Roving Heights Sets Abuja Reading For New PT Books Title

Roving Heights Book Store is set to host a reading, book signing and interactive conversation around a newly published PT Books title examining integrity and public service in Nigeria.

The event, scheduled for Thursday, September 17, 2026, will hold from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Roving Heights Book Store, City Centre Mall, Abuja.

The featured book, The Muslim Public Servant in Nigeria: Integrity, Justice and the Sacred Trust of Office, was written by Umar Yakubu and published by PT Books.

Yakubu’s book uses Islamic principles as an ethical framework for examining the challenges surrounding leadership, followership and service, particularly within Nigeria’s public sector.

At the centre of the book is the Islamic concept of amanah, or trust, which presents public office as a moral responsibility that should be exercised for the benefit of citizens and society.

The book argues that public office should be regarded as a sacred trust and that those entrusted with public responsibilities should be accountable for how they exercise that trust.

“Public office is a sacred trust,” is the central message identified in the book’s description.

The publication examines what it means to serve with integrity, competence, justice and accountability while addressing challenges including corruption, abuse of office, nepotism, incompetence, conflicts of interest and misuse of public resources.

It also examines how people are selected for public responsibilities, arguing that competence and trustworthiness should guide such appointments rather than political affiliations, patronage networks or personal relationships.

Another concept explored in the book is what it describes as “divine laundering,” referring to situations where proceeds associated with wrongdoing or the misuse of public resources are channelled into religious causes in an apparent attempt to create a perception of moral cleansing.

The book further distinguishes between outward religious observance and ethical conduct, placing emphasis on honesty and fairness in the management of public resources and responsibilities.

Although the publication uses an Islamic ethical framework, its message is presented as extending beyond Muslims through values such as justice, honesty, competence, accountability and service.

The September 17 gathering is expected to bring together organisational actors, civil society leaders, policy experts, authors and members of the public for discussions around accountability, ethics and leadership in public service.

The programme will combine readings from the book with an opportunity for participants to engage in an interactive conversation about the responsibilities attached to public office.

Copies of The Muslim Public Servant in Nigeria: Integrity, Justice and the Sacred Trust of Office are already available in major bookstores in Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan, Kano and Kaduna, with copies expected to be available for signing during the Abuja event.

The reading will therefore provide an opportunity for readers and participants to engage directly with the book’s examination of integrity, accountability, leadership and the ethical responsibilities associated with public service in Nigeria.