Dantsoho, Afolabi, others hail former NPA AGM Egede on book launch

Stakeholders across Nigeria’s maritime, oil and gas and government circles converged in Lagos at the weekend to celebrate Mr. Sylvester Egede, a former Assistant General Manager at Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on the launch of his memoir, ‘Lion of the Port Corridor: Strategy is Everything.’

The high praise, led by the Managing Director, NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho; Chairman, Sifax Group, Mr Taiwo Afolabi and member, Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Jonathan Ukhodiko, acknowledged Egede’s significant contributions and penchant for excellence across several endeavours, noting that the book marks a significant step towards spotlighting an individual, who through service, has shaped growth in Nigeria’s maritime sector.

In his review of the book, former NPA General Manager Corporate and Strategic Communications, Captain Iheanacho Ebubeogu, stated that the book chronicles the life of the author from childhood to adulthood highlighting how parental upbringing play a significant role in defining the life and personal development of the author.

The NPA Managing Director, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, who was represented by the General Manager, MD’s Office, Mr. Fatai Oladipo, congratulated Egede on documenting his memoir for other professionals to learn from while saluting him for his contribution to Nigeria’s port development throughout his period of service.

On his part, the Managing Director Sifax Group, Mr. Taiwo Afolabi, who was represented by Capt. Ibrahim Olugbade, lauded Mr Egede for taking the time to put his experiences in print, noting that the lessons in the book will go a long way in providing guidance for corporate professionals across diverse fields in the present time and in future.

In his remarks, Egede explained that the book was inspired by his career journey and the role of strategy in defining his life as a person and as a corporate professional in service.

Speaking specifically about what prompted his writing of the book, he explained that his role in clearing the traffic congestion between Mile 2 and the Tin Can Island Port corridor was a defining moment.

“I have been a strategy person from childhood. What made me to write this book is the clearance of the traffic gridlock between Mile2 and the Tin Can Island Port corridor. We didn’t need to raise a gun to force the truckers to leave. What the country had been forming committees upon committees for, I used the SWOT analysis strategy. The truckers agreed with me that they were going to leave the road and before the deadline we gave them, they did leave.

“I say this to explain that one only needs to look deeply at a situation to find the solution. The solution is around you, you just need to look deeply and you will solve every problem,” he said.

Other dignitaries present at the event include; Chairman, Nigerian Ports Consultative Council (NPCC), Mr. Bolaji Sunmola; President of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi; Former Director General of NIMASA, Barr. Temisan Omatseye; Managing Director, Greenview Development Nigeria Limited, Mr. Simeon Omole, amongst others.