President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has applauded the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, for her purposeful service, institutional leadership and contribution to the development of Nigeria’s public service as she attains the mandatory retirement age of 60.
The President, who was represented by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN, stated this at a ceremony held in honour of the retiring Head of Service, which also marked her 60th birthday and the unveiling of two books written by her which chroniclesd her experience and contribution to the Nigerian public service, “I Planted” and “Beyond the Mandate”, at the Ladi Kwali hall of Abuja Continental Hotel.
President Tinubu who described Walson-Jack’s retirement as the end of a remarkable chapter of dedicated national service said her progression through the state and federal civil services to the position of Head of the Civil Service of the Federation had earned her an important place in Nigeria’s public administration history.
According to him, the occasion is more than a book presentation, noting that it was an opportunity to celebrate a life of purposeful service, a career of institutional leadership and a legacy built in the service of the nation.
The President said Walson-Jack had demonstrated that public service was not only about individual achievements in office, but also about the institutions, people and systems public servants leave behind for future generations.
He stressed the need for a professional, competent, ethical, innovative and citizen-centred civil service capable of translating government policies into tangible results.
President Tinubu also described Walson-Jack as a reform-minded public servant who understood the need for the civil service to evolve in response to the changing needs of the country.
The President commended Walson-Jack for documenting her experiences and lessons through her books for the benefit of future generations, stressing that the true measure of public service lies in the impact made and the institutions strengthened.
President Tinubu congratulated Mrs Walson-Jack on the milestone and expressed appreciation for her years of dedicated service to the nation, particularly her contributions to strengthening the effectiveness, professionalism and institutional development of the Nigerian Civil Service.
Speaking at the event, the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan described Walson-Jack’s appointment as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation as a historic achievement for Bayelsa State, noting that her retirement after years of service marks the close of a distinguished career that has placed her name in Nigeria’s Civil service history.
Dr. Jonathan commended her progression from the Bayelsa State Civil Service to the highest position in the federal civil service, attributing her remarkable career to merit, integrity, perseverance and commitment to duty.
He also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Walson-Jack as the first Bayelsan to serve as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, describing her career and retirement as a significant milestone for both the state and the Nigerian public service.
Among those in attendance were the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Senator Seriake Dickson; the Governors of Bayelsa, Borno and Rivers States; a representative of the Edo State Governor; the newly appointed Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; the wife of former Nigerian military Head of State, Mrs. Ajoke Murtala Mohammed and Former First Lady of Nigeria Dame Patience Jonathan.
Also present was the Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Prof. Matthew Adepoju, alongside other Directors General under the Ministry of Innovation Science and Technology.
The event attracted senior government officials, permanent secretaries of the Civil Service, public servants, members of the National Assembly, diplomats, development partners, academics, private sector representatives as well as family members and friends.