Nigeria's withdrawal from the Edinburg Commonwealth Games in July 1986 was in protest against British.....

Analyze the question: The question asks why Nigeria withdrew from the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is about Nigeria's foreign policy, specifically its stand against apartheid in South Africa.

Explain the concept: Nigeria's foreign policy has Africa as its centrepiece, and one of its strongest principles has been opposition to apartheid and colonialism. Nigeria used its membership in the Commonwealth to press for sanctions against South Africa's apartheid regime.

Step-by-step solution:

1. In 1985, the Commonwealth leaders met at Nassau, Bahamas, and agreed on a limited set of sanctions against South Africa.
2. Britain, under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, opposed broad economic sanctions. She argued they would hurt black South Africans and British jobs.
3. Many African, Asian and Caribbean countries saw this as Britain protecting its economic interests in South Africa and undermining the anti-apartheid struggle.
4. In July 1986, Nigeria led a boycott of the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games. About 30 countries, mostly African, Asian and Caribbean, joined it.
5. The protest was aimed directly at Britain's refusal to impose tougher sanctions on South Africa.

Checking the other options:

• B. Negative utterances on Nigeria: There was no such issue behind the boycott.
• C. Supply of arms to Rhodesia: This is a 1960s-70s issue, and Rhodesia's UDI era had ended by 1980, when it became Zimbabwe.
• D. Support for UNITA rebels in Angola: This was associated mainly with South Africa and the USA, not Britain, and was not the cause of the boycott.

Correct answer: A. Failure to impose sanctions on South Africa.

Exam tip: Whenever a Nigerian foreign policy question mentions the 1980s, a boycott, or the Commonwealth, think apartheid and sanctions. Remember the link: Nigeria + Commonwealth + 1986 = anti-apartheid sanctions.