PRESS RELEASE: Presentation of Three New Books on African Leadership and the Youth Crisis
PRESS RELEASE: Presentation of Three New Books on African Leadership and the Youth Crisis, by Steve Okey Onwuka.
Date: Tuesday, 11th November, 2025
Time: Guests seated by 12:30 p.m.
Event begins at 1:00 p.m.
Venue: ECOWAS Commission, Asokoro, Abuja
The ECOWAS Commission, Asokoro, Abuja, will host the public presentation of three insightful and timely books authored by Steve Okey Onwuka, a senior diplomat, leadership scholar, and cultural thinker, on the occasion of his 60th birthday.
Themed around African Leadership and the Youth Crises, the three titles — Africa: Vengeance of the Abandoned, The Dialogue: The Vulnerable and the Desperate, and Songs of Ogadi — explore the continent’s moral, social, and generational struggles through the lens of literature, philosophy, and faith.
1. Africa: Vengeance of the Abandoned — Can the Pan-African Gate Restore the Ancient Wisdoms That Will Calm the Storm?
A profound socio-philosophical work tracing the roots of Africa’s youth abandonment to the colonial era. Drawing from African folklore, proverbs, and ancestral wisdom, the author calls for a Pan-African renewal — a revival of indigenous problem-solving models, inclusive dialogue, and cultural introspection before the storm of despair consumes the continent.
2. The Dialogue: The Vulnerable and the Desperate
A compelling dramatic narrative about a street child abandoned in the shadows, a man enslaved by greed, and a reckoning long foretold. It serves both as a parable and a protest, inviting readers to confront moral decay and rediscover compassion.
3. Songs of Ogadi – An Anthology of 30 Poems
A lyrical and reflective collection that bridges ancestral wisdom with youthful aspiration. It is a poetic offering of hope, heritage, and healing — an invocation for Africa to find its soul again.
Together, the three works form a powerful commentary on the African condition, urging leaders, policymakers, and citizens to act decisively in addressing the continent’s growing youth crisis, now reflected in insurgency, migration, and moral drift.
Dignitaries and Special Guests
• Guest of Honour: His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria
• Chief Host: His Excellency, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President, ECOWAS Commission
• Chairman of the Occasion: Mr. Boss Mustapha, Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation
• Guest Speaker: His Excellency, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, African Union Special Envoy on Silencing the Guns
• Host: Her Excellency, Datiem Chinchibidja, Vice President, ECOWAS Commission.
• Co-Host: Professor Darma Nazifi, Honourable Commissioner, Internal Services, ECOWAS Commission.
Book Unveilers
1. His Excellency, Rochas Anayo Okorocha, Former Governor of Imo State and Founder, Rochas Foundation
2. Chief Engineer Chibuike Achigbu, Chief Executive Officer, CHIMONS Gas Ltd.
Book Reviewers
1. His Excellency, Julius Sandy, High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.
2. Professor Okey Ikechukwu, mni, Executive Director, Development Specs Academy.
The event promises to be an inspiring confluence of African intellectualism, diplomacy, and literary reflection.
Please note: Invitees shall be admitted by their invitation cards.
For media inquiries and accreditation, please contact:
Email: sonwuka@ecowas.int
Phone: +234 703 413 8347 | +234 814 461 4551
Website: steveokeyonwuka.org
