BEVERLY HILLS, January 29, (THEWILL) – Nigeria has over the years been a major player in peacekeeping operations in foreign countries. In the crises that had plagued countries in Africa, Nigeria never shied away from living up to its acclaimed status as the Big Brother.
It is a common knowledge that the West African country remains a leading contributor to peacekeeping operations to the United Nations, UN, African Union, AU, and the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, in terms of financial, human and material resources. The ECOMOG military arm of the ECOWAS, which Nigeria spearheaded during the crisis in Liberia, led to the attainment of political peace in that country.
It is against this backdrop that Nigeria’s intervention in The Gambia’s recent crisis can be situated. But for its efforts, recalcitrant former President, Yahya Jammeh would not have relinquished power for the President-elect, Adama Barrow to assume office.
Nigeria had not only mediated in crises in Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Sierra Leone and Sudan, but had in monetary value, reportedly expended over $16 billion in working for peace in those countries.
Such funds and efforts were spent in interventions abroad even when Nigerians are faced with myriad socio-political and economic challenges, including internal strives as was the case in Southern Kaduna, Boko Haram-ravaged Northeast and the Niger Delta when Nigeria was trying to oust Jammeh to pave way for Barrow to take over.
A report has it that Nigeria, “In 2003, Nigeria deployed 1,500 troops to the ECOWAS Mission in Liberia (ECOMIL) and a medical and signal team to the ECOWAS Mission in Cote d’Ivoire in 2003 (ECOMICI). In 2004, Nigeria deployed 1,500 troops to Darfur as part of the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS). Nigeria has provided 1,200 troops to the African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA), and 200 Police officers to AMISOM. The pioneer Formed Police Unit (FPU) of 120 officers was deployed by Nigeria in Liberia in 2004”.
Considering that there seems to be an unending need for Nigeria to participate in the restoration of peace in foreign countries, it behoves President Muhammadu Buhari and the nation’s political elite to ensure that nothing similar to what is being confronted abroad happens in our shores. Countries in crisis will indeed respect the intervention of Nigeria in their shores when there is no semblance of their situation here.
To this end, THEWILL calls on President Buhari and the National Assembly to ensure that the Nigerian polity is freed of whatever may cause bad blood among the various ethnic and religious groups. Sanity has to be restored in the way Nigeria conducts its elections and the inordinate quest for power. It is only then that the country can have the moral high ground to mediate in other nation’s political crisis.
While it is commendable that the country is still having Africa as the centrepiece of its foreign policy, THEWILL would want the country’s leadership to accord the same or more attention to the challenges back home. A situation where Nigerian presidents are quick to commiserate with countries where tragedies just occurred without as little as commenting on crisis in the country is utterly unacceptable and condemnable.
At a time when unemployment, youth restiveness, inflation, kidnapping, militancy etc are gaining traction in our country, Nigeria cannot afford to continue coming to the rescue of other nations, whose people would waste no time in carrying out xenophobia on our nationals when the going is good.
Maybe, it is high-time Nigeria borrowed a leaf from the newly-inaugurated president of the United States, Mr. Donald Trump, who believes in putting America first.
About the Author
