Individual Essays: Individual Research Projects(IRP)

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Browsing Individual Essays: Individual Research Projects(IRP) by Subject "African Unity"

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    The Role of Nigeria in the Formation of the African Union
    (National Institute Kuru, 2003-11-30) Okpuesuru Eyesan, Omagbemi
    This study is on "The Role of Nigeria in the Formation of the African Union." Many years after their attainment of political independence and the birth of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), African States remained bedeviled with problems of underdevelopment, insecurity, instability, disunity, poverty, and disease. The Organisation of African Unity was widely criticized for these significant lapse in spite of its achievements in the struggle against colonialism and apartheid. This led to increasing demands for a more viable and virile continental organization capable of responding to the multifarious challenges of development facing the continent. The study examined the role of Nigeria in the formation of the African Union and in the adoption of the various measures put in place for redressing Africa's problems. It identified the measures adopted as the transformation of the OAU to the AU; the adoption of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Cooperation in Africa (CSSDCA) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). The study, revealed that these measures cannot by themselves solve Africa's multifarious problems and that Africa must as an essential prerequisite acquire the vital resources of power through the possession of high, level technology, economic and military capabilities and industrialize with a visionary leadership. This also accounted for Nigeria's helplessness in ameliorating the situation as she was also deficient in those vital resources of power. The methodology involved content analysis of relevant textbooks, official policy statements, journals, newspaper articles and seminar papers. It also involved discussions with colleagues, senior officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and officials of Civil Society organisations. The study identified the major challenges facing the nascent African Union as economic, social and political. It noted that these were the same problems which the OAU could not resolve. The study concluded with recommendations and strategies for redressing the challenges facing the African Continent. Among these were the acquisition of the vital resources of power, diversification of African economies, prioritizing agriculture, infrastructural development, adherence to declarations and implementation of decisions.