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Question

Difficulty: MediumFormulation and Evolution of Nigeria's Foreign Policy Across Regimes

During the military administration of General Murtala Muhammed (1975–1976), Nigeria's foreign policy experienced a major transformation from conservative non-alignment to a dynamic, assertive Afrocentric posture. Which of the following diplomatic decisions most clearly demonstrated this shift in foreign policy direction?

  1. The immediate recognition of and financial backing for the Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in opposition to Western pressureAnswer
  2. B
    The unilateral abrogation of the Anglo-Nigerian Defence Pact to eliminate foreign military bases in West Africa
  3. C
    The creation of the Technical Aid Corps (TAC) scheme to promote economic cooperation across Africa and the Caribbean
  4. D
    The signing of the Treaty of Lagos establishing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Answer

The immediate recognition of and financial backing for the Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in opposition to Western pressure
General Murtala Muhammed's administration (1975–1976) transformed Nigeria's foreign policy by adopting a bold, activist Afrocentric position. The hallmark of this shift was Nigeria's diplomatic recognition of and substantial financial/military aid to the MPLA in Angola in late 1975. Murtala Muhammed famously rejected US President Gerald Ford's directive pushing for a coalition government that included South African-backed factions, declaring at the 1976 OAU Extraordinary Summit in Addis Ababa that 'Africa has come of age.'

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the foreign policy trajectory of Nigeria under General Murtala Muhammed (1975–1976).
Identify that Murtala Muhammed introduced an energetic, anti-colonial, and pro-African foreign policy stance known as radical Afrocentricity.
Regime changes in Nigeria often brought shifts in external orientation and policy execution methods.
2
Evaluate the key international crisis during Murtala Muhammed's regime.
In late 1975, following Portuguese decolonization in Angola, Nigeria openly rejected the United States' request to support a government of national unity and instead recognized the Marxist MPLA led by Agostinho Neto.
This move demonstrated Nigeria's willingness to directly challenge Western hegemony in defense of African liberation.
3
Distinguish Murtala's actions from foreign policy initiatives of other Nigerian regimes.
The Anglo-Nigerian Defence Pact abrogation belongs to Balewa (1962), ECOWAS formation to Gowon (1975), and the Technical Aid Corps to Babangida (1987).
Differentiating regime-specific policies is essential to historical and political accuracy in assessment.

Key Concept

Regime Change and Afrocentric Foreign Policy Shift under Murtala Muhammed
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Formulation and Evolution of Nigeria's Foreign Policy Across Regimes