Development professional Ipoade Omilaju celebrated his 60th birthday on Saturday, October 17, 2026, with the launch of The Smiling Coast and I: Finding Purpose and Legacy in The Gambia, a book drawing on his professional experiences in the West African country.
The occasion brought together current and former ActionAid country directors and other colleagues from the development sector. Andrew Mamedu, Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, was among the notable figures associated with the event.
Tunde Aremu, Policy, Research and Influencing Manager at Plan International Nigeria, served as master of ceremonies, assisted by Okiemute Imonirhua.
The book combines personal experiences with reflections on leadership, civil society development, gender justice and the challenges of sustaining development beyond individual projects.
Drawing on his assignment in The Gambia, Ipoade Omilaju recounts his experiences of living and working in a different cultural environment while examining the role of partnerships and strong institutions in achieving lasting change.
A significant part of the book focuses on the Gender Promoting Initiative (GPI 2.0) Project, covering civil society partnerships, organisational assessments, governance, capacity development and institutional sustainability. It also explores Gambian society, culture and political history, including the country’s transition from authoritarian rule and its efforts towards democratic reform.
Reviewing the book, Dr Otive Igbuzor, founding executive director of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), described it as a valuable contribution to African development literature.
Igbuzor argued that Africa’s development challenges are not simply a question of resources but also of leadership, strategy, institutional capacity and implementation.
He commended the author for connecting development theory with practical experience, particularly in documenting the work involved in strengthening civil society organisations and promoting gender equality.
The reviewer also highlighted the book’s combination of professional reflection and personal storytelling, including accounts of Gambian hospitality, cultural differences and the relationships that shape development work.
He suggested that future editions could provide a more systematic account of the results achieved through the GPI 2.0 Project, including measurable improvements in institutional capacity and the sustainability of those outcomes.
The launch programme also featured a keynote address by Dr Hussaini Abdu titled Africa Peacekeeping: The Role and Capacity of Civil Society in Women’s Participation, followed by a plenary discussion. Dr Goje Mohammed, Secretary to the Yobe State Government, was listed as the special guest.
Beyond its account of professional experiences in The Gambia, the book addresses a broader question about development practice: what remains after projects end and the professionals responsible for them move on?
For Igbuzor, the measure of successful development work lies not merely in the number of projects completed, workshops organised or reports produced, but in the institutions strengthened, capacities developed and positive changes sustained.
He also stressed the importance of documenting African development experiences, noting that valuable knowledge gained by practitioners working with communities, governments and civil society organisations can be lost if it is not recorded.
The book’s central message is that professional achievement should be measured by the difference people make in the lives of others and by the institutions they leave stronger than they found them.
The launch, held alongside Ipoade Omilaju’s 60th birthday celebration, brought that reflection on purpose, service and professional legacy into focus.
Igbuzor recommended the book to development practitioners, civil society leaders, policymakers, scholars, students and others interested in leadership and sustainable development in Africa.
