several other peacekeeping missions since then, including those in Lebanon and the former Yugoslavia.

Apart from the Congo mission, Nigeria has been the player in the Liberian peacekeeping operations. Nigerian troops served in Sierra Leone as part of the peace agreement to end that country’s civil war. They also served in Tanzania to restore order following the army mutiny of 20 January, 1964. Military officers of a number of African countries undergo training in some Nigerian military schools and colleges.

Shortly after Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (December 1912 – 15 January 1966) the then Prime Minister proposed that a fact finding mission be sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo where open rebellion had broken out, the UN on 5 November, 1960, set up the Congo Conciliation Commission made up of 15 Afro-Asian states. Nigeria’s foreign Minister, Mr Jaja Nwachukwu was elected chairman of the commission. Before independence, Nigeria had put the Kano airport at the disposal of the UN for the transport of troops and materials to the Congo. Two platoons of the fifth Battalion of the Royal Nigerian Army were detailed to work with UN troops during their stopover in Kano.

Later, at the request of the UN Secretary General, Dag Hammarskjord, Nigeria agreed one month to its independence to contribute troops to the UN force in the Congo and immediately dispatched the general officer commanding the RNA to conduct a reconnaissance mission in the troubled republic. The full Nigerian contingent itself left for the Congo between 18 and 22 November, 1960. It involved five battalions deployed in four of the country’s six provinces, namely Kassai, Kivu, North Katanga and Leopoldville.

The contingent was assigned the primary duty of assisting the Congolese authorities in maintaining law and order and preventing minor clashes and large-scale war among the various factions. Among other things, the Nigerians contingent helped to reduce inter-ethnic and inter-factional clashes; protected Congolese and foreign administrators as well as public utilities workers: and performed guard duties at installations such as power stations, airstrips, mines, factories, waterworks, railway stations and public buildings.

On the whole, Nigeria has supplied about 70 per cent of ECOMOG’s men and material during the first five years of its operations. This includes 15-armed helicopters. Since the removal of the force’s Ghanaian Commander, General Arnold Quainoo, it has been led by Nigerian Commander. SMC also set up a special emergency fund for the war-torn country to deal with refugee problems, among others.

Shortly after the Federal Government accorded it recognition in November 1975, the MPLA government in Angola sent a delegation to Lagos to request for military and financial assistance. In December, the government gave the Angolan government an outright grant of $20million and set up a military committee headed by the Minister of Defence, Major General Illiya Bisalla to determine how best Nigeria could meet the needs of the Angolans.

The committee was able, by January 1976, to assemble uniforms, combat boots, steel helmet and some weapons which Nigeria Air Force planes used to fly to Angola. Still significant was the role of General Murtala Mohammed (8 November 1938 – 13 February 1976) who almost single-handedly swayed the OAU into MPLA recognition as the sole government of Angola. Many African commentators considered Murtala’s action as a psychological boost for the African liberation movement because of its impact on the US position on African decolonization.

In the early 70s, while we were in Ibadan with the likes of Oladunnin Ayandepo, Joe Abiola alias Atuma, Tayo Kehinde, Soji Alakuro, Folu Olamiti, Toye Akiyode alias Agusko, Sanya Ogunlana alias Sosoele and others, he never embraced socialist policies nor was he allowed to be called Comrade or Aluta Continua, which were popular clichés during that period. In Ibadan then he was just a Good Fellow struggling to survive like everyone.

President Bola Tinubu (GCFR) left Ibadan for Chicago, United States of America to study. Among his classmates at that time in Chicago was Chief Kunle Adedayo (75) alias Baba Yungbayungba, from Ila Orangun in Osun State, now the Chairman of Tastee Fried Chicken in Lagos.

President Bola Tinubu and Chief Kunle Adedayo were both living in the same apartment at 7959 South Phillips, Chicago, USA.

When Chief Adedayo got married in Chicago in 1976 to his alluring Ijebu Ode lady, Yinka Pamela, Bola Tinubu was one of his groomsmen at the marriage event. When their son, Bunmi, was born in 1977, President Bola Tinubu was the godfather.

When President Tinubu returned to Nigeria, he was employed at Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc, Bookshop House, 50/52, Broad Street, Lagos. His co-workers at that time were Chief Pius Olu Akinyelure, Barry Fadase, Segun Fatusi (My Main Man), Dayo Jolaoso, Sola Ogunsola, Mr Sijuade, Akin Doherty, Adekunle Ali, Akin Fatunke, Olu Onakoya, Akin Leigh, Emmanuel Adesoye, John Nnadi, Nwachukwu Okonkwo, Moses Olabode, Adenike Williams, Sunday Essien, Olumide Ajomale, Olusegun Ojo, Oloye Femi Olugbende, Bath Mou, Kola Fajuyigbe and others.

At lunch time, he was always at Mummy’s Place (Mrs Adebanjo) on 12, Lewis street, Lagos Island, which was also patronised by Dayo Shobowale, Joke Sanyaolu, Yinka Guedon, Tola Animashaun, Remi Agbaosi, Dele Adeola, Biyi Badejo, Prince Bola Ojora, Tunde Duale, Prince Makinwa Ademiluyi (Makaay), Akin Sanwo-Olu, Winnie Ojei, Ranti Aborowa, Tunde Adebanjo, Remi Odukoya, Supo Ali Balogun, Egbon Ladi Rasaki, Tunde Babayale, Gori Thomas, Roy Abiodun, Femi Akiyode, Dr Okubanjo, CK Roberto, Lamidi Albert, Eddy Obaseki and others.