Tinubu, Diri, Fubara for Walson-Jack’s book launch

President Bola Tinubu is expected to lead a distinguished gathering of Nigerian leaders at the book launch of Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. The event, scheduled for Tuesday in Abuja, will celebrate the release of two new books authored by Walson-Jack: 'I Planted: A Memoir of Purposeful Service' and 'Beyond the Mandate: A Memoir on Leadership, Legacy, & Labour of Public Service.'

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Didi Walson-Jack’s memoir, ‘I Planted: A Memoir of Purposeful Service,’ navigates the tensions of being a pioneer civil servant in a fledgling state and the treacherous politics of the workplace, all while maintaining her resolve to preserve her integrity at all costs.

These books chronicle Walson-Jack's extensive career in public service at both state and federal levels. They are presented as sequels to her first memoir, 'Roses in Thorns: An Autobiography.' The launch event is anticipated to draw high-profile attendees including Governors Duoye Diri of Bayelsa and Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers states, Dr. Zacchaeus Adedeji, Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, and Secretary to the Government of the Federation Senator George Akume, among other ministers, permanent secretaries, service chiefs, and members of the diplomatic corps.

The book launch also serves to uphold a significant family literary tradition. Walson-Jack's father, Christian Atani Otobotekere, who was the Okun XIX and Amananaowei of Tombia in Bayelsa State, was a prolific poet-king and author of 14 books before his passing in 2023. His legacy is kept alive through his daughter's literary endeavors.

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The publication commemorates the laying of the foundation on which the superstructure of whatever she later became solidified, as her career progressed to the federal level. It is indeed essential reading for present and future career civil servants and other development workers and professionals who genuinely desire to understand how to overcome the many landmines of the public-sector workplace, reach the top nonetheless, and, at that, bequeath enduring legacies that are invariably the reward of the true and committed reformer.

Prominent figures in public policy and business have already offered glowing reviews of Walson-Jack's new works. Dr. Joe Abah, former Director-General of the Bureau for Public Service Reforms, is slated to officially review the books. Positive assessments have also come from Prof. Tunji Olaopa, Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission; George Etomi, a legal icon; and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman of Access Bank Holdings.

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Beyond the Mandate: A Memoir in Leadership, Legacy, & Labour of Public Service’ offers a rare insider’s perspective on leadership at the highest levels of public service. Drawing on decades of experience, Didi Esther Walson-Jack distills practical lessons on governance, institutional reform and ethical leadership with clarity and authority.

Professor Olaopa described 'I Planted' as a navigation of the challenges faced by a pioneering civil servant in a developing state and the complexities of workplace politics, emphasizing Walson-Jack's commitment to integrity. He noted its value for current and future civil servants seeking to understand how to succeed in the public sector and build lasting legacies. Aig-Imoukhuede highlighted 'Beyond the Mandate' for providing an insider's view on high-level public service leadership, distilling practical lessons on governance, reform, and ethical conduct.

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It is an important contribution to the study of public administration and an invaluable guide for policymakers, public servants and leaders committed to strengthening ins