… Receives Primetime Reporters ‘Union Leader of the year 2020’ award
… Wants NPA, terminal operators to honour maritime workers
The Institute of Corporate and Public Sector Professionals (ICPSP), yesterday conferred an Honorary Fellow of the institute on the President General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Prince Adewale Adeyanju in a ceremony attended by the labour leaders in the maritime sector and the Lagos State in general held at the MWUN National Secretariat in Lagos.
Speaking shortly before the induction and subsequent decoration of the President General, MWUN, the Matron of the institute, Comrade Chief Agnes Funmi Sessi disclosed that they were at the secretariat to appreciate the President General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria who she said was a golden fish which has no hiding place.
Sessi described the PG as somebody that doesn’t like to give in to frivolities adding that the more he tried to become quiet, the more they continue to dig deep as he had no hiding place. She said, “And so, because this man is precious, he is diamond, he is gold, we have dug the ground and we found out that this diamond is worthy of emulation. He is somebody that all of us will like to fashion our lives after.”
She went on to explain that institute had corporate members as well as honorary fellow which was the highest level of membership of the institute adding that “that is the level that our PG is going to be decorated today.” She further said that the institute would bring on board every men and women of goodwill who were ready to be the movers and shakers and to assume the good leadership of this country.
“We found the PG worthy of the criteria for selecting those who we give honorary fellow, he has been found worthy, he is a reputable professional and he has also contributed immensely to the service to humanity and that is why today, the highest honour of the institute is to be bestowed on him by the institute. And so, on behalf of the lead visioner of the institute, Dr. Sharafa, on behalf of the President of the institute, Dr. Folashade Arebame, on behalf of the Faculty Chairperson, Prof. Banji Fadeyomi, this morning, we are going to bestow the highest honour on the President General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria.
“I know that as our PG is going to be decorated, he is also going to bring some other people along with him to climb the ladder so that in the mansion that is prepared for him as honorary fellow, he will also have many of the people there with him”, she concluded.
Responding, the President General, MWUN, Comrade Prince Adewale Adeyanju, on behalf of the union, appreciated the institute for the honour done him and by extension, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria pledging that the union would continue to eulogize and give the required support to the institute.
He said, “I don’t think the labourer can be well honoured like this today and I want to sincerely thank the President of the institute and assure you that the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria will continue to abide by the resolutions, the rules and regulations that is binding on all members. That in the next three to four years, we are going to have more awardees in your institute. I want to thank you Mrs. President for coming to honour us today.
“The honour is not for me, it is for all the workers in the ports of the federation; the dockworkers, the NPA, the seafarers and the shipping, the honour is for them and I will not disappoint them.”
The President General revealed that he was already partnering with the institute having sent about four or five of his members for training programmes noting that they were still going to meet in his office thereafter to discuss more of sending some of his members to the institute for proper training.
He continued, “With this honour today, it is a plus for me to do more for mankind. If a bloody labourer can be well honoured today that the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority in those days, the stevedoring contractors, don’t value the workers that are doing the job but today, if an institute of this magnitude can come done and carry out feasibility studies about Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, it is not about me, it is about the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria and we are being identified to be one of the responsible union leaders today, I think, I need to thank you Madam. I want to thank you and I will continue to abide by the rules and we are ready to partner with you without any problem.
“Well, it is a lesson to all of you my brothers; the dockworkers, the seafarers, the shipping that are here. Let us continue to humble ourselves, there is a reward for humility, there is a reward for submissiveness, there is a reward for integrity, there is a reward in your pedigree, whatsoever you do in this world, the reward is always there for you.
“So, I will not disappoint all of you, I will do more with this revered honour that is given to me today. The management of NPA, the management of the terminal operators, they should continue to honour us. We have paid our dues, if they have not done it all this while, I think this is an example for all the terminal operators, our stakeholders, the shipping and everybody, they should honour our leaders not until when we die, you now say you are honouring them. Our honours should be given to us while we are still alive.”
Meanwhile, the management of Primetime Reporters online newspaper, yesterday, presented the President General, MWUN with the Union Leader of the Year 2020 award during the ceremony.
Speaking during the presentation of the award, the Managing Director/ Editor-In-Chief of Primetime Reporters, Mr. Saint Augustine Nwadinamuo said the award would have been presented to the PG alongside other awardees on the 16th of June, 2021 during its 3rd Annual Lecture and Awards ceremony which held at the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos but for his absence.
He noted that the award was in recognition of the sterling leadership which he has brought to bear in the union which in turn has repositioned the MWUN as a foremost labour union in the country and envy of all.
While congratulating the President General, Nwadinamuo who is also the Managing Director of Chisann Communications urged him not to relent but continue to better the lots of the Nigerian maritime workers and indeed, Nigerians as no good work goes unrewarded.
Photo 1: President General, MWUN, Comrade Prince Adewale Adeyanju (middle) being decorated by the President, Institute of Corporate and Public Sector Professionals (ICPSP), Folashade Arebame (right) during the decoration ceremony in Lagos yesterday.
Photo 2: President General, MWUN, Comrade Prince Adewale Adeyanju displaying the plaque and certificate presented to him by ICPSP during the ceremony yesterday.
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