… confers Maritime Amazons Award on Folorunso, Ufere, Odunayo, others
The immediate past President of WISTA Nigeria, Mrs. Eunice Ezeoke, was on Sunday September 22, honoured as the 2024 Face Of Maritime International (FOMI) Role Model Ambassador.
The Award was conferred on Ezeoke who was also the former Port Manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) at the just concluded 2024 FOMI Grand Finale tagged ‘A Night Of Beauty & Women Empowerment’ held in her honour in Lekki-Lagos to celebrate her personality, her virtues and achievements as an outstanding female maritime professional in Nigeria.
Recall that Mrs. Dabney Shall-Holma, former Director, Commercial Shipping Services of the Nigerian Shippers Council; Dr. Mrs Fola Rogers, former Executive Director, Human Resources and Admin of SIFAX Group; Mrs. Hadiza Usman, former Managing Director of NPA; Hajia Lami Tumaka, former Director, Special Duties of NIMASA; Mrs. Mary Hamman, former President, WISTA Nigeria; and Mrs. Rollens Macfoy, President of WIMA Nigeria were honoured in this capacity between 2017 and 2022 respectively.
As FOMI Role Model Ambassador 2024, Ezeoke is expected to play a role model to FOMI queens and all aspiring young women interested in maritime career; mentor up-coming female maritime professionals already in the maritime career path and support FOMI pet-project, called ‘Girls-Go-To-Sea’ campaign (GGOTSEC).
Similarly, FOMI has also conferred Maritime Amazons (MA) Award on the Secretary General of African Ship Owners Association, Mrs. Funmi Folorunso; former General Manager, Special Duties of NPA, Chief Carolyn Ufere; and current President of WISTA Nigeria, Dr. Mrs. Odunayo Ani.
Other awardees for the MA Award include the Convener of Lagos International Maritime Week, Barr. Mrs. Tosan Edodo-Emore; the Human Resources and Crewing Manager of Melsmore Marine Nigeria Ltd; and the Managing Solicitor, Trizon Law Chambers, Barr. Mrs. Foluke Akinmoladun.
In a press statement released after the event on Sunday, the Director of FOMI, Mr. Sylvanus Obasi, noted that the MA Award, a conception of FOMI is designed to identify, celebrate and honour inspiring maritime women who have shattered the proverbial glass ceiling in their maritime careers and fields of endeavours.
Obasi added that the aim is to tell the uncommon stories of these uncommon women in order to encourage the younger generation of women in maritime career paths.