INTRODUCTION
National
image both at home and abroad is an ethical issue. It may appear intangible but
the benefits and advantages flowing from a good image are unquantifiable. Good image-building
and sustenance are the major determinants that dictate the level of influence
and relevance of a state in international politics. Good image ensures a level
of credibility and respect for state in the comity of nations. Contrarily to
this, bad image and suffering of integrity and credibility crisis deny a nation
the required respect by other states. This portrays the state as a pariah
state, which does not deserve to be respected and honored by other states. A
state with image crisis is difficult to market or advertise in the ‘diplomatic
market.’ Thus, laundering the battered image of such nation in the international
arena is a difficult task.
Nigeria’s
image crisis has historical foundation and its dynamics during the long period
of military regime (1983-1999). Military dictators could make any meaning
progress in promoting the nations image in the global politics through their
foreign policy objectives. Contributing to this was the nature of governance
itself. States were not willing to associate with other states that re ruled by
military dictators. During Abache’s regime, Nigeria foreign relations were
hampered by the brutal violation human rights, corruption, and lack of respect and
insensitivity for the international community. The consequence of Abache’s
behavioral attitude towards the international system was the unprecedented
global outrage on Nigeria and the subsequent isolation of the country in the
international system notably by the Commonwealth, European Union (EU) and the
United states.
With
the reintroduction of democracy on May 29, 1999 and inauguration Olusegun
Obasanjo as President, his government face the challenges of restoring Nigeria’s
lost glory and re-integration into the world politics. This he did by engaging
in a deft shuttle diplomacy across the major capitals of the globe. It is on
this background that this paper examines the impacts of Obasanjo shuttle
diplomacy on the development of Nigeria. In dealing with this issue, the study
is divided into six sections. The first is the introduction while the second gives
conceptual clarification. The third is analyses of President Obasanjo’s shuttle
diplomacy (image-building) interventions since the emerging democracy inaugurated
in May, 1999 while the four section look at the impact on national development
and finally general conclusion.
CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATION
Shuttle
Diplomacy: shuttle diplomacy is the action of an outside party in serving as an
intermediary between (or among) principals in a dispute, without direct
principal-to-principal contact. Originally and usually, the process entails
successive travel by the intermediary, from the working location of one
principal, to that of another.
It
is a diplomatic negotiations conducted by an official intermediary who travels
frequently between the nations involved. Is the discussions between two or more countries, in which someone travels
between the different countries, talking
to the governments involved, carrying
messages, and suggesting ways of dealing
with problems
They,
in addition, recalled their ambassadors and High Commissioners from Nigeria
(The Editor, 1995:1-2). The junta’s regime of human rights abuses include the
conviction of some retired and serving soldiers for fathom coups against the
administration in 1995 including a former Head of State, General Olusegun
Obasanjo, who was an unrepentant critic of the regime for its human rights
violations. Indeed, it was under the Abacha regime that the nation’s image reached
zero level, and the character of the state as a pariah became much more
pronounced. The nation and Nigerians lost respect and prestige internationally.
OBASANJO’S SHUTTLE
DIPLOMACY
President Olusegun Obasanjo at inauguration in May,
1999, inherited a country with a battered image at home and abroad. In his
determination to regain Nigeria’s lost glory and re-integrate it into the world politics, he embarked on a deft
shuttle diplomacy across the major capitals of the world. The
grand strategy seeks the conversion of foreign policy activities into concrete
achievements which are of direct benefit to Nigeria. The main objective is “peace,
security and prosperity through friendship”. The
President, during his extensive foreign trips, addressed the United Nations (UN),
ECOWAS, the Group of 8 (G-8), Group 77 (G-77), the Commonwealth of Nations, African
Union (AU) European Union (EU) and the host of other actors in the
international arena (e.g. heads of states).
President Obasanjo had to convince the international
community that it would not be sufficient to return power to civilians without
seeking to address some critical socio economic problems confronting the
Country. He believed that there was need for a one-to-one discussion with
relevant world leaders on debt relief, economic assistance, investment,
regional security, enhanced international cooperation etc. He also held
periodic meetings with the Nigerians in the countries that he visited in order
to discuss issues of common interest and update them on government policies, as
well as possible ways they can help move the country forward. He helped Nigeria
regain her lost status of being the hub of air and sea transportation in Africa
which was severely affected during the Abacha regime. Nigeria played a central
role in the formation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)
and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). Obasanjo, through a US-contracted
military outfit, restructured the Nigerian Military Professionals Resource
Incorporation (MPRI) (Garuba, 2008:15-16
President Obasanjo’s shuttle diplomacy also recorded
some success in trying to reestablish air-link between Nigeria and United
States, Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA) with Germany,
Trade Pact with India, and renewal of faith of foreign investors in the good
future of Nigeria, especially as expressed by the many trade delegations that visited
the country from Japan, Denmark, Ghana, Turkey, France, Germany and Belgium
during his regime. In addition, President Obasanjo was able to recover most of
the stolen Nigeria funds in foreign banks located in Belgium, Switzerland, Britain,
America and Germany.
POSITIVE IMPACT OF OBASANJO’S
SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Nigeria achieved significant gains through the Obasanjo
regime’s shuttle diplomacy. Apart from the psychological relief following its
reintegration and accommodations into the world affairs, Nigeria had assumed a
leadership role in several international organizations notably the ECOWAS, AU,
and G-77. This yielded some economic dividends for the country which include
the increase Development Finance Inflow (DFI), Foreign Direct Investment (FDI),
Portfolio investments (Ikuomola, 2005:1), the Paris Club cancelled $18 billion
of the country’s over $30 billion external debt (Chiejina, 2005:1), a gesture
which signifies the Club’s confidence in the country’s economy and credibility
as an external debtor. Obasanjo shuttle diplomacy was the main engine for the
influx of FDI into the country. What his regime did was: enabling the adoption
of foreign policy towards reintegration of the country into the comity of nations; image building to help create an awareness of
the conducive and stable macroeconomic environment that abounds for foreign
investors to operate; and resulting in greater establishment and resuscitation
of bilateral/multilateral investment relations for home advantage.
At the domestic level, his government embarked on a
reform program in late 2003 tagged the National Economic Empowerment and Development
Strategy (NEEDS). The leadership also undertook a far-reaching privatization programme.
Freedom of expression and of the press was observed, and human rights
violations have been reduced from the time of military rule. Controls over
foreign investment have been loosened through investment laws refined to allow
an appropriate treatment and protection of foreign investment. Since 1999, the
BPE has raised over $4 billion by privatizing and concessioning more than 140 enterprises,
including cement manufacturing firms, banks, hotels, and vehicle assembly plants.
NEGETIVE IMPACT OF
OBASANJO’S SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Consequently,
upon the realization of the damage that had been done to the international
image of Nigeria and the likely disadvantaged position this would foist on the
country in taking maximum advantage of globalization, the regime of Obasanjo
set out early through shuttle diplomacy to redress the image problem of the country.
In essence, the task before the new administration was how to change the pariah
status of Nigeria and regain the lost ground in international reckoning.
Furthermore,
Obasanjo succeeded in re-positioning Nigeria to take its rightful place among
the comity of civilized nations by “re-branding” her foreign policy especially
through personalization of the process and economic diplomacy. Despite
Obasanjo’s lofty achievements in Nigeria’s foreign policy circle, a number of
factors connived to dent the country’s international image, and by implication
blight Obasanjo’s laudable legacy. These include, but not limited to the
following: the controversial US $30b debt negotiation and eventual
“forgiveness” in 2006; the contested agreement on Bakassi Peninsula territory
(Green Tree Agreement) facilitated by the United Nations (UN) between Nigeria
and Cameroun in 2006; and the attempt to subvert the constitution in April 2006
to extend his tenure in office.
CONCLUSION
With
the Nigerian economy suffering severe
blow during the prolonged years of military rule of Babangida, Abacha and Abubakar's
regimes. Life became miserable, while opportunism and greed thrived in the
socio-political and economic environment of the country. The economy was battered
and at the verge of collapse as social policy, economic and political institutions
were undermined. The policy errors of the past regimes had seriously affected
the position of the Nigerian economy. Political and policy instability
discouraged foreign investment despite the huge domestic market and the
strategic location of the nation.
However,
the Obasanjo's administration took certain decisive steps to put in place an
enabling environment for the thriving of democracy, regaining international
respectability and credibility and putting the economy on the path of sustainable
growth and development. It is noteworthy that some of the measures taken by the
administration which include the inauguration of Anti-corruption bill;
monitoring domestic and international campaign to recover looted public assets;
introduction of Universal Basic Education, addressing the energy crisis,
establishment of a Poverty Alleviation Programme, the upward review of the
minimum wage among other things are good steps in the right direction. The administration
also promoted private sector investment in order to achieve rapid economic
growth and development. Also, One of the
government's biggest macroeconomic achievements of Obasanjo’s shuttle diplomacy
has been the sharp reduction in its external debt, which declined from 36% of GDP
in 2004 to less than 4% of GDP in 2007. On December 17, the United States and
seven other Paris Club nations signed debt reduction agreements with Nigeria
for $18 billion in debt reduction, with the proviso that Nigeria pays back its
remaining $12 billion in debt by March 2006 (Osagie, 2007). Foreign investors
are now competing to come and take advantage of nigeria’s large market,
friendly population, cheap but qualitative labour and abundant mineral
resources.
REFERENCES
Adeniji, Oluyemi, (2004); New Direction in Nigeria’s
Foreign Policy; in Bolaji A. Akinterinwa,(ed) Nigeria’s New Foreign Policy
Thrust: Essays in Honour of Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji; Ibadan: Vantage
Publishers.
Akinterinwa, Bola .A. (2004a); Concentricism in
Nigeria’s Foreign Policy; in Bolaji A. Akinterinwa,(ed) Nigeria’s New Foreign
Policy Thrust: Essays in Honour of Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji; Ibadan: Vantage
Publishers.
Chiejina, N. (2005)”$18b slashed off Nigeria’s debt”
The Comet, Lagos, Turning-Point Newspapers, July 1, p.1
Federal Republic of Nigeria. Obasanjo' s Economic
Direction (1999 - 2000) April 2000.
Ikuomola, V. (2005a)” Obasanjo in France on Investments,
debt relief” The Comet, Lagos, Turning-point Newspaper, May 24, p.3.
Ikuomola, V. (2005a)” Obasanjo in France on
Investments, debt relief” The Comet, Lagos, Turning-point Newspaper, May 24,
p.3.
Suraj
M. and Olusola A. (2001) The Nigerian Economy Under Obasanjo, Development
Policy Management Network Bulletin, September 2001 edition
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