After eight years at the helm of affairs at the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju recently bowed out, leaving behind a legacy of transformation, stability, and remarkable achievements in the maritime sector.
Adeyanju, who has served as the President-General of MWUN since 2017, is credited with re-shaping the union into a formidable force for workers’ rights and welfare.
Under his leadership, MWUN witnessed unprecedented reforms that improved the working conditions of maritime workers, fostered industrial harmony, and strengthened the union’s engagement with key stakeholders in the industry. One of his most significant contributions was the resolution of long-standing disputes between dockworkers, shipping companies, and terminal operators, which helped to minimize disruptions in port operations.
Adeyanju’s tenure also saw a sustained push for improved welfare packages for workers, including salary reviews, enhanced insurance coverage, and better safety measures at ports and jetties. His proactive approach in engaging government agencies, maritime employers, and international labor organizations ensured that workers’ voices were heard in policy-making processes.
Beyond advocacy, he championed capacity-building programmes, equipping maritime workers with training opportunities to enhance their skills and productivity. His administration also played a crucial role in pushing for the implementation of policies that addressed casualization in the industry, ensuring that more workers were granted permanent employment status.
In return for all he did, stakeholders within the maritime sector lauded his efforts, describing him as a pragmatic leader who prioritized workers’ interests and upheld the integrity of the union. His exit will undoubtedly mark the end of an era, but his impact on the Nigerian maritime labour sector remains indelible.
The MWUN is undoubtedly a new brand – one that sprang up from the ashes of the old order where force and brute reigned, when the union was law unto itself and most parts of the Nigerian maritime industry.
For the once-dreaded and volatile union, the journey to the present has been quite long, especially since it became the amalgamated union for junior workers in the nation’s maritime industry.
It is this new MWUN that Comrade Adeyanju handed over to his successor; Comrade Francis Bunu on Friday March 28, 2025 at the union’s 6th quadrennial delegates conference.
Months back, no one had thought that Comrade Bunu would emerge unopposed. Many people had wanted to succeed Adeyanju. That Bunu emerged unchallenged was due to some factors, One is the fact that Comrade Adeyanju was well-respected by members of the union, both at top and down the ladder. Second is that, he believed in his choice of Bunu and he campaigned vigorously for him; he took him round and introduced to everyone who mattered in the industry.
Above all, Adeyanju performed well as the PG of the union. This was the plank upon which he was able to ‘sell’ Bunu’s candidacy and qualities to both the union and the industry at large.
Now that the elections are over and the expected has happened, a lot of people would be expecting Adeyanju’s successor to be ‘a good boy’, and be an ‘Adeyanju boy’.
But, we strongly advise against being a ‘good boy’ and an ‘Adeyanju boy’.
Rather than being a predictable President General of the MWUN, we advise very strongly that Comrade Francis Bunu should be a man of himself, having learnt the rope from Comrade Adeyanju. He was a member of the Adeyanju’s ‘kitchen cabinet’, so he does not need to be taught what condiments he would need to be a good servant of the union.
The pair of shoes that Adeyanju left are incredibly big, but Bunu could create his own shoes fitting into his size. In doing this though, he must be guided by the legacies that were handed over to him as the successor.
Adeyanju’s guiding principles were based on constructive engagement between the union and employers of its members. These ideals were visible in all that were achieved in the eight years during which he held sway as the President General.
The extent to which the union will still maintain its principle of nom-violent negotiations, will depend on how much Bunu learnt under the feet of Adeyanju.
There is no doubt that the industry, especially members of the union will eagerly await what he can offer. This is expected because in the last eight years, a lot was achieved.
However, the new PG of MWUN should begin to build on the legacies of the Adeyanju glorious era. Deviating from this may be counter-productive for the union, its members and the maritime industry in general.
We are however glad that he has promised to be a non-violent and non-table-shaking union leader. He has assured that he would continue with the legacy of industrial peace that was bequeathed to him. Perhaps he has no choice? Because the entirety of the Nigerian maritime industry remember that there was a time when the MWUN was synonymous with violence, thuggery and disregard for industrial harmony.
The industry now enjoy peace, even as workers enjoy life. This is what the industry expects to continue.
