Author(s) :

Asanebi, Daupamowei Henry.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

Foreign policy is the set of goals and actions a nation pursues abroad to protect its national interests. The study examined Nigeria’s foreign policy under Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa from 1960 to 1966. Historical secondary sources were utilised in the study's research methodology. The study revealed that Balewa’s key speeches in the House of Representatives, at Independence, and before the United Nations identified the ideational basis of Nigeria’s early foreign policy. He articulated six core principles: Afrocentrism, non-alignment, sovereign equality, multilateralism, anti-colonialism, and gradualist integration. Thus, Balewa espoused non-alignment, but the country's foreign policy remained structurally aligned with Britain and the West due to economic dependence and inherited colonial ties, etc. Achievements such as the institutionalisation of a foreign policy framework, support for decolonisation, and active participation in the UN and OAU are weighed against challenges of economic vulnerability, domestic fragmentation, and limited bureaucratic capacity. The study concludes that Alhaji Tafawa Balewa was successful in making Africa the cornerstone of Nigerian foreign policy and establishing Nigeria's reputation as a moderate and responsible actor, preserving Nigeria’s autonomy and preventing direct entanglement in superpower conflicts. Keywords: Nigeria; Tafawa Balewa; Foreign Policy; Non-Alignment; Afrocentrism

No. of Downloads :

0