Adoke launches memoir on OPL 245, says he forgives those behind his ordeal

By Kunle Sanni –

Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, says he has forgiven all those behind his “ordeal” over the controversial OPL 245 oil block deal, stating that he has moved on from the legal and political storm surrounding the matter.

Adoke made the remarks during the launch of his memoir, OPL 245: Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Nigerian Oil Block, held on Thursday at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.

The book offers his personal account of the 2011 oil deal involving Shell and Eni, widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most controversial extractive transactions. Adoke said the memoir was written not to malign anyone but to “set the record straight.”

“I have forgiven everyone behind my ordeal,” Adoke said. “The intention is to move forward. The book is not written to denigrate but to clarify and provide context.”

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who attended the event, commended Adoke’s decision to forgive, calling it a demonstration of character. “Our stories are not ours alone—they belong to the public and to history,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, former Senate President Bukola Saraki emphasized the need for greater transparency in Nigeria’s oil sector, saying lessons must be learned from the OPL 245 case.

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai described the memoir as an important personal account that contributes to national discussions on justice, governance, and accountability.

The event drew political leaders, senior government officials, legal practitioners, and civil society representatives who hailed the memoir as a bold attempt to share a different side of a long-standing national controversy.