The Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) celebrated its history as created by its pioneer leaders and renewed its commitment to the development of maritime journalism on April 24, 2026.

The reception was held at Rockview Hotel, Apapa, to honour its past presidents and recognize distinguished stakeholders in the maritime sector, including Dr. Bolaji Akinola, the now Personal Adviser to the Honourableinister of Marine and Blue Economy.

The event brought together maritime journalists, industry stakeholders, government representatives, and distinguished guests to celebrate leadership, legacy, and the role of the media in maritime development

According to a communique issued at the end of the event by MARAM, it introduces the association as one of the oldest and biggest maritime beat association.

MARAN’s reception served as both a tribute to its founding leaders and a platform to reinforce the association’s relevance in advancing maritime reporting in Nigeria. The gathering underscored the importance of institutional memory and stakeholder collaboration in driving sustainable maritime development.

The communique also noted that in his welcome address, Mr. Tunde Ayodele, Chairman of the MARAN Caretaker Committee, delivered a well structured welcome address.

He traced MARAN’s history to 1988, when visionary young journalists established the association to develop a dedicated maritime reporting beat in Nigeria.

Key highlights from his address many founding members are now in their 60s and 70s, and they laid the foundation for MARAN’s growth and relevance.

The event was organized specifically to honour their sacrifices, contributions, and enduring legacy was also a moment of silence was observed in honour of deceased members.

Ayodele emphasized the continued relevance of past presidents, noting their contributions across journalism, public service, and the broader economy.
He therefore appealed to past presidents to remain actively involved in the affairs of the association.

On goodwill messages, the communique noted that a goodwill message was delivered on behalf of the Secretary-General of the Abuja MoU, Capt. Sunday Umoren, who was represented by Engr. Richard Owolabi.

Key points of the reception ceremony was the Commendation of MARAN for promoting maritime journalism, transparency, and stakeholder engagement by the stakeholders.

Abuja MoU made a stong recognition of Dr. Bolaji Akinola as a knowledgeable journalist and strong supporter of the Abuja MoU.
The organisation also appreciated his roles in facilitating engagement between the Honourable Minister and the organisation.

The organisation however emphasised on the collaboration, professionalism, and knowledge sharing as drivers of sustainable maritime development of the media.

Abuja MoU equally made a strong commitment by to strengthen cooperation with MARAN and support accurate maritime reporting.

Alhaji Usman Bello Kankara, in his own good will message to MARAN commended MARAN in it’s efforts in maritime reportage.

Alhaji Usman Bello Kankara, a former Comptroller of Customs (rtd), sent his goodwill message the Pastor Tunde Ojudun, the MD of Hyneck Media.

Alhaji Usman Bello recalled and recounted his long-standing relationship with MARAN dating back to 1989.

He also acknowledged the role of MARAN in supporting his career, including recognitions received as Best PRO (1999) and *Best Publicized Command (2000).

Reflected on his engagement with MARAN through press briefings and professional collaboration.
He noted the strong bond maintained with MARAN members even after retirement, expressing regret for his absence due to security challenges and wished the association continued success.

The keynote address was delivered by Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho on the theme:
“The Role of the Media in Sustainable Maritime Development in Nigeria.”

Drawing from nearly five decades of experience in the maritime sector, he highlighted four key roles of the media

Agenda-Setting
Media plays a critical role in bringing industry challenges—such as port congestion, infrastructure gaps, and policy inconsistencies—into national focus. Sustained and informed reporting is necessary to drive policy attention and reform; Accountability.
He said the media serves as a watchdog by exposing inefficiencies, corruption risks, and policy contradictions. However, he cautioned against reporting based on incomplete or inaccurate information, which could harm the industry and investor confidence.

Capt. Iheanacho, who was represented at the event by Barr. Emeka Akabogu, equally noted that Public Education education is crucial to maritime media.
Maritime journalism helps simplify complex industry concepts for public understanding. He called for more data-driven reporting, simplified communication of policies, and increased focus on maritime education and inland waterways.

The last point, the captain said, is stakeholder mobilisation.
According to him, the media facilitates dialogue among stakeholders and promotes alignment for sector growth. He encouraged journalists to track commitments and ensure follow-through on industry discussions.

He concluded by urging journalists to deepen their technical knowledge and uphold professionalism, noting that responsible journalism is essential for national development.

Observations, according to the communique at the event underscored several key points:
– The importance of recognising past leadership and preserving institutional memory.
– Strong synergy between MARAN and maritime stakeholders, including regulatory and regional bodies.
– The role of maritime journalism continues to evolve beyond reporting into advocacy, education, and policy influence.
– There is a need for continuous capacity building among journalists to enhance technical competence.

In conclusion, the communique stated that the reception successfully celebrated the legacy of MARAN’s past presidents while reinforcing the association’s role in advancing maritime journalism in Nigeria. Speakers consistently highlighted the importance of professionalism, collaboration, and informed reporting in driving sustainable maritime development.

The event concluded with renewed commitments from stakeholders to support MARAN and strengthen partnerships within the maritime sector.

Five points recommendations were made, according to the rapporteur, who outlined five key recommendations to include
1. *MARAN should institutionalise regular engagements with past presidents* for mentorship and guidance.
2. *Capacity-building programmes should be strengthened* to improve technical knowledge among maritime journalists.
3. *Stakeholders should deepen collaboration with MARAN* to promote transparency and accurate reporting.
4. *The media should sustain focus on key maritime issues* to ensure policy continuity and reform implementation.
5. *Mechanisms should be developed to track outcomes of industry discussions and commitments*.

The Prepared by: Fabian Anawo, Foster Obi, David Oladimeji,
Rapporteur, MARAN Event April 24, 2026.