There were accolades as the pioneer Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mrs. Mfon Ekong Usoro pulled the high and mighty to the formal unveiling of her much anticipated book, titled “International Trade and Carriage of Goods by Sea, Texts, Cases, and Materials”.
Usoro who remains the first ever female to be appointed by the Federal Government to head any parasatal in the Federal Ministry of Transportation as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) pulled everyone that matters in the maritime industry and beyond into the venue of her book launch in Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, Lagos.
The venue of the event, Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos located at a shouting distance to Naval Dockyard, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island was filled with prominent Nigerians and foreigners who came from far and near to witness the formal unveiling of the book.
Those who attended the event Tuesday include Africa’s richest man and President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and her husband, Mr. Akin Kekere-Ekun; Governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno and his predecessor, Deacon Udom Emmanuel; Founding Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, THISDAY Media Group and ARISE News Channel, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; former Minister of Transportation, Dr. Abiye Sekibo; Secretary General, Abuja MoU, Mr. Sunday Umoren; former Director General, NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside; and the CEO, African Circle Pollution Management Limited (ACPML), Mr. Umar Abubakar.
Others were the former Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Chief Adebayo Sarumi; Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Kelvin Okonma; Chairman of the occasion and former, President Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Umaru Abdullahi (retired); former President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olumide Akpata; renown ship owner and pioneer President, Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), Engr. Greg Ogbeifun; former Acting Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and Founder, Le Look Nigeria Limited, Chief (Mrs.) Chinwe Ezenwa; former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen (retired); former President of NBA and husband of the author, Mr. Paul Usoro, SAN; Mrs. Funke Agbor, SAN; Mrs. Jean Chiazor Anishere, SAN; former Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa, Mrs. Funmilayo Olotu; former Port Manager, Rivers Port Complex, Port Harcourt, Chief (Mrs.) Carolyn Akum Ufere; Senator Udo Udoma; and the Group CEO, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Plc, Mr. Ladi Balogun also graced the occasion.
Others were the pioneer Editor and creator of THISDAY Lawyer, Ms. Olufunke Aboyade, SAN; Secretary General, African Ship-Owners Association, Mrs. Funmilayo Folorunsho; Principal Partner, Etomi and Partners Mr. George Etomi; former President of SOAN, Dr. Mkgeorge Onyung; former CEO, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema; and the Principal Partner, Akabogu and Associates, Mr. Emeka Akabogu.
Those who were represented at the event include Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwolu; former Minister of Transportation, Right Hon. Rotimi Amaechi; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla; Director General and CEO, NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola; Executive Secretary and CEO, Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Barrister Pius Akutah; and the Managing Director and CEO, NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho.
The invitees took turn to pour encomiums on the author for the strides she has made over the years in her profession as a practicing lawyer as well as the maritime industry.
While a legal luminary, Dr. Oladapo Akerele, SAN reviewed the book by taking the audience through the various segments and components of its content, an Associate Professor of Law, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Dr. Obugheni William Arugu read an out-of-the-world citation of Mrs. Usoro to an intermittent applause of the attendees.
The immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Deacon Udom Emmanuel set the ball rolling when he stepped to the podium to eulogize the author.
Emmanuel described Mrs. Usoro as a proud daughter of the state who always delivers on any assignment that is given to her by the Akwa Ibom State government over the years.
The erstwhile governor specifically thumbs her up on her roles and responsibilities as the Chairman, Ibom Deep Seaport project among other assignments the state government has asked her to do and she delivered without looking back.
In his remarks, Governor Eno lauded Mrs. Usoro for holding the flag of Akwa Ibom State high in her chosen profession. He also thanked her for the various roles she has played in the sustainable development of the oil and gas rich state.
On her part, Ezenwa said: “Mrs. Usoro has proven to be an intellectual giant in the maritime sector of the economy. I will like her ideas to cascade to the grassroots and we will do whatever we can to support her in this regard.”
Sarumi in his remarks stated that it was policy makers and policy executors including himself that discovered the author decades ago.
His words: “We discovered Mfon in 1996 and we will not let her alone. The Federal Government of Nigeria owes you a national honour and commendation. We thank you for what you have done and still doing in the maritime sector of the economy”.
The CJN who wrote the forward to the book hailed the author for creating time to put her thoughts together in a book despite her busy schedules as a professional, mother, and wife.
She wondered how she was able to successfully navigate these roles and responsibilities and enjoined her to make herself available to teach others, especially the girl child who desires to pursue a successful career, good home and marriage.
She stated that the book reflects the author’s distinct wisdom of decades spent shaping policy, presiding over infrastructure projects and advising governments and the international community.
According to her, with the knowledge embedded in the book, Nigeria can deepen its maritime networks and expands its ports. This book can be the cornerstone of that foundation, a prompt to reform, a spur to scholarship and a guide to justice.
The highpoint of the occasion was the formal unveiling of the book by Dangote, Eno, Kekere-Ekun, Paul Usoro, Akin Kekere-Ekun, Mrs. Usoro and the chairman of the occasion, Hon. Justice Umaru (retired).
