Veteran diplomat launches five books, warns against abuse of power and loss of compassion
Nigeria’s political elite, diplomats, jurists and scholars gathered in Abuja on Tuesday as veteran diplomat Ambassador Shina Alege delivered a stark message on leadership, power, insecurity and the decline of human compassion at the launch of five books drawn from his decades in public service.
The atmosphere was more reflective than ceremonial as speakers confronted difficult national and global realities, from abuse of power and eroding communal values to insecurity and the moral burden of leadership.
Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, who chaired the occasion, described the books as a rare fusion of diplomacy, personal experience and social conscience. He warned that the issues raised could no longer be ignored.
“This is far beyond a literary celebration,” Ariwoola said. “It is a serious intellectual intervention into the crises confronting leadership, humanity and governance today.”
The retired jurist said Alege’s writings carried weight because they emerged from lived experience across turbulent moments in Nigeria’s diplomatic history.
“These are not theoretical arguments crafted from a distance. They are reflections forged in service, crisis and responsibility,” he stated.
At the centre of the gathering, Alege moved between philosophy, diplomacy and sharp social criticism. Speaking to a packed audience of ambassadors, senior lawyers, professors and government officials, he warned that many societies had lost the values that once held communities together.
“The essence of life is to build a community,” Alege declared. “What we have today is no longer community — it is a crowd. People watch suffering, record tragedies on their phones, and move on. That loss of humanity is dangerous.”
His comments drew prolonged applause.
Using the launch to address leadership and the temporary nature of political authority, Alege spoke on one of the books, The Expiry Date of Power. He said many leaders behave as though power is permanent, forgetting that history eventually humbles every office holder.
“The only person that powers permanently is God Almighty,” he said. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Leadership must be exercised with restraint, accountability and conscience.”
The other books presented tackled conflict management, insecurity and governance failures across Africa. The Sirens and The Flags explores leadership under pressure and moments of crisis, while Insecurity and Regional Leadership in Africa examines the inability of African states to effectively confront rising instability and governance breakdown.
Former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, represented by Barrister Raji Ahmed, praised the diplomat for documenting lessons from years of international service, including sensitive operations involving Nigerians trapped in conflict zones.
“Books like these are earned through sacrifice, experience and reflection,” he said. “They preserve institutional memory and challenge future leaders to think differently about service and responsibility.”
Beyond the intellectual discussion, the event became a broader reflection on society. Speakers repeatedly returned to the themes of empathy, moral leadership and national decline.
For many attendees, the strongest message was not about diplomacy or governance alone, but about the urgent need to restore compassion in public life before ambition, power and indifference completely overshadow humanity.
