The President and Chairman of the Governing Council, Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, FCIPM, fnli, delivering his goodwill message at the Stakeholders and Citizens Engagement Forum held recently in Abuja, Nigeria.
The President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, FCIPM, fnli, on Friday, 15th August 2025, joined distinguished stakeholders at the Stakeholders and Citizens Engagement Forum convened by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in Abuja. Also in attendance were the National Treasurer of CIPM, Mrs. Ogochukwu Egbuonu, FCIPM, and the Registrar/Chief Executive, Ms. Oluwatoyin Naiwo, FCIPM, underscoring the Institute’s strong commitment to advancing conversations around people management and public service transformation.
In his goodwill message, Mallam Gobir expressed his delight at participating in the forum and extended his profound appreciation to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Esther Didi Walson-Jack, MCIPM, OON, mni, for convening such a critical dialogue. He noted:
“It is both a pleasure and a privilege to bring goodwill greetings on behalf of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria — the only professional body chartered by law that is responsible for setting standards, shaping policies, and nurturing the people who, in turn, nurture our institutions. I am truly delighted to be here and profoundly grateful to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Esther Didi Walson-Jack, MCIPM, OON, mni, for this remarkable opportunity. Thank you most sincerely, Ma.”
The President and Chairman of the Governing Council, Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, FCIPM, fnli, with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Esther Didi Walson-Jack, MCIPM, OON, mni, taking a tour of some public ministries.
The President emphasised the importance of human capital in national development, stressing that policies and reforms can only thrive when people — skilled, motivated, and ethically grounded — are placed at the center. He observed that:
“The most valuable asset of any organisation walks out the door every evening, and we hope they come back the next morning. For the public service, this couldn’t be more true. Without our people, there will be no reform, no policy, and no transformation plan can truly take root.”
Mallam Gobir also highlighted the role of stakeholder engagement as a bridge between policy and practice and between government and citizens, noting that forums like this strengthen accountability, transparency, and shared purpose.
He used the opportunity to invite participants and the broader public service community to the 57th International Conference and Exhibition of CIPM, Africa’s largest HR event, scheduled to hold at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, from October 27th – 30th, 2025, with the theme “Reimagining the New World of Work.”
The CIPM President reaffirmed the Institute’s commitment to ensuring that people remain at the heart of policy execution in both the public and private sectors. He concluded with a powerful reminder that “great nations are built not only by policies written on paper, but by people inspired to make those policies work. And when people come first, progress always follows.”
