A HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF (NEPAD) THE NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT 2001-2010
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
The phrase “Nigeria as the giant of Africa” has been known by many nations because of the leading roles she plays in policy-makings and their
implementations. Also, these leading roles are prevalent in her military prowess, landscape, natural and human resources and natural endowment. The
larger world as well as other African nations has in contemporary time looked up to Nigeria as the “Savior” of African race given the enormity of the resources
that mother nature had endowed her with in comparison to other African states.1
Sequel to the above, Nigeria has also played leading and significant roles towards the establishment of various agencies such as Organization of Africa Unity
(OAU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and African Union (AU) among others. This same philosophy informed her strategic roles
aimed at establishing and realizing the objectives of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD). 2 To this end, the thrust of this research revolves
around the enormous issues, challenges and prospects of this African project called NEPAD.
The phrase “Nigeria, the Giant of Africa” has been so used by Nigerians especially our leaders that people of critical mind sometimes wonder what has been
the basis for this judgment. In other words, analysts and scholars from time to time have attempted to look at Nigeria’s claim to leadership in Africa from
various perspectives. The most popular and noticeable reasons always for these include Nigeria’s population, military strength, land mass, natural and mineral resources, etc.
In addition, the larger World has in contemporary time looked up to Nigeria to play a leading role in African Pairs, given the enormity of the resources that
nature has endowed on her as compared to other African states. Whether Nigeria has been able to justify this confidence is yet another thing What this research seeks to do essentially therefore is an appraisal of what contributions Nigeria has made in realizing the aims and objectives articulated in the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).
