IWA Cover Feature: Appointed to Lead, Legacy Built, Service Completed

In September 2026, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, mni, was featured as the cover personality for Edition 55 of Inspiring Woman Africa (IWA) Group.

Published on September 15, 2026, the Cover Interview was titled “Appointed to Lead, Legacy Built, Service Completed.” It recognised her remarkable journey through more than three decades of public service and provided an in-depth platform for her to reflect on leadership, institutional development, service, resilience and legacy.

The feature traced her journey from her early years as a State Counsel in 1992 through her pioneering work in Bayelsa State, her subsequent leadership roles in the Federal Civil Service, and her appointment as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in July 2024.

The interview explored the principles that shaped her approach to public service, particularly her belief in building institutions, systems and people that can outlive an individual tenure. Her philosophy, expressed through the words “I planted, I believed, and I moved on,” became a central theme of the conversation.

The feature also highlighted several areas of her public service contributions, including staff welfare, housing, industrial harmony, civil service exit management, occupational safety and health, inclusiveness, institutional reform and leadership development.

Beyond her professional career, the Cover Interview explored her faith, family, personal resilience, her books Roses in the Thorns, I Planted and Beyond the Mandate, and her reflections following her retirement from public service.

The IWA feature therefore served not as an award presentation, but as a cover recognition and editorial profile, placing Mrs. Walson-Jack at the centre of Edition 55 and using her story, experience and reflections to inspire its audience.

The feature was subsequently amplified through wider media coverage, including publication in Punch newspaper.