Here are seven important things to know about her:
1. Long Career in Public Service
Mrs. Walson-Jack has several years of experience working for the government. She began her career with the Rivers State Ministry of Justice. She has held a number of important positions at both the state and federal levels, demonstrating her dedication and skills in public service.
2. Early Staff Member in Bayelsa State
Mrs. Walson-Jack was among the first employees of Bayelsa State’s Ministry of Justice and Civil Service when it was established in October 1996. She was instrumental in establishing the legal and administrative institutions there.
3. Expert in Legal Drafting in Bayelsa
She was Bayelsa State’s first and only qualified Legal Drafter, overseeing the Legal Drafting Department of the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Department of the State House of Assembly. She was instrumental in enacting laws that helped run the state from 1996 to 2002.
4. Leadership Roles in the Federal Civil Service
In the federal government, she served as Assistant Director and subsequently Deputy Director in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. Her leadership abilities were further demonstrated when she returned to work for the Bayelsa State Government, where she held various high-ranking positions.
5. Recognition for Her Work
Mrs. Walson-Jack has garnered numerous honors for her exceptional work. In 2024, she was elected African Icon Female Administrator of the Year. In 2019, she also won a special award from the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and the Bayelsa State Governor’s Wife.
She wrote the best-selling book “Roses in the Thorns,” in which she discusses her personal and professional problems and accomplishments.
7. New Role
Mrs. Walson-Jack will take on her new job in August, succeeding Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, CFR. With her proven track record, she is anticipated to bring new ideas, honesty, and adherence to rigid rules to the post, with the goal of effecting good change in Nigeria’s civil service.
