Senior Partner at Akabogu and Associates, Dr. Emeka Akabogu, SAN, has taken writers through eight landmark Nigerian maritime cases, highlighting key legal principles and judgments they should understand to produce credible literature on the country’s maritime sector.
Akabogu made the presentation at the 6th edition of the Maritime Writes Project (MWP) Creative Writing Bootcamp, where he sought to give participants a practical understanding of major judicial decisions covering shipping, ports, maritime territory, cargo claims and environmental protection.
The presentation, titled “Real Cases Every Maritime Writer Should Know,” simplified complex judgments into accessible lessons, even as Akabogu tipped the classes to enrich the literary works of the MWP participants in their bid to produce quality maritime literature.
Among the cases highlighted was Owners of the M.V. Arabella v. Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation, which addressed the Federal High Court’s exclusive admiralty jurisdiction and strict requirements for serving court processes outside Nigeria.
Akabogu also examined The Owners of the M.V. Lupex v. Nigerian Overseas Chartering and Shipping Ltd, where the Supreme Court upheld the binding nature of arbitration agreements.
In Basinco Motors Ltd v. Woermann-Line & Anor, the court clarified that being named as a “notify party” on a bill of lading does not automatically confer the right to sue. The same principle featured in Pacers Multi-Dynamics Ltd v. The M.V. Dancing Sister & Anor.
Other cases included Centre for Oil Pollution Watch v. NNPC, which reinforced access to the courts for environmental protection, and the landmark Resource Control case, which clarified the constitutional status of Nigeria’s territorial waters, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
Akabogu also highlighted SIFAX (Nig) Ltd v. Migfo (Nig) Ltd, stressing that a dispute connected to a port is not automatically an admiralty matter, and Alraine Shipping Agencies (Nig) Ltd & Ors v. Nigerian Shippers’ Council & Anor, which underscored the regulatory framework governing port charges.
The presentation reinforced the need for maritime writers to understand the legal foundations of the industry they chronicle, enabling them to produce more accurate and authoritative books, features and other literature.
Meanwhile, Chief Lecturer and Member of the Academic Board, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Dr. Lucky Aikabeli, provided participants with practical insights into the publishing process in a session titled “The A-Z of Publishing: From Manuscript to Market.”
Aikabeli examined the journey from developing a manuscript to producing and positioning a book for the market, drawing attention to the key elements that can make a publication both professionally acceptable and commercially viable. His session gave participants a clearer understanding of the standards, considerations and decisions involved in transforming creative ideas into publishable books.
Also contributing to the creative dimension of the programme was Mr. Ekene Ngige, a renowned coffee artist, who challenged participants to think beyond words and recognise the role of visual storytelling in children’s literature.
Ngige demonstrated how artistic presentation, particularly book-cover design and illustrations, can strengthen a story’s appeal and help communicate its message to young readers. His session emphasised the importance of carefully selected visuals in making children’s books engaging, attractive and marketable.
Together, these sessions on Day 3 of the Creative Writing Bootcamp, expanded the writers’ understanding of maritime storytelling from the legal foundations of the industry to the publishing and visual elements required to take a manuscript from an idea to a compelling finished book.
The programme also featured industry-specific sessions by the Executive Director, Operations and Technical, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, Capt. Warredi Enisuoh; Director, Reforms Coordination and Blue Economy and Former Nigerian Registrar of Ships, Mrs. Nneka Obianyor; Master Mariner and President of MAPROD, Capt. Oluwasegun Akanbi; Harbour Master, Lagos Pilotage District, NPA, Capt. Marvin Omovbude; among others.
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