The Generosity of Nigeria – A history lesson for South Africa
The 1980's
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Shehu Shagari
Having come to power on 1 October 1979, Shagari used high-profile visits to the US and Britain to highlight Nigeria’s opposition to the apartheid regime in South Africa. In the same year (July), Nigeria had taken the decision to nationalize B.P. which translated into a $41,000,000,000 loss for the economy. The Nigerian Government’s statement said that the British decision on oil sales to South Africa would mean that: “North Sea oil will be released to South Africa while Nigerian oil is made to take its place in European markets.” It called the British move “a clever ruse for sending Nigerian oil to enemies of Africans in South Africa.”On his first overseas visit to Washington, he found a sympathetic host in President Jimmy Carter. During a state visit to Britain in 1981, he called on Margaret Thatcher’s government to do more to combat “the horrible state of affairs” in South Africa.
