• School declares 7 days of mourning
Maritime industry stakeholders are still in shock over the death of the Acting Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) in Oron Akwa Ibom State, Engr. Anthony Ishiodu yesterday.
Some of them who spoke with Shipping Position Daily yesterday wondered if the deaths were ordinary or there were other things beyond the ordinary to it, considering the fact that Engr. Ishiodu's predecessor; Joshua Okpo also died mysteriously.
But, the Academy also yesterday confirmed that the late Rector had actually been battling with a health challenge and that he only recently travelled abroad to seek help.
According to a statement from the Academy’s public relations department, “about five weeks ago the Acting Rector proceeded to England for treatment, after having been granted special permit to do so by the Federal Government, and returned to Nigeria in less than a forthright ago. He was being expected to resume work when the sad news of his demise struck Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron as thunderbolt”.
The statement added that the Academy’s community had to cut short its prayer session as soon as news filtered in that the Rector had passed on.
It added that it was the Registrar of the institution, Mr. M. A. Mkpandiok, who “informed the Management that the Head of the institution could not overcome the ailment he suffered from. He lamented the unfortunate incident, even as members of the Management Team present expressed shock at the devastating news”.
Reacting to the death of Ishiodu, a former president of the Merchant Navy Senior Staff Association, Capt Thomas Kemewerigha lamented the death of the rector, saying that death is a natural occurrence and a price every man must pay.
"The Rector has played his role and he is gone, whoever is coming next should toe the line of the positive actions he had in mind, we saw the handwriting on the wall that he was to take Oron to greater height"
"The change of hands or heads of parastatals affect our growth in the maritime sector, so whoever is coming on-board should not come with new programmes, he should rather go back and access what the last rector had in mind so that we can have continuity"
"His death is a big setback to the industry because he is one man we saw working for the interest of the academy"
"Every death has a name, something must kill somebody, in this part of the world we so much believe in our tradition so high that people might believe their own person must be made Rector of the Academy"
"The longest serving rector which is from Oron did not really take the academy to where it should be before he was removed", he added.
Capt Kemewereigha said that the Oron community sees the academy as their own personal resources; hence governance should look inwards and appoint a professional from the area to head MAN Oron.
Also speaking with our correspondent, President of Association of Stevedoring Companies, Mr. Bolaji Sunmola said it was unfortunate that MAN Oron lost two rectors in such a quick succession.
"It's unfortunate that the rector died, coming from the background that the one he replaced also died suddenly in office. I commiserate with the family and I say may his soul rest in peace" he said
Sunmola however lamented that MAN Oron as an academy has not been living up to expectation and this was why people seek training outside Nigeria.
The Rector was the first ex-cadet to have risen to the high office of Rectorship in the institution. He was appointed Acting Rector in mid-December, 2015 following the sudden demise of his predecessor in office, Ambassador Joshua Enun Okpo.
In his seven months on the saddle, late Dr. Ishiodu steered the Academy’s ship in the direction of System Sanitization, the projection, promotion and enhancement of Cadets’ Affairs and Curricula Review.
Engr. Anthony Ishiodu was a pioneer ex-cadet of the School of Marine Engineering , he was also trained in the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Alexandria, Egypt. He further obtained his Ph.D in the specialty of Maritime Transport from the University of Calabar, Cross River State.
He was a Staff of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) before joining the Academy in 2000.
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