President, the Alumni Association of Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology (FCFMT) Alumni Association, Capt . Rotimi William Ogunsakin, has refuted a publication credited to his name by the Shipping Position Daily newspaper of Monday, June 3, 2024, with the caption, “The First Set of NSDP Cadets that NIMASA Trained were Mostly Militants.”
Ogunsakin in a rebuttal told ‘JustNet News’ that the story is a misplaced publication because he was quoted out of context in a media interview he granted to a correspondent of ‘Shipping Position Daily,’ sufficed it to say that the interview was conducted in April of 2023 when he was newly elected as President of FCFMT.
According to him, in the interview he highlighted the urgent need for the then leadership of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to provide job for the cadets trained by various maritime institutions and the NSDP in order to reduce the high rate of terrorism and piracy at sea “because those guys were vulnerable to join any form of social vices.”
“Hence the context and purpose of the interview was not intended to cast aspersion on the NIMASA sponsored NSDP initiative or its beneficiaries as the purported report portrayed,” he explained.
The FCFMT President wondered the rationale behind resurrecting and reusing a media interview granted to a reporter of ‘Shipping Position Daily’ over a year ago which had already been published then.
He posited that this was a clear pointer that “there’s more to this publication than what he’s telling us.”
Ogunsakin therefore said he takes exception to this publication and what it portrays as well as the ulterior motive the publisher aims to achieve with this misplaced and stale news story.
He urged the general public; especially maritime stakeholders to disregard the publication which according to him was meant to damage his reputation and pitch him against the new leadership of NIMASA having quoted him out of context.
The Maritime guru further threatened to seek legal redress, should the need for that arise.
His words: “My attention has been drawn to a news publication credited to my name which was published on Page 6 of Shipping Position Daily newspaper on Monday, June 3, 2024, with the caption, “THE FIRST SET OF NSDP CADETS THAT NIMASA TRAINED WERE MOSTLY MILITANTS.” To put the records straight on the said publication, I wish to state as follows:
“That the story is a misplaced publication reason being that I was quoted out of context. It is important to situate the news publication in the context of the media interview I granted to a correspondent of Shipping Position Daily in April of 2023 when I was newly elected as President of the Alumni Association of Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology (FCFMT).
“The purpose of the interview was to talk about my vision and programmes for FCFMT as a new President of its Alumni Association. And in the sidelines, the interviewer also asked about my opinion on the NSDP programme which in my response I highlighted the urgent need for the then leadership of NIMASA to provide job for the cadets trained by various maritime institutions and the NSDP in order to reduce the high rate of terrorism and piracy at sea. Because those guys were vulnerable to join any form of social vices. Hence the context and purpose of the interview was not intended to cast aspersion on the NIMASA sponsored NSDP initiative or its beneficiaries as the purported report portrayed.
“The publisher of ‘Shipping Position Daily’ seems to be fighting a personal battle against the current NIMASA leadership for obvious selfish reasons and looking for a news angle to weaponise in his fight.
“Otherwise how does he explain the rationale behind resurrecting and reusing a media interview granted to his reporter over a year ago which had already been published then.
“This is a clear pointer that there’s more to this publication than what he’s telling us. Hence, I take exception to this publication and what it portrays as well as the ulterior motive the publisher aims to achieve with this misplaced and stale news story.
“In view of this, I wish to rebut, discredit, and distance myself from whatever agenda the publisher is set to achieve with this misplaced publication. I therefore urge the general public; especially maritime stakeholders to disregard the publication which was meant to damage my reputation and pitch me against the new leadership of NIMASA having quoted me out of context.
“I hope the Publisher retraces his steps and uses his news publications for positive impacts rather than selfish reasons and fighting perceived enemies.
“I will not hesitate to make further statements or seek legal redress if the need arises.”
Effort by our correspondent to get the Publisher of the ‘Shipping Position Daily,’ Mr. Sesan, to comment on this as at the time of filing this report was futile as he was not available.