By Valentine Obienyem
AN ambassador represents more than the government that sends him; he embodies the soul of a nation – its dignity, its priorities, and its honour. To that end, diplomatic postings should be entrusted to individuals whose lives reflect fidelity, discretion, and a strong moral compass. The danger of compromising such standards is not theoretical, history has offered us tragic examples.
During the Cold War, betrayals within diplomatic circles threatened not only state secrets but the moral confidence of nations. The infamous Guy Burgess of the Cambridge Five, a British diplomat turned Soviet agent, demonstrated how ideological duplicity and personal weakness could sabotage a nation’s strategic standing. He was not alone; others, too, sold loyalties for ideology, comfort, or coin. These tales still ring true.
Against this historical backdrop, the rumoured nomination of Mr Reno Omokri as an ambassador shocking. This is not a question of political affiliation or partisan sentiment, it is a matter of consistency and integrity. Mr Omokri, until recently, was one of the loudest and most unrelenting critics of President Bola Tinubu whom he described as a “drug pusher” and the “grandfather of corruption.” His attacks were loud, calculated, and consistent across social media, articles, and interviews.
Now, to see the same Mr Omokri apparently angling for or being considered for a diplomatic post under the Tinubu administration is jarring. Such a pivot, so sudden and so sweeping, invites questions not only about his political judgment but his basic trustworthiness. A man who can turn this quickly, publicly and unashamedly, is not likely to serve as a stable representative of the state.
Ambassadors must be individuals who inspire confidence, not just from the government they represent, but from host nations, and more importantly, the citizens they serve. If a man once this vocally opposed to a government is now willing to serve under it without explanation, apology, or even reflection, it speaks not of open-mindedness but of opportunism.
Indeed, if the current administration were to entrust such a man with its sensitive diplomatic briefs, what guarantees do we have that he will not betray these trusts the moment he is offered greater comfort or promises of relevance elsewhere? History teaches us that betrayals do not begin in embassies; they begin in the heart – long before the first official cable is ever sent.
Today, when this piece was being written, was a Good Friday, a day that bears profound moral lessons for the world. It was on this day that Judas Iscariot traded his Master for thirty pieces of silver. That infamous transaction purchased “Akeldama”, the field of blood. In Christian tradition, “Akeldama” is not just a place; it is a metaphor for betrayal – where conscience is sold and honour abandoned.
Mr Omokri’s trajectory is eerily reminiscent of such a path. One cannot speak of a man in such defamatory terms, only to later seek to serve him without reconciling the contradiction. To reward this behaviour with an ambassadorial post is to announce to the world that Nigeria now sanctifies betrayal and rewards inconsistency.
This is not an attack on Mr Omokri as a person, but on what he represents: the erosion of honour in our public life. If we begin to treat public office as a prize for the loudest turncoats, then we are telling young Nigerians that principles no longer matter, only noise and survival do.
Such cynicism is dangerous. Diplomacy is not a reward for those who shout the loudest or trend the longest. It is the quiet, dignified work of those who have earned trust over time, whose lives reflect what their lips proclaim. It is no place for ideological vagabonds or political salesmen.
I urge the Nigerian Senate, particularly Senate President Godswill Akpabio, to approach this matter with sobriety. Reno Omokri’s appointment, if it materialises, should be viewed not merely as a political decision, but as a national signal. It will either affirm our commitment to standards or announce the triumph of expediency over integrity.
Let us not make our foreign missions into fields of blood – places where trust dies and betrayal is rewarded. Let “Akeldama” remain a cautionary tale in Scripture, not a metaphor for Nigeria’s diplomatic service. Let us not forget: Judas got his silver, but he lost his soul. Let us not make the same bargain.
Valentine Obienyem writes from Awka, Anambra State
