NIGERIA AND THE PROMOTION OF
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Since no nation can exit in isolation of the others, it become
imperative that nations of the world should come together and derive mutual benefits through the promotion of
international cooperation. The bitter lessons and experience of the first world war (1914 – 1918) and the second world war (1939 – 1945) have contributed to the promotion of international cooperation.
Nigeria as one of the nations of the world is not an exception in this interaction among countries of the world, this interaction can be classified into three broad areas, namely political, economic and social-cultural areas. For there to be global peace, there must be political cooperation among nations of the world, every other kind of cooperation depends on the political cooperation among nations of the world. Economically, Nigeria belong to some international
organization that encourages cooperation among member nation on economic matters, some of these organizations includes, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries {OPEC}, World Trade Organization {WTO} etc. since no nation is economically self sufficient, they therefore promote international cooperation in order to get the product they could not produce in their country. The resources of the world that are unequally distributed are re-distributed through economic cooperation among different nations of the world. On the socio-cultural side, Nigeria has encouraged international cooperation among nations of the world through her membership of international organizations such as Federation International Football Association {FIFA}, that is responsible for the administration of football in the world, Confederation of African Football {CAF}, that runs football in Africa, The West Africa football Union {WAFU} that governed football in West Africa, the International Olympic Committee {OIC} that organize the global sport festal that comes up once in every four years, the International Boxing Federation {IBF}. The power of sport in promoting international cooperation cannot be played down, it has contributed to the enthronement of global peace and a means of greater cooperation among nations of the world, religion too can be used to promote international cooperation among different people of the world, if one look at the trend of cooperation among different nations of the world, one would fine the Christians nations coming together, while the Islamic nations coming together, but other nations like Nigeria that is a circular state are preaching religious tolerance among one another. The hosting of The Second World Festival for Black Art and Culture {FESTAC’77} in Lagos, Nigeria, was another way of encouraging international cooperation in the world.