SIX DAYS after the October 1, 1960 independence of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa stood before the United Nations (UN). The historical mission of Nigeria, he said, is to develop Africa, the continent which gave birth to humanity and modern civilisation. The date was October 7, 1960 in the hallowed chambers of the UN in New York.
Tafawa Balewa laid out the four cardinal principles of the emergent African giant. First, its desire to be on friendly terms with all countries. In other words, that Nigeria would not inherit the real or imaginary enemies of its former colonial masters.
Today, May 25, 2026, as we mark Africa Day or what was known as Africa Freedom Day or African Liberation Day, Nigerians must not forget her past. She must not overlook the fact that one quarter of the world Black population live here; that we have shed Nigerian blood to bring peace in countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone and, made tremendous sacrifices for the liberation of our continent.
Secondly, that it has no expansionist intentions. So, Nigeria, unlike expansionist countries like Britain, United States, Spain, Belgium and Portugal, would not go about trampling on other countries or stealing territories.
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Thirdly, that Nigeria does not intend to align itself with any power bloc. So, its mission includes independence, respect and equality of all peoples. This was a reflection of the core principles of the Asian-African Conference, historically called the Bandung Conference which held five years earlier in Indonesia.
This commitment to human progress and development was to lead Nigeria into playing a major role in the evolution of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) when it was established on September 1, 1961. At a point the NAM had 121 developing countries as members.
Fourthly, that Nigeria was committed to working with other African States for the progress of the continent and, to: “assist in bringing all African territories to a state of responsible independence.”
The next major international outing of Nigeria was at its maiden attendance of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conference in June 1961. The Nigerian tripartite Delegation of government, workers and employers was led by Labour Minister, Chief Joseph Modupe Johnson (JMJ). He told the world that the Nigerian people: “have good will, love and affection towards other people irrespective of the colour of their skins, (and) believe in the equality of all races, abhor racial discrimination in all its forms and with all its trappings, wherever and by whomever it is practiced.”
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He said the Apartheid system in South Africa negated such believes and therefore moved, that the country be expelled from the ILO. It was unprecedented because the ILO was the UN house of consensus and so to say, no politics was entertained. But rather than allow the traditional consensus in the ILO which was then 42 years old, Nigeria forced a vote.
A total 163 delegates voted for the Nigerian resolution, none against while there were 89 abstentions primarily by France, Belgium, Britain, Australia, Italy, USA, Spain and South Africa itself. That day, 65 years ago, Nigeria struck a mortal blow against Apartheid.
Twenty-nine years later, newly freed Nelson Mandela, on Friday June 8, 1990, stood in the ILO chambers to thank it for that historic resolution and assured it Apartheid was dead, so South Africa could be readmitted. The next major historical stand of an independent Nigeria was on May 24, 1963, when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now called the African Union, was founded in Addis Abba, Ethiopia.
What we need for the development of the continent is integration which would be impossible without our active participation. We must realise that in times of crises, while Nigeria may be big enough to take in citizens of virtually any African country, no African country can take in Nigerians. Besides, Africa is there for us to lead especially in the economic development of the continent.
Nigeria’s basic position on African unity, as presented that day by Tafawa Balewa, was that of mutual respect: “There must be acceptance of equality by all the States. No matter whether they are big or small, they are all sovereign and their sovereignty is sovereignty. The size of a state, its population or its wealth should not be the criterion…Nigeria recognizes all the existing boundaries in Africa, and recognizes the existence of all the countries in Africa.”
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Nigeria, he said, was prepared to: “do anything to secure the freedom of the continent of Africa” He warned the gathering that African countries must not be blinded by political independence because: “Colonialism can take many different forms. Our countries can be colonised economically, if we are not careful. Just as we have fought political domination, it is also important that we fight against economic domination by other countries.”
The following years were those of turbulence for Nigeria and Africa especially with the liberation wars in which Nigeria provided funds, arms, scholarship and passports to liberation fighters. When the US and its Western Europe allies tested the African will during the struggles for liberation and true independence in Angola, Nigeria courageously rose to the defence of the African peoples.
Then Nigerian Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, at the OAU Summit on January 11, 1976, told off the enemies of the continent, declaring that: “Africa has Come of age. It is no longer under the orbit of any extra continental power. It should no longer take orders from any country, however powerful. The fortunes of Africa are in our hands to make or mar. For too long have we been kicked around: for too long have we been treated like adolescents who cannot discern their interests and act accordingly. For too long has it been presumed that the African needs outside ‘experts’ to tell him who are his friends and who are his enemies. The time has come when we should make it clear that we can decide for ourselves; that we know our own interests and how to protect those interests; that we are capable of resolving African problems without presumptuous lessons in ideological dangers which, more often than not, have no relevance for us, nor for the problem at hand.”
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Despite Nigeria going through its own crises including a gruesome three-year Civil War, its focus on Africa and Pan Africanism, has never waned. In order to build greater unity amongst Africans and people of African descent worldwide, Nigeria, in 1977, hosted the largest festival of African arts and culture in history, called FESTAC. It attracted about 500,000 visitors and 16,000 delegates from across the world. Over the years, Nigeria has contributed towards peace, not just in Africa, but across the globe sending peacekeepers.
Today, May 25, 2026, as we mark Africa Day or what was known as Africa Freedom Day or African Liberation Day, Nigerians must not forget her past. She must not overlook the fact that one quarter of the world Black population live here; that we have shed Nigerian blood to bring peace in countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone and, made tremendous sacrifices for the liberation of our continent.
What we need for the development of the continent is integration which would be impossible without our active participation. We must realise that in times of crises, while Nigeria may be big enough to take in citizens of virtually any African country, no African country can take in Nigerians. Besides, Africa is there for us to lead especially in the economic development of the continent.
