Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi has revealed how he warned Nigeria as far back as 1987 about its foreign policy.
Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show Tuesday, Prof Akinyemi said he anticipated what has played out in the just-concluded BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Backdrop
The BRICS bloc of developing nations recently agreed to admit Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates in a move aimed at accelerating its push to reshuffle a world order it sees as outdated.
Surprisingly, Nigeria, the leading economy in Africa was left out – a development that stirred mixed reactions on social media.
Nigeria may not have expressly shown her interest in being a member of BRICS, a coalition of five countries motivated to work together for rapid development purposes; but it is clear that such a membership would be of immense benefit to the country, in addition to signposting her as a respectable force in the comity of nations.
Reacting to the development, the ex-minister said; “What has played out in Summit in South Africa is what some of us (old school) had anticipated as far back as 1987.
“I was not minister at that time but I warned Nigeria that the anti-apartheid struggle was basically over and Nigeria would have to redefine its foreign policy and know that there are going to be competitors for its status but Nigeria didn’t listen to me at that time.”
He further claimed his proposed ‘medium-powers’ was rejected by Nigeria adding that it was later adopted by some countries because BRICS, according to him, is a variation of that proposal.
“If Nigeria had accepted my proposal we would have been the one determining the fate of South Africa today and not vice-versa,” he added.
. TheWitness
