“His death further depletes the tribe of knowledgeable maritime professionals”-Afolab

Otunba Kunle Folarin

The Board Chairman, SIFAX Group, Dr Taiwo Afolabi, has described the death of Otunba Kunle Folarin, who was Chairman, Nigerian Ports Consultative Council (NPCC), as a great loss to the Nigeria’s maritime industry.

In a condolence message signed by Mr Muyiwa Akande, Group Head, Corporate Communications, SIFAX Group, Afolabi described Folarin, who died at the age of 85, as a “maritime encyclopedia” owing to his wealth of experience  on the sector as well as his willingness to share his intellectual resources with others.

“I recall his outstanding performance when he graciously served as the Keynote Speaker at the 3rd edition of the Taiwo Afolabi Annual Maritime Conference where he spoke passionately about the place of port costs and charges in the overall port reform regime in Nigeria”.

“It was, indeed, an enlightening session where he brought to bear his depth of knowledge and experience to proffer workable solutions to this recurring problem. Even at a short notice for the conference’s 4th edition, Otunba Kunle Folarin’s insights as a panelist became a key highlight of the occasion,” Afolabi said.

The Sifax Boss said Folarin leaves a huge gap in the country’s maritime space, adding that the sector would greatly miss his bold personality and intellectual approach to industry discourse.

“His death has depleted the tribe of knowledgeable maritime professionals in Nigeria with a razor-sharp intellectual bent who are never afraid to speak truth to power.  This is in a bid to reposition and maximise opportunities in the country’s maritime industry for the overall good of the nation’s economy,” he said

Dr. Afolabi therefore appealed to NPCC and all Folarin’s allies to sustain the advocacy for a better maritime industry in Nigeria.