Former Nigerian diplomat and public policy expert, Mr Oseloka Obaze, has raised concerns over declining professional standards in Nigeria’s Foreign Service, calling for institutional reforms to strengthen diplomatic capacity, preserve institutional memory and restore professionalism in the country’s foreign relations.
Obaze also urged retired ambassadors and career diplomats to document their experiences, warning that failure to preserve their accounts could result in the loss of valuable historical records, institutional knowledge and lessons from decades of diplomatic engagements.
He made the call while reviewing a 377-page memoir, My Diplomatic Sojourn – The Full Story, authored by Ambassador Chudi Okafor, a retired career diplomat who served Nigeria for 35 years.
The book review, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, provided an opportunity to examine Nigeria’s diplomatic history, challenges confronting the Foreign Service and the importance of institutional continuity in advancing the country’s national interests.
Obaze, a former Secretary to the Anambra State Government under Peter Obi and Willie Obiano, identified administrative bottlenecks and institutional weaknesses as factors undermining the effectiveness of Nigeria’s diplomatic establishment.
He warned that these challenges had contributed to what he described as a “dilution of foreign service standards,” stressing the need for reforms to strengthen institutional structures and professional competence.
According to him, Okafor’s memoir offers valuable insights into the internal operations of Nigeria’s diplomatic service, highlighting the professional demands, administrative challenges and policy considerations that shaped the country’s foreign relations over several decades.
The former diplomat also raised concerns about diplomatic reciprocity in Nigeria’s bilateral relations, citing its engagements with Russia as an example of the need for greater balance and mutual recognition in international partnerships.
He recalled that former President Olusegun Obasanjo visited Russia in March 2001 but noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin had yet to undertake a reciprocal visit to Nigeria as of November 2026.
Obaze observed that Putin’s visits to other African countries, including Egypt, South Africa, Algeria and Libya, raised questions about the level of reciprocal diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and Russia, despite Nigeria’s strategic importance on the continent.
He said the development underscored the need for Nigeria to continually assess its diplomatic relationships, strengthen its negotiating position and ensure that bilateral engagements deliver tangible benefits in line with national interests.
Reviewing the memoir, Obaze commended Okafor for documenting his diplomatic experiences while maintaining the discretion expected of a former public official entrusted with sensitive government information.
He described diplomatic memoirs as important historical resources that provide firsthand accounts of policy formulation, negotiations, international engagements and institutional circumstances surrounding major foreign policy decisions.
Quoting English novelist George Meredith, Obaze described memoirs as “the back stairs of history”, emphasising their importance in revealing experiences and decisions that are often absent from official records.
He situated Okafor’s publication within Nigeria’s tradition of diplomatic memoir-writing, citing works by distinguished diplomats and public officials, including Simon Adebo, Joe Garba, Olujimi Jolaoso, Olufemi George, Lawrence Agubuzu and Ade Adefuye.
Obaze encouraged other retired diplomats and former foreign ministers to document their experiences, noting that such publications would contribute to academic research, diplomatic training, policy development and a deeper understanding of Nigeria’s position in international affairs.
The 13-chapter memoir chronicles Okafor’s early life, National Youth Service Corps experience and progression through Nigeria’s diplomatic establishment.
It also documents his foreign postings to Trinidad and Tobago, Malaysia, Russia, the United States, Thailand and Myanmar, reflecting the diversity of Nigeria’s bilateral engagements across different regions and political environments.
The book further examines his assignments at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Lagos and Abuja, as well as his service at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
With a diplomatic career spanning 35 years, Okafor’s experiences provide insights into the evolution of Nigeria’s foreign policy institutions, the demands of representing the country abroad and the relationship between domestic administrative structures and international diplomatic engagements.
Obaze recommended the memoir to diplomats, policymakers, researchers, students of international relations and members of the public interested in Nigeria’s diplomatic history.
He maintained that preserving the experiences of retired diplomats was essential to enriching the country’s historical records and enabling successive generations of Foreign Service officers to learn from past achievements, challenges and missed opportunities.
