Ferdinand Agu, ex-NMA DG, to be buried August 2
- NIMASA boss, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, with Architect Ferdinand Agu’s widow,Vivian Ifeyinwa Agu, during the condolence visit
By Emma Ogbuehi
The mortal remains of Architect Ferdinand Agu, former Director General of the defunct National Maritime Authority (NMA), which is now the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), will be committed to mother earth in Enugu, his home state, on August 2.
TheNiche broke the news of Mr. Agu’s demise in Abuja on June 7.
The former Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), who was said to have attended a traditional wedding in Abuja on the eve of his death and was there until about 9 pm, reportedly suffered cardiac arrest.
A burial programme announced by the family indicated that the obsequies will begin on July 23 in Abuja and end with an outing service on August 4 after the internment on August 2, 2024.
Meanwhile, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has described Agu’s death as a big loss to the maritime industry.
Mobereola, who expressed deep condolences during his visit to late Agu’s family, remarked that his passing was a significant loss to the Nigerian maritime industry, acknowledging his contributions and influence in the sector.
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Dr. Mobereola, who led a NIMASA delegation on the visit to the family, in a statement on his official X handle @MobereolaD described the deceased as a man who left indelible marks in the nation’s maritime space while serving as DG of the NMA and continued to selflessly contribute when called upon long after he left office.
Mobereola added that Agu’s achievements in the defunct NMA contributed to the success story of NIMASA in many invaluable ways.
The NIMASA DG recalled that under Agu’s leadership, the NMA led Nigeria to be included in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) White List of countries compliant with the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW).
He also eulogized him for conceptualizing and commencing the construction of the Nigerian Maritime Resource Development Centre in Kirikiri, Lagos, which today serves many strategic and critical purposes in advancing the NIMASA mandate.
Mobereola said Agu deserves great recognition for the facility that today houses the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre and other relevant departments and units of the Agency.
Architect Ferdinand Agu, a recipient of the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR), was Director General of the National Maritime Authority from 2000 to 2005.