Development agencies have expressed interest in adopting a memoir by Dr Ifeoma Esther Charles-Monwuba, a development specialist and former senior leader in international organisations with more than three decades of experience. She publicly presented her memoir, Grace and Grit: My Journey of Faith, Purpose and Leadership, on Wednesday, 21 October 2026.
Dr Ifeoma Charles-Monwuba reading from the memoir.
The presentation was held at RovingHeights Bookshop in Garki, Abuja. The Social Development Action Trust (SDA Trust) organised it as part of activities marking the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child. The event aligned with the official 2026 International Day of the Girl Child theme: ‘End child marriage and invest in girls’ rights!’ The gathering brought together colleagues from the development sector, advertising and the media, as well as family and friends.
The event featured a reading from the memoir and an interactive session with the author. The discussions went beyond one family’s story to examine the systemic drivers of child marriage and the barriers to girls’ education in Nigeria, with stakeholders calling for stronger implementation of existing laws and greater investment in safe, accessible schools.
The Memoir and Its Author
Grace and Grit, published in 2026 by May Publishing Limited in Lagos, is a candid and inspirational memoir structured around a preface, a prologue (‘The Becoming’), and eleven chapters. It traces Charles-Monwuba’s journey from her birth in Nnewi during the Nigerian-Biafran Civil War, as the eldest of ten children raised by parents of modest means, to senior leadership roles in international development and diplomacy across West Africa and beyond.
She holds a PhD in Development Communication from Caleb University, Lagos (a thesis on Nollywood and the representation of gender roles, particularly women’s unpaid care work); a BSc in Mass Communication from Anambra State University of Science and Technology; an MSc in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan; a master’s in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos; and a certificate in International Health from the University of Washington.
Her career spanned advertising at Sunrise, public health communication at the Society for Family Health, leadership roles at WaterAid Nigeria and ActionAid (including transformative work in Haiti and Senegal), and service as Ghana Multi-Country Director/Representative of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), covering Nigeria, The Gambia, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The book’s governing premise is that grace sustains, but grit must answer it. Leadership is portrayed not as a crown but as a humble calling rooted in service. Charles-Monwuba wrote the memoir to give back, especially to young people who feel locked out of big careers because of their backgrounds, and to parents making decisions for their children. She urges readers to be intentional about their children’s lives and encourages girls to pursue their ambitions.
A Narrow Escape from Child Marriage
At the heart of the memoir is Charles-Monwuba’s narrow escape from child marriage. At 16, as she prepared for university, her father’s struggling business attracted an offer from prospective partners who would provide capital if she married a younger brother in their family. Her late father, Sir J.O.S. Ufondu-a mechanic and Biafran Corps of Engineers veteran-refused to trade her future for money. He insisted she would go to university, declaring that education is the only inheritance no one can take from you.
That decision opened the way to higher education and a distinguished career. At the launch, speakers repeatedly returned to this story as a powerful illustration that educating girls does not prevent them from becoming wives, mothers and contributors to society. Dr Charles Usie, Country Director of Plan International Nigeria, highlighted the father’s role and asked: ‘What role are you playing in the life of girls? Either your daughter, your sister, your friend, what role are you playing? Are you enabling this problem or are you part of the solution?’
Voices from the Launch
Amina Baba-Manu, Director of Strategy, Innovation and Impact at SDA Trust, noted that poverty, culture, insecurity, and a lack of nearby schools drive early marriage. She cited a community in Sokoto State where the nearest senior secondary school is about two hours away on foot, deterring families because of the distance and safety concerns. ‘We have the policies. We have the laws in place. But it’s just the implementation of those policies,’ she said, calling for better enforcement and government investment in educational infrastructure.
Dr Charles Usie urged fathers to be part of the solution and highlighted the fathers’ support groups his organisation backs in Sokoto and Bauchi, recommending their expansion nationwide. He emphasised that men must actively protect girls’ rights and ensure they complete their education before marriage.
Dr Andrew (Andre) Mamedu, Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, said the memoir aligns with ActionAid’s Girls initiative and expressed a desire to partner with the author to empower girls.
Dr Charles-Monwuba added that schools must be safe, within reach, and properly equipped-with appropriate sanitation for girls, qualified teachers, and digital resources. She called on states to adopt and enforce protections against marriage before 18 and urged parents to be intentional about their children’s lives.
Broader Context and Calls to Action
The 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, observed globally on 11 October, has the official theme ‘End child marriage and invest in girls’ rights!’ The theme calls for urgent action to protect girls from early marriage and to invest in their education, health, and rights. According to UN and UNICEF data, more than 12 million girls are married before adulthood each year-roughly one every three seconds-with the highest prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa. In Nigeria, stakeholders stressed that civil society efforts alone cannot succeed without coordinated government action on safe schools, poverty reduction, and security.
Key calls emerging from the launch include:
Stronger implementation and enforcement of laws and policies prohibiting marriage before 18.
Invest in safe, accessible, well-equipped schools, including sanitation facilities and qualified teachers, particularly in rural and insecure areas.
Active engagement of fathers and male allies through support groups and community mobilisation.
Stronger partnerships among development organisations, government, and communities to address poverty, culture, and insecurity as root drivers.
Parents and caregivers to make deliberate choices that prioritise girls’ education and long-term futures.
One woman’s story of resilience as a symbol
By presenting Grace and Grit in the context of the International Day of the Girl Child, SDA Trust and the development community have framed one woman’s story of resilience as a symbol and a call to action for the millions of girls in Nigeria still at risk of child marriage and educational exclusion. The memoir serves as both personal testimony and practical instruction: purpose is refined through disciplined choices, and leadership is earned through service.
As Charles-Monwuba has written, finding the delicate balance between grace and grit-where strength is not the absence of fear but the resolve to press forward-offers a path for young people, parents and policymakers alike. The event reinforced that ending child marriage requires more than awareness; it demands intentional action from families, communities and governments.