The Face Of Maritime International (FOMI) has just instituted a special and unique industry honour with the name, Maritime Doyens (MD) Award, and is set to honour the President General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Com. Prince Adewale Adeyanju; the National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Chief Emenike Nwokeojii; the Chairman and Chief Executive of Morplat Group, Chief Isaac Jolapomo; the President, Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM), Capt. Tajudeen Alao, and other top male maritime professionals as the pioneer class of the Award recipients.
Other 2024 nominees for the industry honour include; Chief Cajetan Agu, Capt. Fola Ojutalayo, Mr. Babatunde Bombata, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite; Barr. Temisan Omatseye, amongst others.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday in Lagos, the Executive Director of FOMI, Mr. Sylvanus Obasi, stated that the MD Award is instituted as a male version of the Maritime Amazons (MA) Award also instituted by FOMI since 2019.
He explained that the MD Awards aims to identify, honour and celebrate exceptional male maritime professionals who have made significant impact in the maritime sector through their respective field of professions.
The aim according to him is to tell the uncommon stories of these uncommon men in order to motivate the younger generation of men to aspire for a life of greatness and impact for the development of the industry in particular and the well being of humanity in general.
Obasi announced that the pioneer set of the award nominees would receive the honour at the 2024 Grand Finale of Face Of Maritime International slated for September 22 at Piccadilly Suite, Agungi Lekki Lagos.
He noted that at the occasion, the awardees would be decorated, honoured and thereafter referred to as Maritime Doyens.