Ferdinand Agu: Mobereola, Ramalan, Dakuku, Dosunmu, Others Mourn Late Ex-NIMASA DG

The death of the former Director General of the National Maritime Authority (NMA), now known as the
Architect Ferdinand Agu, of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has left top maritime industry stakeholders in deep mourning.
The Director General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, former DGs of the apex maritime agency, and other industry stakeholders have all reacted to the tragic incident that occurred last week.
In a press statement, Mobereola described Architect Agu’s death as a rude shock.
Responding to Agu’s sudden death over the weekend, the NIMASA DG stated, “It is a significant loss to Nigeria, the maritime community, and NIMASA in particular.”
The DG added, “I am deeply saddened to learn of the death of Arc. Ferdinand Agu, a former Director General of the NMA. He left an indelible impression on me in the short time we spent together during my first stakeholder engagement last month. I had hoped to engage him more frequently, to tap into his wealth of experience for the benefit of all Nigerians. Unfortunately, death has denied us this privilege. Agu’s commitment and excellence will continue to inspire us all. We will miss his wisdom, kindness, and unwavering commitment to improving the maritime industry. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time. May his soul rest peacefully.”
Similarly, Alhaji Dr Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, NIMASA’s Pioneer Board Chairman, expressed shock at Agu’s sudden tragic death.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Ramalan lamented that “the Nigerian Maritime Administration under new leadership was unable to tap or harness the enormous resource reservoir in Ferdinand Agu before his death.”
Ramalan said in the statement, “Ferdinand Agu was a patriot, a Pan-Nigeria, and a leading light in the affairs of men and women in the Nigerian maritime world.
“The late Ferdinand Agu, former DG of NMA, passed nearly 30 days after the NIMASA Sponsored Stakeholders Engagement to usher in the New NIMASA Director General Dr. Dayo Moberiola and his Executive Directors.
I sat next to Ferdi for hours during the event, brainstorming how to support the new executive management of NIMASA in all areas of their regulatory mandates.
“During his lifetime, this iconic and legendary Nigerian Maritime Czar had and continues to have friends spread across all geopolitical zones and divides in Nigeria.
“He was a Nationalist and father, friend, brother, and benefactor to many Nigerians, too numerous to count in this Great Sector.
“While we pray that the Almighty God will grant the soul of Architect Ferdinand Agu eternal rest in his bosom, we urge the bereaved to accept with peace the things we cannot change.”
Dr. Dakuku Peterside, the former DG of NIMASA, expressed his sadness over the sad news, writing that Agu loved the maritime industry as much as he loved Nigeria.
Dakuku stated, “When I arrived at NIMASA in March 2016 and began preaching the gospel of reforms and reputational restoration, the agency’s director-level cadre threw only one challenge at me: equal or exceed the record of a specific Arc.” Ferdinand Agu was previously the DG/CEO of NIMASA’s predecessor organisation, NMA.
“That challenge established the framework and tone for my future engagements with the agency. First, who is this man who has emerged as a source of leadership reference within NIMASA? Everyone could see that only a few of these agency leaders had ever served as role models and sources of inspiration for leadership. Few have been superlative or exceptional. As a result, it became critical to extract the key components of Arc Agu’s outstanding and qualitative performance before, during, and after his time at NIMASA. I reached out to him, and what I discovered challenged me even more. Here was a man of intelligence, versatility, and confidence while remaining humble, and eager to assist. I instantly connected with him, and he became my unofficial adviser-in-chief. Like the proverbial eagle, Arc Ferdi Agu was exceptionally and irreversibly visionary, and he was well aware of his ability to contribute to the betterment of his society. He was equally adept at making his vision in any industry a reality. I found him to be an administrative whiz, a highly organised professional who paid close attention to even the smallest details. Despite his impressive height and stature, he exuded confidence and fearlessness while remaining extremely humble. In addition to believing in himself, he frequently encourages others to believe in their abilities and the beauty of their goals, and he is always willing to share his intellect and experience to help you succeed.
“Arc Agu adored the maritime industry as much as he loved Nigeria. His knowledge of the industry was almost encyclopaedic. His enthusiasm for the country and its development was unparalleled in my experience. He was of Igbo descent, but his network of friends stretched across Nigeria, and he could not explain how he built it. I purposefully chose not to discuss my encounters with him, as each one turned out to be a lesson in patriotism and leadership when everything seemed to go wrong. Arc Ferdi Agu was a unique human being, a gift to Nigeria that was largely underutilised, a patriot, and, most importantly, my elder brother and inspiration. Arc Agu was the only Ferdi Agu that could exist. Goodbye, pathfinder and intellectual powerhouse.”
Dr. Ade Dosunmu, another former DG of NIMASA, responded by describing Agu as a “friend, a brother, a technocrat, a leader, and a pan-Nigerian.”
Dosunmu prayed to God for infinite mercy and acceptance of his gentle soul, writing:
“I did not know what to say or how to react to the painful and untimely death of a friend, brother, technocrat, leader, and pan-Nigerian in the person of Arc Ferdinand Agu, former DG NMA. It was too shocking for me, given that we had only met a month ago at the NIMASA programme to welcome Dr Dayo Mobereola to the Eko Hotel. We sat together and exchanged views on our country and the state of the maritime industry. Following the programme, he invited Omatseye and me to his room at the Signatures to discuss issues concerning former DGs.We had extensive discussions about how we can always provide NIMASA management with the benefit of our experience when called upon. We also discuss the welfare of former DGs in comparison to other grade ‘A’ MDAs. He provided leadership and earned my admiration for the way he handled the meeting. I was assigned to follow up on our resolutions with the current management, and he said if I needed his help, I should not hesitate to let him know. We left, and he directed us to the ground floor. An amazing personality, down to earth, and always willing to offer solutions to problems. I had no idea that would be my last time seeing Ferdinand. We developed a very friendly relationship. He always calls me Ade, and I call him DG Emeritus. That was our relationship. God, in His infinite mercy, accept his gentle soul and give his family and all of us the strength to bear this enormous loss. “Adieu, Ferdinand Agu…”
Similarly, Dr. Emeka Akabogu, a maritime lawyer and expert, described the late Agu as an outstanding maritime administrator.
Akabogu wrote: “Architect Ferdinand Agu was a man of great intelligence. I admired him for his prodigious intellect, delicious articulation, and impressive gravitas. Aside from that, he took a hands-on approach to his job, tackling tasks with dedication and detail.
“I vividly recall his first interaction with the maritime industry following his appointment at a stakeholder interactive session in 2001. He remained quiet throughout the event, listening intently and taking notes. When he eventually took the podium, it was clear that the country’s maritime administration had not witnessed such a class act. He flawlessly captured the essence of all interventions, seducing the words into delivering hope in large doses of audial pleasure.
My first full interaction with him occurred shortly after in Enugu, when the then-Minister of Transport, the late Ojo Maduekwe, hosted a Ministerial Retreat to generate ideas for a 25-year Nigeria Transport Masterplan. After the proceedings, a group of us were tasked with developing the retreat resolutions, with Ferdinand Agu as team leader. He made certain that each word in each resolution was carefully chosen and purposefully included. We worked until 3 a.m.
Under his leadership at NMA, the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act was passed. In 2005, he became the first NMA DG to have his tenure renewed. I went to see him to discuss a proposal and had to wait for several hours. When I was ushered into his office after 7 p.m., he was still full of energy, disarming me and my anger with his intense interest in the business that had brought me there. As he smoked his Cuban cigar, he thoroughly questioned the specifics of my proposal and suggested changes.
“On May 9, when Dr. Dayo Mobereola hosted his first stakeholder interaction with the industry as DG of NIMASA, Ferdinand Agu made a deliberate effort to contact me following my keynote presentation. He praised my delivery but suggested that we go over some of the details again. His message with his email address, requesting that I send my presentation, is the last I have from him.
“A great Nigerian, an intellectual heavyweight, and an icon of maritime administration has passed away. He was still young, around 65, and had a lot to offer the nation. May God, in His infinite mercy, give Architect Ferdinand I eternal rest and comfort his family at this time.”
Alhaji Awwalu Makarfi, former Director of Administration at NIMASA, also responded to the sad news, stating that his “legacy of excellence and care will undoubtedly forever remain in our hearts.”
He added, “In memory of a remarkable leader who died too soon.
“An unrivalled leader in his field…”
In wisdom and grace, he shone brilliantly.
His legacy of excellence and care will undoubtedly live on in our hearts.
Ferdinand’s spirit lives on even after he is no longer alive.
We will always remember you with gratitude and love. as our brilliant, respectful, and confident manager.