Niger Delta chieftain, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has lauded President Bola Tinubu for signing the Act establishing the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko, in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.
Tompolo, who is also the Chairman of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, said the President’s assent to the bill was a testament to his “friendship and dedication to the growth and development of the South/South zone.”
This was stated in a personally signed appreciation letter he sent to the President, copies of which were seen by our correspondent in Warri, on Wednesday.
The university was established in 2014 and had been operating without the signed Act for its establishment.
Tompolo noted that the signing of the enabling Act gave legal backing to the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko.
Tompolo, who is also the Ibe-Ebidouwei of Ijaw nation, said, “This magnanimous gesture symbolises your goodwill towards the Niger Delta and your unwavering commitment to our growth and development.
“The signing has validated the hopes and aspirations for the advancement of learning and development in our region. It is an act that came in the nick of time when all hope was almost exhausted.”
According to Tompolo, Tinubu’s visionary leadership has bridged the gap in maritime education in West Africa, where Ghana was previously the only country with a maritime university.
“Nigeria is now poised to improve its capacity and manpower in the maritime sector, bringing development to the oil and gas communities in the Niger Delta and curbing youth restiveness in the region,” he stated.
The letter read, “We, the people of the Niger Delta, are overwhelmed with gratitude as I write to express our heartfelt thanks for your historic endorsement of the Act establishing the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State.
“Your signing of the 2025 Act has given full legal backing to the institution.
“The Nigeria Maritime University, established in 2014, had been struggling to reach its full potential due to the absence of an enabling Act. But with your courageous decision, the university can now thrive, providing the necessary legal framework for its operations.
“For a decade, the institution functioned, but without full legal status. It was on life support, gasping for desired breath to stay alive.”
Tompolo recalled that on November 25, 2022, during Tinubu’s campaign visit to Oporoza, the ancestral headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, he pledged to sign the Act establishing the university if elected president.
“This is a promise made and a promise fulfilled. Once again, let me express our sincere appreciation for this landmark achievement. Your leadership has rekindled enthusiasm amongst Niger Deltans,” the letter read.
