Nigeria Africa's big power: start & stop in a loop?

[AdamG]

I just stumbled upon this and considering how the Angolan Civil War set the stage for South African involvement in the 80s, thought it'd be of interest -

The fact that as many as 5,000 Nigerian troops fought in Angola around 1976-77 may be the most widely-unknown fact in the annals of Nigeria’s very long history of foreign military operations.

http://beegeagle.wordpress.com/2010/...rst-civil-war/

I read IN SEARCH OF ENEMIES as a kid and the Nigerians were never mentioned in it.

http://www.amazon.com/Search-Enemies.../dp/0393009262

Moderator's Note

This originally appeared in South Africa's COIN War and was moved due to it's potential value in a new thread. Original thread:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=10859&page=3

[davidbfpo]

There are a few threads on Nigeria on other matters, there is not one on its history of military intervention across sub-Sahara, mainly in West Africa and as AdamG id'd today way-back in Angola.

[davidbfpo]

AdamG,

I too was surprised at this discovery and looking at the cited sources I am not totally convinced.

Robert Moss was a skilled Cold War journalist, of decidedly "hard line" views and reliant on sources not normally available, such as intelligence agencies and IMHO the South Africans. There are a couple of strange phrases in his report, for example:

...UNITA claims to have intercepted radio communications in English (the common language between the Nigerians, the Cubans and the MPLA)..

There was no common language, although I understood Spanish and Portuguese are not too apart.

The beegagle story refers to:

..It has now emerged..

Hardly, it refers to a 1977 story by Robert Moss and one solitary photo taken in 1977, which is sourced to un-named 'intelligence sources'. The photo used is actually of Nigerian troops in Somalia, a few years ago.

Without any cited sources Wikipedia's entry on the Nigerian Army refers to:

In December 1983, the new Major General Muhammadu Buhari regime announced that Nigeria could no longer afford an activist anti-colonial role in Africa.

With a few years Nigeria changed that stance, with the large scale ECOWAS intervention(s) and Wikipedia refers to:

Smaller army forces have been previously sent on UN and ECOWAS deployments in the former Yugoslavia, Angola, Rwanda, Somalia, and Sierra Leone.

See:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_Army

This later quote almost word for word appears in the US Sate Dept. backgrounder on Nigeria:http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2836.htm

[Bill Moore]

In a foot locker I have a lot of historical resources on Africa, but a quick search of the web indicates that Nigerian support from the MPLA was mostly political. If the West didn't constrain their behavior, they may have provided more.

http://countrystudies.us/nigeria/80.htm

Relations with the Rest of Africa

The prevailing perception in Nigeria's foreign policy was that, as predominant the African leader, it should play a bigbrother role in relations with African states. Nigeria was a founding member of the OAU and often channeled major policy initiatives through that organization. Most of its relations with other African states took place outside the OAU framework but were guided by OAU principles. Nigeria's primary African commitment was to liberate the continent from the last vestiges of colonialism and to eradicate apartheid in South Africa. Promoting liberation had grown from a weak and conservative stance during the 1960s to an increasingly firm push after the civil war. This commitment was pursued most actively after Murtala Muhammad successfully backed the Movimento Popular de Libertao de Angola's ascent to power in Angola in 1975 by providing the swing vote in the OAU decision to recognize the MPLA. Nigeria had played a role in the independence of Zimbabwe and in the late 1980s was active in assisting Nambibia to achieve independence of Namibia. In the latter case, it contributed about US$20 million to assist the South West Africa People's Organization in the 1989 elections and other preparations for Namibian independence. The country also contributed financially to liberation movements in South Africa and to the front line states of Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, which were constantly harassed by South Africa. Although Nigeria's armed forces were among the largest in black Africa in the early 1990s, sizable military might has rarely been used in foreign policy.

http://www.mongabay.com/history/ango...an_states.html

Nigeria, which led the OAU in recognizing the MPLA-PT regime in 1975, went on to seek a leadership role in the campaign against South Africa's domination of the region, but Nigeria never forged very close ties with Angola. Nigeria's own economic difficulties of the 1970s and 1980s, its close relations with the West, and other cultural and political differences prevented Luanda and Lagos from forming a strong alliance.

[AdamG]

Not spending alot of time digging into this, but the following was interesting -

(3) Eight Soviet fighters, probably MiG-17s, are reported being assembled in Luanda. These fighters arrived from an unknown source at the end of December. Eight MiGs, type unknown, are expected to be sent to Angola from Nigeria, numerous Cuban pilots arrived during December. The pilots are operating many aircraft now available to the MPLA including a Fokker Friendship F-27. The Cubans will operate the MiGs.

From a report by Henry Kissinger of 13 January 1976 gives an insight into the activities and hostilities in Angola
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/...gleijeses1.pdf

[M-A Lagrange]

Have a look at Angola:Anatomy of an oil state, Tony Hodges, African Issues.
There is at least 3 pages on the problematic of competition between Angola and Nigeria to be Africa biggest oil producer. And why an at war Angola was better than an at peace one for Nigeria.

[Dayuhan]

Originally Posted by M-A Lagrange

Have a look at Angola:Anatomy of an oil state, Tony Hodges, African Issues.
There is at least 3 pages on the problematic of competition between Angola and Nigeria to be Africa biggest oil producer. And why an at war Angola was better than an at peace one for Nigeria.

I'm curious... why would it matter who produces more? Certainly there's no shortage of buyers, and there's not exactly a lot of downside price pressure. Geographically Angola is better positioned to ship to India and Asia, Nigeria is well positioned for shipping to Europe and the US. Can't really see how an increase in Angolan production hurts Nigeria, or vice versa.

[Stan]

We use to call the interaction of African political and military elites “casual relationships”, which were relevant to all of Sub-Sahara when it came to interest in natural resources (even if they aren’t yours ). Having personally reported on the blood diamonds and trade for weapons in Angola, I can safely say we are either all walking around with blinders on, or, we are ignoring our “minuscule” role (such as then support to UNITA and wealthy oil multinationals).

Illicit natural resource revenues in the 80s were a good way for the cleptocracies to stay afloat and preclude negotiating loan repayments to the IMF. Ironically, those same resources were also used as collateral in obtaining even more loans. The trouble nowadays is responsiveness to OPEC (controlled “reported” production) to maintain OPECs comfort zone. Angola is simply playing on global oil supply and demand (playing on the fact Nigeria can’t keep up).

[davidbfpo]

I do recall during the Angolan civil war noting that the oilfields in Cabinda were US-owned and operated - cannot recall which company now. The operating company was in effect making a large contribution to the MPLA side; with their Cuban, East German and other allies alongside. Whilst the USA, private parties and notably South Africa were supporting UNITA.

Cabinda is separated from Angola by the DRC, with a spluttering insurgency by FLEC:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_f...ave_of_Cabinda

The oil factor:

Cabinda produces 700,000 barrels (110,000 m3) of crude oil per day. Cabinda Oil is associated with Sonangol, Agip Angola Lda (41%), Chevron (39.2%), Total (10%) and Eni (9.8%).

Link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinda_(province)

[ganulv]

Originally Posted by davidbfpo

I do recall during the Angolan civil war noting that the oilfields in Cabinda were US-owned and operated - cannot recall which company now.

Chevron, formerly Gulf before the merger of the two companies.

[Misifus]

Originally Posted by davidbfpo

I do recall during the Angolan civil war noting that the oilfields in Cabinda were US-owned and operated - cannot recall which company now. The operating company was in effect making a large contribution to the MPLA side; with their Cuban, East German and other allies alongside. Whilst the USA, private parties and notably South Africa were supporting UNITA.

Cabinda is separated from Angola by the DRC, with a spluttering insurgency by FLEC:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_f...ave_of_Cabinda

The oil factor:

Link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinda_(province)

The company was owned by Gulf Oil back then. It is now owned by Chevron. I have been there plenty. The official name of the company is Cabinda Gulf Oil Company, Ltd. It is a Bermuda based company owned by Chevron. The company operates on a concession type agreement from the government of Angola, however, the company does not "own" the oil. Yes, back during the civil war the Cuban army protected the camp. An ironic twist of the Cold War. The protection was largely from Cabinda insurgents not UNITA insurgents. Cabinda had its own guerrilla movement so that it could breakaway from Angola. These guerrillas usually resided in one of the two Congos. Culturally Cabinda was not really part of Angola. The Portuguese joined the two administratively as they were pulling out. Angola decided to keep it that way due to the oil. The inhabitants of Cabinda speak as much French as they do Portuguese.

Ronald Reagan considered forcing Gulf to shut down it's operations and leave Cabinda but rethought the situation.