Former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku | credits: A former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, on Wednesday, said Nigeria made a “big mistake” by allowing the crisis over the ownership of the Bakassi Peninsula to be taken to the International Court of Justice. Anyaoku made the observation at a lecture and book presentation of the Society for International Relations Awareness in Abuja He said the wishes of the people of the Peninsula should have been allowed to determine where they chose to belong to. Anyaoku cited the Falkland Islands, whichoriginally belonged to Argentina, but were ceded to the United Kingdom after the people determined thatthey wanted to be in the UK. He also cited the case of the Rock of Gibraltar, which originally belonged to Spain, but became a legal part of the UK after a referendum by the people. Anyaoku suggested that since Nigeria had lost out of the case, the next step was to intensify diplomatic dialogue with Cameroon, with a view to ensuring that the people of Bakassi wereadequately taken care of. He said, “I think that this was what Nigeriansshould have done, but having failed to do that, I think Nigerians should live with the afterthought. “And secondly, let government now look out for Nigerians in Bakassi, who have chosen to return to Nigeria. “This should be the focal point of our policy on Bakassi.” Anyaoku said the country was doing well with its foreign policy since President Goodluck Jonathan assumed power. He said the policies had been “forcefully articulated” by the President and the Minister of Foreign affair, Ambassador Gbenga Ashiru