Nationalism and the making of Nigeria’s Afrocentric foreign policy: a colonial imperative

The impact of colonialism on the founding of Nigeria’s foreign relations pillar is far reaching. It birthed the country’s Afrocentric disposition in her international relations conduct. Afrocentrism as Nigeria’s foreign policy thrust enabled her to prioritise the interest of African states over others. On October 1, 1960, when Nigeria attained statehood, her colonial experience and desire to guard against hegemonic relationships informed the unveiling of Nigeria’s three concentric circles foreign policy. But this international relations framework was more pro-West African than Nigerian centred. Hence, this paper problematizes Nigeria’s prioritisation of the interest of West African and African states as her own immediate national interest in 1960 as a circumstantially apt decision overdue for revision. It is along this line that this paper interrogated colonial determinism in the making of Nigeria’s Afrocentric foreign policy using the historical research methodology. Findings in the study showed that the Afrocentric foreign policy of Nigeria was a colonial imperative. It was regional and continental security framework designed to guarantee the long-run national security of Nigeria. But growing misconceptions about Nigeria’s Afrocentrism has made her diplomatic relations in Africa one of the most castigated. Thus, this paper gives fresh insights to Nigeria’s foreign policy with a view to repositioning perspectives. It concludes that post-colonial Nigeria Afrocentrism was not a spur of the moment decision, but a tactical continuity of colonial nationalist struggles. This means that Afrocentrism is the expression of Nigeria’s commitment to her manifest destiny to look out for other African states globally. However, for it to be immediately beneficial to Nigeria this study argued that Nigeria needs to balance her Afrocentrism with Nigeriacentrism. This would help recalibrate Nigeria’s Afrocentrism to reflect the live and let live principle where Nigeria’s and Nigerians survival comes first.