Lilian Onoh's Memoir Chronicles Nigerian Diplomacy Journey

In her newly published memoir, retired Nigerian diplomat Lilian Onoh recounts her unconventional journey in diplomacy, marked by a reluctant start and a family legacy in law and politics. Initially resistant to following her father's path, she briefly left her induction academy but returned to complete a 29-year career, becoming one of Nigeria’s best multi-lateral officers.

Onoh's family has deep ties to diplomacy; her younger sister is Nigeria’s current Minister of Foreign Affairs, and her elder sister was married to a former Minister. Onoh's career began amid political upheaval, with her father being deposed in the 1983 Buhari coup.

She was later recruited into the diplomatic service in 1993 during Ibrahim Babangida's regime. By the time she retired, she had served as High Commissioner to Namibia and Head of Mission in Jamaica, navigating a complex political landscape that included the return of Muhammadu Buhari as a civilian leader.