Unpacking Nigeria’s Peace Efforts During the Second Cycle of the Liberian Conflict

Abstract

Although peace operations have been a major instrument of Nigeria’s foreign policy continentally and globally, this study analyzed the country’s peace campaigns in Liberia under president Olusegun Obasanjo. The paper observed inter alia that Obasanjo’s peace efforts in Liberia were influenced by his recognition of Nigeria as a leading actor in the stabilization efforts in the region. While there were some encumbrances, Nigeria’s peace campaigns in Liberia were successful as revealed by the data sources. Nigeria’s major accomplishments included the eventual signing of a comprehensive peace agreement in 2003 that brought an end to the carnage in the country, offer of asylum to Taylor, and the 2005 post-conflict elections. These accomplishments could be attributed to President Obasanjo’s gravitas and Nigeria’s well-oiled diplomatic machinery in the West African sub-region. To arrive at this conclusion, the paper adopted the secondary data sources and interview technique for the purpose of data collection, and descriptive thematic analysis.

“Instrumentalizing” The United Nations: Nigeria and Its Quest for Regional Leadership in Africa

“…This study establishes that Nigeria has always pursued a hegemonic ambition in the African region (Oshewolo 2019a, 2019d, 2019e; Saliu and Oshewolo 2018) and has often used the platform of the UN to give effect to this ambition and project its power capabilities to the world. The legitimacy of Nigeria’s leadership ambition in Africa is built on some compelling grounds.…”

“…It also gallantly led the way during the second cycle of the Liberian conflict. Nigeria's involvement in several of these missions has allowed it to project its military power beyond its borders (Adeniyi 2015; Oshewolo 2018a, 2019e).…”

“…Several Nigerians have also commanded UN peacekeeping operations in different parts of the world. Some Nigerian UN Force Commanders include General Aguiyi Ironsi, General Unimma, General Chris Garuba, General Rufus Kupolati, Lieutenant‐General Joseph Olorungbon Owonibi, Lieutenant‐General Chikadibia Obiakor, and Martin Agwai (Gambari 2005; Oshewolo 2018b, 2019e). Gambari (2012, 56) maintains that Nigeria's service in this capacity implies that “its views were taken seriously whenever the Security Council discussed any matter concerning the maintenance of international peace and security.”…”

Nigeria in ECOWAS Politics: Major Contributions, Dividends and Setbacks

“…The modest effort in this section is to look at Nigeria's core contributions in ECOWAS. As revealed by our data sources (Alli 2012;Fafowora 2013;George 2012;Oshewolo 2018aOshewolo , 2019c), Nigeria's efforts have been more dominant in the areas of security and stability, democracy promotion, economic support for ECOWAS member-states, and funding of the organisation.…”

“…West Africa's armed conflicts and their corollaries are always of great concern to Nigeria, for which it has consistently deployed its military, economic and human capabilities for the purpose of peacemaking, peacekeeping and enforcement. These corollaries-socio-economic development drawbacks, humanitarian and environmental catastrophes, conscription of child soldiers and the proliferation of small arms-have serious national security implications for Nigeria and therefore demand an emphatic response from the country (Akindele 2013;Albert 2007;Alli 2012;George 2012;Nwolise 2007;Oche 2011;Oshewolo 2018aOshewolo , 2019bOshewolo , 2019c.…”