PRESS COVERAGE OF NIGERIA’S RELATIONS WITH THE WEST DURING THE COUNTRY’S SUSPENSION FROM THE COMMONWEALTH C. 1993-1998

Abstract

The study examines the press coverage of Nigeria’s relations with the West
during the country’s suspension from the Commonwealth, c.1993-1998.
Thus, the study made use of both primary and secondary sources of data. The
primary source was obtained through oral interview, archival materials and
Manu scripts. While the secondary sources include information from media,
News papers and magazines, journals, published, unpublished material and
internet materials. Qualitative and quantitative method were used in terms of
data usage which includes content analysis in examining newspapers and
magazines in relation to the coverage of selected issues that might have led
to the suspension of Nigeria from the Commonwealth. The selected
newspapers for the content analysis include: tell magazine, News watch, and
the news, the guardian, new Nigerian and tribune e.t.c. The activities of
Nigerian press between 1993-1998 are among other things part and parcel
of the causes of suspension of Nigeria from the Commonwealth organization
in 1995. This period automatically carved out new roles for the mass media
at national and international levels. These among other things included the
formation of a strong and virile public opinion, especially on policy matters
as well as the instrument of the mass media towards the attainment of policy
idea. This study had been able to establish the way and manner in which the
Nigerian press covered certain salient issues, like the annulment of June 12,
1993 elections, persecution of journalists, execution of Ken-Saro Wiwa
together with eighth Ogoni activist, might have projected a particular image
of Nigeria abroad. It is also on the basis of this perception that Nigeria was
said to have violated certain provisions of the Harare Declaration of 1991,
of the Commonwealth which consequently led to the eventual suspension.
The suspension of Nigeria from the Commonwealth has also led Nigeria to
adopt alternative foreign policies to cushion the impact of the international
animosity it faced at the point in time. The press international pressure and
the suspension from the Commonwealth in particular have reshaped
Nigerian’s foreign policy as well as galvanized the process of
democratization in Nigeria