Edet Okpo Reports

Contrary to the persistent campaign of calumny by saboteurs that seek to misrepresent and pitch him against Members of the host communities, the Rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron in Akwa Ibom State, Commodore Duja Emmanuel Effedua, has said that Oro people are naturally peaceful, hospitable, accommodating, hardworking and amongst the best ethnic groups in Nigeria.

The Rector made the declaration in his office while fielding questions to newsmen, recently during an unexpected facility tour of the Academy by a team from the Federal Ministry of Transportation.

According to Effedua who confessed that he personally was surprised to meet an entirely different group of people from the initial impressions he had because of what he sometimes had read in the press, it is only an insignificant cabal within the Academy community who, perhaps for failure to have their ways, entrenched the habit of conniving with the gullible and the misinformed within their grip to make it seem as if there is always crisis in the Academy.

”It is necessary I let you know this. The Oron people are one of the best you can find in this country. They are naturally peaceful, hospitable , accommodating and hardworking and are always ready to team up with you when there is need.””

The Rector further added:

“Whoever for whatever reasons said ORO people are hostile or inhospitable must have said so in gross error or never had dealings with them. When you hear of purported instances of crisis in the Academy, just watch out for those involved. It’s like saying a little leaven ferments a whole lump. Good enough we are beginning to identify them and how best to relate with them” , the Rector revealed.

Commodore Effedua emphasized that his 10 months permanent stay, interactions and dealings with them as Rector of the Academy have proven why MAN has this conducive atmosphere over the years.

The Rector used the occasion of the facility tour to intimate the team of his blue prints, showcased his achievements in 8 months and called on all to support him in restructuring the academy even as he especially called on the host communities to fully utilize his open door policy and diplomacy.

On the challenges faced by the rector in the academy, Commodore Effedua mentioned poor quality of staff, over bloated staff strength over 70% of which is non-academic in an institution that needed largely and mainly specialized and professionals in the maritime sector.

Other challenges according to the Rector included undue external interference in terms of people wanting to force things on him, quality of products produced by the Academy, too many Cadets in the face of inadequate teaching aids and basic facilities like simulators that is a must for Academy of its kind.

Commodore however assured that with modalities he is working and negotiations and consultations with international partner agencies, these deficiencies will soon be overturned.

The Rector then promised that he is determined to ultimately present a world class Academy that will be the pride of the nation and a reference point of maritime professionalism. But all these can more easily be achieved if he is allowed to concentrate on his targets without distractions from within and without.

The visiting team from the Federal Ministry of Transportation had since returned to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory