‘Our stories belong to posterity,’ says Shettima at Adoke’s memoir launch

By Kunle Sanni –

Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged current and former public officials to document their experiences in office, describing it as essential for promoting transparency, preserving institutional memory, and ensuring accountability in governance.

Speaking at the public presentation of OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Oil Block—a memoir by former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke—Shettima likened public life to a trial with no end in the court of conscience and history.

“Life itself is a litigation with no end. There is no final adjournment in the pursuit of justice,” Shettima declared at the Thursday event held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja. “Every public servant owes this nation an account of their stewardship. Our stories belong not just to us, but to posterity.”

Adoke’s memoir details his perspective on the controversial 2011 Malabu oil deal involving oil giants Shell and Eni, which led to years of legal battles in Nigeria and abroad over the disputed OPL 245 oil block.

Shettima commended Adoke for his decision to tell his story, describing it as a courageous act and a contribution to national discourse. “There is no doubt that those named in this book will tell their own side of the story. That is how history finds its balance,” he said.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim, praised Adoke’s resilience, describing the book launch as a celebration of courage amid persecution. He also cautioned public officials against abusing power and urged a commitment to justice and fairness.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde noted that the memoir goes beyond the OPL 245 deal, shedding light on deeper structural flaws in Nigeria’s oil sector and governance system. He called for urgent policy reforms and a revival of documentation culture in public service.

In his remarks, Adoke said his motivation for writing the memoir was not to attack anyone but to “set the record straight” and clarify events surrounding the oil block saga, which, he noted, had significantly impacted both his personal and professional life.