Intervention’s Preview of Ambassador MK Ibrahim’s Book Earns Rejoinder

Intervention’s preview story on Nigeria’s Ambassador MK Ibrahim’s memoirs to be publicly presented March 19^th, 2022 has attracted a point of correction.

Amb MK Ibrahim’s book under reference

The rejoinder from a retired ambassador reads as follows:

“Your introduction to the launch tomorrow of Amb MK Ibrahim’s book refers.

It is unclear what is suggested by the assertion that “The expectation is that others will follow the example of the emergent author”. If the reference is to a dearth of books by retired career ambassadors, then please note that there has been a trove of memoirs by retired career ambassadors since the 80s.

But if the reference is to content and style, isn’t it true that every writer recounts his own unique experiences in his unique style?

Perhaps I read you incorrectly on both counts”.

Intervention stands corrected even if one recalls the memoirs of Ambassador Femi George released in 2014 under the title From Rookie to Mandarin: The memoirs of a Second Generation Diplomat. It was published by Ibadan based Bolytag International Publishers. There is also a recent biographical effort on Amb Martin Uhomoibhi, the Oxford educated career diplomat and one of the recent permanent secretaries of the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Amb MK Ibrahim’s With Heart and Might is thus the latest in a process which has been on. It remains for the authors to make their texts ‘opendential’ materials, followed by competing interpretations of such texts which is where the discursive power in such an effort lies. A book that is not the subject of competing dialogic engagement will influence nothing.