The Ike Nwachukwu Legacy
Godknows Igali
One of Nigeria’s most outstanding militarydiplomats, General Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu, turns 80 years today, September 1, 2020. Born in the “Garden City” of PortHarcourt, this urbane-debonair-cavalier and gentlemanly former military officer, stands tall and celebrated as the man with the mida’s touch, who brought aggressive economic engagement to define Nigeria’s foreign policy.
A Soldier and National Service
Ike Omar Sanda who joined the Nigerian army in 1963 alongside other very eminent military leaders such as Generals Y.Y. Kure, late A.B. Mamman, amongst others, is renowned for his patriotism. While speaking at the Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference in Ibadan in December 2017, General Nwachukwu said “I fought in the Nigerian civil war as a Federal Army Officer, principally because I believe in Nigeria’s unity. That belief remains my conviction that all Nigerians regardless of ethnic, religious or regional origin have the right to live, work and prosper anywhere and everywhere in Nigeria”.
It is the currency nowadays to hear many in foreign relations circles talk about “economic diplomacy” often with varying levels of understanding and claims of its origin, considering how this phenomenon has helped nations bolster their economic fortunes. However, on hindsight, it is humbling that Nigeria’s affirmative drive towards attainment of this policy thrust was during the years 1987 to 1989, a period that saw a military officer who served as Foreign Minister of the largest black nation in the world. Although, the source and scope of this concept could somewhat be evasive and sometimes constantly changing, what was clear to all in Nigeria and around the world was that, Africa’s most populous state was arguably amongst the first to give a clear expression and content to this term. Hitherto, it is rarely used and if that occurred, was largely nebulous and opaque. Gladly today, even those who were skeptical about such thoughts are in the first line in espousing what they tended to reject and write off.
No one can gainsay the beauty of public service especially at very high levels, which, when reflected upon, could have experiences and lessons to draw from, by succeeding generations. This is the backdrop against which a terse reflection of Nigeria’s journey in its quest for sustainable development using the instrumentality of economic diplomacy is hinged. Who were Nigeria’s pioneering actors of this concept? And how did she become a reference point in the subject of economic diplomacy? How has she faired ever since?
For Nwachukwu, a national service that was originally intended to be within the precincts of defending the territorial integrity of the Nigerian state, became unwittingly deflected and gratefully so, to the world of diplomacy, statecraft and political leadership. Put on a proper scale looking back, it becomes much difficult to put strict lines of separation on where each of these roles begin and end. It is obvious therefore, that the functions which any well-meaning citizen of a country has to carry out at various times could most times be co-equal in importance. This was the guiding philosophy of Nwachukwu who saw each posting within the military for a span of over thirty years. During this period, he rose steadily to become a Major-General, and performed other ad hoc leadership assignments; all dwelling within same sacred ambits of national service.
Whether in the more familiar territory of military service where he also rose to become Provost General of the Nigerian Army, or in civil governance as Governor of Abia State (1986-1987), Diplomacy or partisan politics as an elected Senator representing Imo North (1990-1993), the retired General’s cornerstone of personal fulfillment was his contribution to the process of building a viable nation. Rather outstanding, in all these, was his induction into the nuances and finesse of Diplomatic Service as the number one image-maker of Nigeria. This was profoundly peculiar.
Induction into Diplomacy and Diplomatic Service
In most countries around the world, the Diplomatic Service is often an apex assemblage of some of the best brains and most refined persons which a country can put together at any time. This is understandably the single and uppermost reason that a country’s foreign policy and what it has to offer in the international scene are merely a reflection of its domestic circumstances. In the reverse order, as is commonly said in military circles, the world will appreciate a country more within the ambits of its economic strength, social wellbeing and internal peace within its borders. So, the diplomatic service must necessarily encapsulate the best human manpower that could go outside its borders to project and defend its interest. It is therefore expected that no country will mortgage such awesome responsibilities to anything but the very best.
Upon resuming at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then at 23 Marina Road in Lagos, Nigeria’s erstwhile capital, as Foreign Minister, General Nwachukwu had without doubt, expected to meet a corp of very able and well formal professionals. Gladly, in the course of his military service, he had several useful opportunities to comingle and be part of the country’s military-diplomatic assets. While serving in the Nigerian Army, for instance, the retired General had great engagements on issues of international peace, security and human welfare. Also, as part of his military training (though essentially an infantry officer), he had undertaken studies at the Institute of Humanitarian Law, San Romero Italy, which is the United Nation’s Peace Academy. Beyond that, he also had trainings at several high-level policy formulation institutions, not leaving out the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, Plateau State.
Arriving therefore in the foreign ministry, he was determined to make a difference and leave a mark for the overall wellbeing of the country. No doubt, his training at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Royal Canadian School of Infantry and the famous School of Infantry, Warminster, United Kingdom had prepared him for a rewarding public service, not only of security, but also of broad public policy involvement. More importantly, his thrust of policy as Foreign Minister therefore had to be in tune with the realities of the country’s political and social circumstances. After all, that is the raison d’etres of interstate relations.
Preparation for Economic Diplomacy
As if a dress rehearsed for a new function, General Nwachukwu’s last non-military appointment before coming to the Foreign
Ministry was in the Ministry of Labour where he dealt with issues of employment generation, wealth creation, human capital development and economic growth. He particularly had a very close contact with the teeming army of young people who needed to be given meaningful livelihood both for themselves and the succeeding generations of Nigerians. At a stage, he was impulsed to create the National Directorate to Employment (NDE) which till today remains the flagship for resolving problems of vocational training for young people and employment generation.
Indeed, this brought him to terms with the realities of the Nigerian economy at the time. As Minister of Labour, and as such, member of the Economic Committee of the Federal Executive Council, he used the platform to be more abreast with actualities of growth and progress, as the ascent of all policies of government had to be directed towards creating opportunities and inclusiveness thus seeking growth for younger people and the private sector. In no little way did he get closer to the reality that the private sector must be the driver of growth that takes the lead in opening up the overall potentials of the country.
A major advantage which he had over several other colleagues in the military government was the fact that the then Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, had absolute confidence in the options and solutions on a broad range of issues which came as a result of the inner reflections of the Foreign Affairs Minister’s troubled mind on the future of the country. A case in point was the immediate approval that greeted the recommendation that sought the creation of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), one that came even before the thought was completed communicated.
The experience was not any different upon the General’s deployment as the helmsman in the Foreign Affairs Ministry when he sought the Head of State’s blessing on Nigeria’s need for a foreign policy that should hinge on mercantilist, pro-private sector, and proeconomic adventurism in a bid to institutionalize “a complementarity” between government and the private sector capable of driving the national economy and in so doing, engender economic growth as well as strengthen the respect, prestige and influence of the country in the international arena. All these were not only greeted with the required support and approvals, but an assurance of government’s fullest support.
Conceptualising Economic Diplomacy
As it is expected on arrival at any department or agency, meetings are usually convened for the new boss with top echelon. In this case, it was with the diplomatic high brass. This comprised amongst others, some of the first generation of career ambassadors the country had produced. Most of these were those who remained from the pioneer set which started the country’s Foreign Service when it was still part of the Prime Minister’s office in 1957. These early birds had received very sound training in some of the best academic and diplomatic institutions in the world. Majority of them were therefore expectedly ultraconservative and wont to defining foreign policy and inter-state relations mainly from the political prism. In fact, it is often said within international relations orbits that the prestige and aura of the sovereign and of the state is better enjoyed when the king stays out of the market place. To them, even the so-called “Trade Attaches” which some older democracies had in Embassies, were expected to merely perform routine functions, mostly tied to processing of documentation.
No doubt, diplomacy had always included the defense of trading rights, merchant ships and protection of citizens who were out on their private commercial missions in other countries. Indeed, for many who read European history at some point, much of the course of relations between countries of that region, was in pursuit of what was best for the country’s economic and social interests. It is now common knowledge that Europe’s adventure to the outside world whether by the Portuguese in the 15th century and their Spanish neighbours in the 15th and 16th centuries, or later by the Dutch, the French, the English, the Belgians, etc always had strong elements of economic nexus.
Europe wanted trade routes and produce from other countries to advance their economic interests especially when the industry revolution started over 300 years ago. In the world’s recent history leading up to the infamous Berlin Conference of 1884/1885, and the colonial conquest of all of Africa and developing countries, the political agenda of Europe always dove-tailed with the commercial imperative. As a matter of fact, in some cases, “chartered companies” such as Royal Niger Company (now United Africa Company) were given exclusive royal rights to colonize countries and administer them on behalf of their sovereign.
Against this backdrop and the new national economic realities, the new Foreign Affairs Minister, on arrival, used the opportunity to explain to the leadership of the ministry, starting from the then Permanent Secretaries, Amb. Ignatius Olisemeka Emeka, as well as Ms. Judith Atta both of whom he had previously enjoyed very excellent relationship with. While the latter, being a great educationist, was well known within educational circles, the former who was Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States and later Israel, was fairly well acquainted to over the years. The realities of the economic circumstances at the time dictated the need for Nigeria to give primacy to robust economic activism in the country’s foreign policy.
Prior to Nwachukwu’s assumption in the ministry, the government of President Ibrahim Babangida, unlike those just before him, had to weather very tough economic situations on account of a sharp fall in oil prices. It would be recalled that in the preceding years, crude oil had reached relatively high prices. Rightly or wrongly, some top government functionaries were quoted to have boasted that Nigeria’s problem was “how to spend the money which she had.” However, during that time, oil prices had crashed to the lowest levels and the country was confronted with accepting the very unpopular decision suggested by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) known as “Structural Adjustment Programme”. While agreeing to adjust the country’s circumstances, however, President Babangida was not ready to accept an imposed economic regime or “conditionality.” This was where bringing in the private sector to bolster the efforts of the government became inevitable, thus introducing the private sector fully into the corridors of diplomacy.