By Abbas Nazil
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Kevin Okonna as the Acting Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, located in Oron, Akwa Ibom State.
This appointment follows the departure of the former Rector, Commodore Duja Effedua (Rtd), who was widely praised for his tenure marked by significant development at the institution.
In a statement issued by the Academy, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, emphasized the importance of Dr. Okonna’s extensive experience in ensuring effective leadership and a seamless transition as the Academy progresses towards becoming a degree-awarding institution.
Oyetola commended Dr. Okonna’s track record of service and expertise, noting that his appointment aligns with the Federal Government’s directive to elevate the Academy’s status.
Dr. Okonna, an alumnus of the World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmo, Sweden, has over three decades of dedicated service to the Maritime Academy of Nigeria.
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He has held several key roles, including serving as the pioneer Head of the Maritime Safety Department, Director of Strategy, Research and Development Directorate, and Coordinator of the Specialized Seafarers Training Centre.
His contributions to the development and accreditation of specialized seafarer courses and his active participation in fostering industry partnerships have been widely acknowledged.
As a member of the Nautical Institute (NI), UK, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Dr. Okonna has played a pivotal role in advancing maritime education and training in Nigeria.
His participation in various federal government committees, such as the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the International Maritime Organization Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS) in 2016 and the Interim Management Committee (IMC) established to restructure the Academy in 2017, underscores his influence in the sector.
Expressing gratitude for his new role, Dr. Okonna acknowledged the support of President Tinubu, Minister Oyetola, the Academy’s Governing Council, and other stakeholders.
Speaking during a recent management meeting, he pledged to uphold the strategic vision of transforming Nigeria into a global maritime powerhouse in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.
He assured stakeholders of his commitment to the Academy’s sustainable development and seamless transition as a degree-awarding institution.
