An Assessment Of The Impact Of Politics Of Identity On Nigeria’s Foreign Policy In The Fourth Republic, 1999-2019

Abstract

Since Nigeria’s political independence in 1960 up to the Fourth Republic, the country’s foreign policy has been negatively affected by the problem of Politics of Identity. This has resulted into disarticulated and badly implemented foreign policies over the years. Politics of identity in Nigeria, which often manifests in tribal/ethnic, religious, regional/sectional and class, has been coming into conflict with the overall national foreign policy objectives. The study is a qualitative one where data was generated mainly from secondary sources through the scrutiny of academic journals, textbooks, internet materials and magazines. The data was analyzed through explanatory method. Concepts of Identity, Politics and Foreign Policy as well as the Realist Theory have been clarified which served as frameworks for the study. At the end of the study, recommendations have been proffered towards the elimination of foreign policy inputs emanating out of identity politics and the projection of national interests as vital inputs in Nigeria’s foreign policy. Principal among these recommendations is the need for mainstreaming and elevation of nationalism above any other considerations in Nigeria’s foreign policy from conception to implementation where Nigeria will assert its sovereign independence as an emerging third world power and interact with other international actors for greater returns in terms of economic benefits and rewards.