Maritime reporting community joins forces to honour custom’s CG 

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The Nigerian Maritime Journalists (NMJ) has concluded plans to confer the prestigious “Iconic Maritime Personality of the Year 2024” award on the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.

The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 16, in Lagos at the Airport Hotel, Awolowo Road, Ikeja, Lagos, starting at 6:00 PM.

The event will host key stakeholders and dignitaries from across the maritime and public service sectors.

The decision to honour the Comptroller General was unanimously agreed upon by maritime journalists representing various media platforms, including print, electronic, and online outlets.

This coalition is led by prominent industry associations such as the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), League of Maritime Editors (LOME), Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON).

Others are Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria (MAJAN), Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN), Online Maritime Media Association of Nigeria (OMMAN), and the Congress of Maritime Media Practitioners (CONMMEP).

CGC Adeniyi at the Golden World Award for Crisis Management from the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) at the Metropol Palace Hotel in Belgrade, Serbia, October 15, 2024.

These groups recognize the CG’s exceptional achievements since assuming office, citing his transformative leadership in revenue collection, anti-smuggling operations, trade facilitation, staff welfare, and inter-agency collaboration, among other areas.

According to a nomination letter signed by the Secretary of the Award Planning Committee, Innocent Orok, “There is no gainsaying that you have redeemed and repositioned the Service in all areas. Your record-breaking performance has attracted national and international recognition, making this honour well-deserved”.

Above: Kashim Shettima, Vice President, presenting “Outstanding Revenue Collection” award on CGC Adeniyi at the Nigeria Excellence Award in Public Service (NEAPS)

The Award Planning Committee Chairman, Dele Aderibegbe, emphasized the significance of this recognition, stating, “This is the first time all maritime journalists are uniting to celebrate a single individual for exemplary performance.

Under CG Adeniyi’s leadership, the Nigeria Customs Service has achieved remarkable milestones in modernization, ICT, and trade facilitation while reconnecting with global networks”.