In a sign that Nigeria is in and South Africa is out, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) chose the Nigerian capital to announce their decision to send 3,000 troops to flush out terrorists from Northern Mali. With Nigeria contributing the largest Military contingency and leading a new diplomatic offensive, President Goodluck Jonathan signals a Nigerian comeback on the African scene.

Seeing that the African Union has been keeping low profile and the South Africa-Algeria axis in decline, Nigeria is well position to assume the role of Africa’s diplomatic leader on the international scene. After South Africa’s faux pas in Ivory Coast, Libya and Mali, Africans has turned to Abuja for guidance.

Algeria’s ambiguous position vis-à-vis the military intervention in Mali and South Africa’s abrasive approach made the Algerian-South African alliance irrelevant to the efforts aiming to resolve the crisis in the Sahel. The scandal plagued Zuma and his partners in the African Union (AU) have hijacked the pan-African organization for the purpose of self-promotion discrediting its reputation in the process and dashing the hopes of Millions of Africans longing for unity.

South Africa’s decline led to a resurgence of Nigeria’s diplomatic activities on the African scene. Notwithstanding Nigeria’s ongoing cycle of inter-religious violence, widespread corruption and economic woes, President Jonathan is poised to overtake Zuma’s coveted “status” of Africa’s spokesperson.

However, to be successful in Mali, Nigeria needs a North African partner with a clean record in the Sahel and good relations with the Bamako government and the Touareg separatists. It is important for President Jonathan to open dialogue with the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), once the North is recaptured.

Given Algeria’s reluctance to join the Nigerian efforts and its shaky relations with Mali and Niger, Morocco stands as Nigeria’s “potential” natural partner and its future anchor in the Maghreb and the Sahel. Nigeria’s leadership in West Africa will compliment Morocco’s friendly relations with countries in the Sahel.

Nigeria’s position in the Western Sahara should not stop a Moroccan-Nigerian partnership from flourishing. A Rabat-Abuja alliance would benefit the African continent and promote a new African union based on real-politics and not demagogy and self-promotion.

Moroccan diplomacy should undertake an informational campaign in Nigeria to familiarize the Nigerian government and civil society of Morocco’s proposals to resolve the Western Saharan conflict. Rabat must highlight the commonalities between Moroccan efforts in the Western Sahara and Nigerian’s current campaign to keep their Federation united.

Moroccan Diplomacy should break free from its French Africa centered foreign policy and open up to Africa’s Anglophone communities. Nigerian, facing the threat of the terror group Bako Haram and still traumatized by the short-lived secession of the southern state of Biafra, should be perceptive of Morocco’s positions.

Moroccan diplomats should remind their Nigerian brothers that Tanzania and Zambia recognized the “independence” of Biafra in 1968.

A Rabat-Abuja axis has the potential to become an engine for stability in North and West Africa, the Sahel-Sahara region and North Africa. As the AU becomes irrelevant and more of a vehicle of South Africa’s self-centered political vanity, regional blocks, like the ECOWAS, led by local powers are the future for a united Africa.

Despite its internal problems, Nigeria has the capacity to lead an effective foreign policy in Africa. Unlike South Africa, Nigeria has cultivated a better image among smaller African nations and cultivated a solid track of diplomatic success during tough crisis and under harsh security conditions.

If South Africa failed to end civil crises in several hot spots in Africa, Nigeria successfully led African efforts that ended civil wars in Sierra Leon, Liberia and in Ivory Coast. The South African Nigerian diplomatic rivalry will keep playing on the African scene. For now Nigeria seems to be winning all the campaigns. However, for Abuja to stay engaging, it needs to cultivate strong relations with key players such as Morocco.

...For now Nigeria seems to be winning all the campaigns. However, for Abuja to stay engaging, it needs to cultivate strong relations with key players such as Morocco.

...Moroccan diplomats should remind their Nigerian brothers that Tanzania and Zambia recognized the “independence” of Biafra in 1968.

andrewza:

...And SA has ended civil wars in many countries something nigeria can not even achieve in it's own.

People should stop talking out there ASS

...After South Africa’s faux pas in Ivory Coast, Libya and Mali, Africans has turned to Abuja for guidance

Nigeria successfully led African efforts that ended civil wars in Sierra Leon, Liberia and in Ivory Coast

andrewza:
...Africa has not turned to nigeria for guidence. The mission is AU mission with ECOWAS has the lead group.

Paul John: May be it's not correct, but it's not from a Nigerian site.
http://www.moroccoboard.com/viewpoint/68-hassan-massiki/5749-nigeria-the-new-african-diplomatic-leader-at-expense-of-south-africa

And how has these Affected Nigeria? They're all outside West Africa.

Nigeria Army in Congo
http://books.google.com/books?id=hI4OAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA86&lpg=PA86&dq=nigeria+army+in+congo&source=bl&ots=Gm9tKc1YY7&sig=OuQnkXeRQxK0xlsFCZwCeBvcg_I&hl=en

Nigeria army in Somalia
http://www.mareeg.com/english/somalia294.html

Nigeria army in Angola
5,000 NIGERIAN TROOPS FOUGHT IN ANGOLA’S FIRST CIVIL WAR?
http://beegeagle./2010/12/12/nigerias-best-kept-military-secret-5000-troops-fought-in-angolas-first-civil-war/

Not to mention W/Africa countries.
You should understand that Africa has turned to Nigeria as their Diplomatic leader.

snydergp:

I don't know if ur just a lost soul or plain naïve.

Every region on this continent has a country which leads in that area. Ethiopia and Kenya in the Horn and Central, Nigeria in West, Egypt and Tunisia in North, Angola and South Africa in southern africa what else do u expect.

Morroco is not even part of the AU it rejected africa and considers itself a borderline euro nation and it wants EU membership. I bet ur morocco-bullsh*t site didn't tell u this


To talk about SA and Nigerian rivalry asive its purely based on the involvement in other african nations affairs is total hogwash.

Tell me who was responsible for brokering peace in South Sudan and Khartoum a few weeks ago.

On the Mali issue SA offered logistical support, what else do u expect if we deploy our army in a region where other african states already have capable forces to engage those rebels we will be accused again of having a big brother syndrome.

South Africa's history of involving itself in other sovereign states is also another reason why SA is very cautious in involving itself militarily on the continent without a UN mandate and that's a fact.


There are foolish CRETINS like u on this form who continue to push this socalled Nigerian-South African fight for africa's leading nation. Of course in future Nigeria by its economic and population size it should be one of Africa's most influential states and should take the forefront in african politics especially in the West African region and this goes likewise for South Africa.

Stop this bullsh*t of pitting us against each other this is one of reasons why africa is in its current state of outdated nationalism, tribalism, class-elitisism,racist politics and religious intollerence.

Fool u are just another Maggot on its way to out.