Steve Itugbu, for many years a foreign policy aide to Obasanjo, draws on an extensive corpus of official documents, interviews, unpublished material and first-hand experience to explore the president's multi-faceted personality in depth. In so doing, Itugbu demonstrates that Nigeria's foreign policy has suffered through a combination of personalisation - that is subjugation to the will of Obasanjo - and the failings of bureaucratic structures. The book focuses specifically on Nigeria's decision not to intervene in Darfur in 2004, which is shown to be attributable to Obasanjo's politicking and inherent focus on shoring up his own position. Ultimately, an important opportunity for the African Union to set a precedent for humanitarian intervention was missed - a pattern which has since repeated itself across Africa. Such personalisation is common in the region, and the book therefore acts as a case study for better understanding the problems facing foreign policy making, diplomacy and leadership in Africa.
Throughout, Itugbu provides a reasoned and thorough analysis of the complex and interconnected issues facing Nigeria and Africa today, and the prospects of resolving these in the future. This behind-the-scenes account of the mechanics of Nigerian foreign policy is essential reading for all students, researchers and policy makers working on Africa.

Olusegun Obasanjo has played an extraordinary role in Nigeria's modernisation - from army dictator to prisoner to democratically elected head of state.

About the Author
Steve Itugbu received his PhD in Politics and International Studies from the University of London's SOAS, where he now works as a teaching fellow. He was for many years a foreign policy adviser and aide to Nigeria's former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and comments regularly on contemporary events in Africa.


Book Information
ISBN 9780755601066
Author Steve Itugbu
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint I.B. Tauris
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Weight(grams) 336g