FOREIGN POLICY AND NATIONAL INTEREST: A CASE OF NIGERIA’S ROLE IN COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS
Saadu Adamu & Muhammad Abdullahi
Department of Political Science and International Studies, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
Department of Political Science, Federal University, Gusau
Email: saadadamu2020@gmail.com; abdullahiramat@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Nigeria has no doubt played and still continues to play eminent role in the Commonwealth of Nations. The paper examines the participatory role of Nigeria in Commonwealth as dictated and guided by her national interest. Analyzing within the framework of Complex interdependence theory with focus on liberal perspective which assumes that states are not the only important actors, social welfare issues share center stage with security issues on the global agenda, and cooperation is as dominant a characteristic of international politics as conflict, the paper observes that Nigeria-Commonwealth relations affect the nation’s foreign policy objectives in variety of ways as reflected in decolonization, anti-apartheid struggle, defense, trade and investment, scientific and technological support and research , democratization, human rights, political crises, tackling corruption among others. However, as a peripheral participant with limited independence and autonomy in global politics, Nigeria’s role in Commonwealth have not significantly contributed to the realization of her national interest in a manner that maximize the economic, political and social welfare of the citizenry in the face of increasing rate of poverty, youth unemployment, economic recession, internal security threats by Boko Haram insurgency and secessionist agitations, deindustrialization among other numerous challenges. This paper therefore concludes that for Nigeria to manifest and assert her true status in the international system in order to actualize her core national interest, she must be able to harness her numerous human and natural endowments for sustainable development and stability.
Keywords: Foreign Policy, National Interest
