Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has commended the retiring Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dame (Mrs.) Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, mni, for her 34 years of distinguished public service, describing her career as a lasting legacy of purposeful service to Nigeria.
Diri spoke in Abuja during the launch and presentation of Walson-Jack’s two books, I Planted: A Memoir of Purposeful Service and Beyond the Mandate, which document her professional journey and experiences in the Rivers State, Bayelsa State and Federal Civil Services.
The governor, who attended the event alongside his wife, Dr. (Mrs.) Gloria Diri, joined eminent Nigerians, senior citizens and distinguished public servants from Bayelsa State to celebrate Walson-Jack, whom he described as a worthy daughter of the state and an accomplished public servant.
The book launch attracted several prominent personalities, including former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan; the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum; Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu; former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson; former Bayelsa Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John-Jonah (rtd); National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; and other dignitaries.
Speaking as the Chief Presenter of I Planted: A Memoir of Purposeful Service, Diri reflected on his working relationship with Walson-Jack during her tenure as Chief of Staff, Government House, under the administration of former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson.
He said his experience working with her gave him first-hand knowledge of her resilience, diligence, discipline and integrity.
According to Diri, Walson-Jack brought intellectual depth and quiet strength to governance and remained committed to ensuring that government decisions were directed towards serving the interests of the people.
He described her as “the calm in the storm, the memory of the administration, and the conscience that reminded us that every decision must serve the people.”
The governor said Walson-Jack’s retirement from the Federal Civil Service should not be regarded simply as the conclusion of her career, but as a transition from active service to an enduring legacy.
He said the two books captured the values that shaped her career, including faith, hard work, integrity and commitment to public service.
Diri also described the publications as an important record of Bayelsa State’s institutional history, noting that they documented the contributions of individuals who helped establish the foundations and administrative structures of the state.
“These books are more than a personal recollection. They are an archive of the formative years of our state, a record of those who cleared the grasses, dug the foundation and put frameworks in place capable of outliving the individual who established them,” he said.
The governor commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Walson-Jack as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in August 2024, expressing satisfaction that she served the country with an unblemished record.
Diri said Bayelsa State was proud of Walson-Jack’s accomplishments and her contribution to the development of the Nigerian public service.
He described her as an outstanding ambassador of Bayelsa State, the Niger Delta and the Ijaw nation.
“Bayelsa is proud of you, a worthy daughter of the Ijaw nation. You planted in Rivers and Bayelsa States. You watered in Abuja. And God in His grace has increased the work of your hands,” Diri said.
He added that the book launch represented an opportunity for the nation to celebrate the harvest of Walson-Jack’s decades of public service, noting that her contributions would continue to influence generations beyond her retirement.
The governor, on behalf of the Government and people of Bayelsa State, congratulated Walson-Jack on her retirement and prayed for God’s continued blessings, protection and many more years of purposeful service to the state and the country.
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