MARITIME ACADEMY: ORON YOUTH Reacts To Appointment Of Acting Rector

MARITIME ACADEMY: ORON YOUTH Reacts To Appointment Of Acting Rector

…Frowned At Appointment Of Acting Rector MAN

Oron Youth Movement (OYOM), has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appoint a Vice-Chancellor and constitute a proper Governing Council for the University of Maritime Studies, Oron ( UMSO), which has replaced the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron through a repeal act by the National Assembly.

Reacting to the appointment of Dr Kelvin Okonna, as the “Acting Rector”, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, OYOM explained that in 2022, the Nigerian National Assembly through a full legislative process which included a Public Hearing, Passage of the UMSO BILL in the Senate, Concurrence in the House of Representatives, harmonisation by both Houses and Assent by the President of Nigeria, effectively repealed the MAN Act of 2004 and in its place enacted the University of Maritime Studies, Oron (Establishment) Act 2022.

“We also appeal to the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Senator Dr. Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, who as Akwa State Governor in 2010 committed the resources of Akwa Ibom State to acquire additional acreage of land and upgrade Infrastructures in the defunct MAN, Oron to meet the requirements of NUC, to intervene to ensure the speedy take-off of the University of Maritime Studies Oron.

“Specifically, we appeal that Mr President should speedily appoint a Vice-Chancellor and constitute a proper Governing Council for the speedy and effective take-off of the University of Maritime Studies, Oron ( UMSO), having been established by a legally binding University of Maritime Studies Oron (Establishment) Act. 2022 of the Nigerian National Assembly.
Finally, we strongly advise Dr Kelvin Okonna, the “Acting Rector” to tread with caution and not further embark on actions that could be seen as undermining the implementation of the University of Maritime Studies, Oron, (Establishment) Act 2022.”

In a statement made available to Core Reporters on Saturday, January 25, 2025, and signed by; Comrade Edet Eyo, Mnse, Mshe National President, Comrade Victor Onomo National Vice President 1, Comrade Edet Iyahakwa National Secretary, Comrade Victor Obiosio Nat. Director, Media & Publicity, Comrade Oyokunyi UmohNat. Director, Security & Special Duties, Comrade Sylvia Ekpot Nat. Director, Women Affairs and Comrade Emmanuel Essang Nat. Director, Organisation & Mobilization, the group wondered why a Rector should be appointed to a defunct MAN whereas the FG is yet to appoint Vice Chancellor and constitute a proper governing council for UMSO.

Oron Youth Movement (OYOM), is a civil liberty organisation that represents the voice of the entire Youths of Oron Nation, which comprises the five LGAs of Oron, Mbo, Udung Uko, Okobo and Urue Offong-Oruko in Akwa Ibom State. However, the community of Oron Nation occupies the Eastern extremity of the Nigerian Nation. Bounded in the North by the large estuary of the Cross River and in the East by the Atlantic Ocean, Oron Nation is one of the few communities in Nigeria with a large Maritime environment, rich in Oil and Gas.

The believed that Oron Nation, with its Oil-rich Maritime environment, has suffered untold deprivation in Nigeria and Akwa Ibom State due to its ethnic minority status.

The pains of Ibaka Deep Seaport, which was proposed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, to be sited at the Natural Harbor of Ibaka Bay in Oron Nation, which was frustrated by the Government of Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, is still very rife in the hearts of Oron People.

The statement rea in parts, “Our attention has been drawn to the widely publicised appointment of an Acting Rector for the legally defunct Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, which runs contrary to the expectations of the people of Oron Nation. In the lengthy write-up about the appointment of the Acting Rector which dwells extensively on the achievements of the defunct MAN, Oron as a Maritime training institution and on the image laundering of the appointee Acting Rector, no reference, whatsoever was made to the fact that the Act establishing MAN, Oron was repealed by the National Assembly of Nigeria and the Act establishing the University of Maritime Studies, Oron (UMSO) was enacted in its place, since 2022.

“The Maritime Academy of Nigeria Oron established, first as a Nautical College in 1977, 48 years ago, did not properly fulfil the objectives for which it was established. Nigeria, a huge Maritime Nation, still trains almost all levels of its Maritime personnel in foreign Maritime institutions at a huge cost to the Nation’s economy. This is what led to the push for the upgrade of MAN, Oron to the University of Maritime Studies to properly serve the manpower and technological needs of the Nigerian Nation for its large Maritime environment with huge economic potential. It was especially so as the Nation’s Oil and Gas production was fast moving into Offshore and Deep-Sea terrain requiring advanced skills in Deep Sea and Ocean Engineering.

“The move to actualise the upgrade of MAN, Oron to UMSO commenced in earnest in 2010 when several visitations to MAN, Oron, were made by the Nigerian University Commission (NUC) to assess both the academic and physical infrastructure in MAN, Oron and to recommend the requirements for the upgrade of MAN, Oron to a Maritime University. After meeting the requirements of NUC which included the acquisition of more land space and upgrade of Infrastructures with the resources of Akwa Ibom State, the then Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, who is now the Nigerian Senate President, forwarded a memo to the then President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, GCON, in 2015 and obtained approval for the upgrade of MAN, Oron to a University. Unfortunately, the approval given by President Jonathan without legislative backing could not be enforced.

“However, in 2022, the Nigerian National Assembly through a full legislative process which included a Public Hearing, Passage of the UMSO BILL in the Senate, Concurrence in the House of Representatives, harmonisation by both Houses and Assent by the President of Nigeria, effectively repealed the MAN Act of 2004 and in its place enacted the University of Maritime Studies, Oron (Establishment) Act 2022.

“The UMSO Act, which has since been gazetted, is now a law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Thus, the Institution called MAN, Oron, has legally ceased to exist.

“We in OYOM, as law-abiding citizens of Nigeria, are dismayed about the confusion surrounding the Take-off of UMSO, whose Establishment Act was enacted in 2022. First, it was an illegal appointment of a Governing Council in 2024 for MAN, Oron which no longer exists, instead of appointing a Governing Council for the newly established UMSO. Now, in 2025 is the appointment of an Acting Rector for MAN, Oron which legally has ceased to exist, instead of appointing a Vice Chancellor for UMSO. Also, information reaching us has it that the Management of the defunct MAN, Oron, under the leadership of the Acting Rector, is admitting new students, not minding the fact that MAN, Oron has lost its legal status as a training institution and any certificate issued therefrom would be deemed invalid.

“The Oron people and, indeed, Akwa Ibom State are deeply worried about the foregoing after they had ceded several hectares of their ancestral land to the Federal Government of Nigeria in the realisation of the University of Maritime Studies, Oron, in line with the requirements of the National Universities Commission (NUC). It appears that some Agencies of the Government of Nigeria are playing unwholesome politics with the Take-off of the University of Maritime Studies whose establishment Act had been duly enacted about two years ago.
Nigeria is a country governed by the Rule of Law.

“The University of Maritime Studies Oron (Establishment ) Act 2022 is a Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. People in leadership positions responsible for implementing the Act must not act in a way that could be interpreted as they are flouting the Act.” The statement said.

OYOM warned, this action of the FG if not reconsidered could be dangerous as citizens interpreting their actions could lose their respect for the Rule of Law in Nigeria. Saying,
“On behalf of the people of Oron Nation and indeed Akwa Ibom people, we in OYOM hereby passionately appeal to the President and Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, that in the interest of justice and the Rule of Law, to please direct the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy to take immediate actions to ensure that the provisions of the University of Maritime Studies, Oron, (Establishment) Act 2022, are accordingly implemented. This should bring to an end the rigmarole tactics of appointments into the legally non-existent MAN, tending to delay the immediate commencement of the University.”