BLESSING ENENAITE looks at some of the women sitting at the helm of affairs in the maritime sector

Dr Vicky Haastrup is indeed a force to reckon with in the Nigerian maritime industry.

She is the Co-founder and Executive Vice Chairman of ENL Consortium Limited, the entity that manages the operations of Terminals C&D of the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa. She is also the Chairman, Sea Ports Terminal Operators’ Association of Nigeria, an umbrella body that comprises key operators of the sea port terminals in Nigeria. In addition to that, she is the current President of the Certified Institute of Shipping of Nigeria.

Before she joined ENL, she had worked with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation for 23 years, rising through the ranks to attain the position of Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Petroleum and Energy. Not just a hard worker but an achiever as well, Haastrup’s educational background played a major role in her antecedents in the industry. She is a graduate of Business Management from the then Holborn College London. She gained more professional knowledge from institutions such as the London Business School, London Corporate Training Centre, and Pitman Central College, London.

A definition of beauty, intelligence, determination, focus, courage and influence, she was able to deal with the challenge of operating one of the most strategic terminals at the Lagos Port Complex. Before the concession at the port, dockworkers were said to be quite challenging to deal with. Nevertheless, Haastrup proved that she did not just have the vigour, she also had the tenacity to handle whatever challenges came her way. She found a way to overcome the challenges which eventually won her more admirers.

Her exceptional leadership style, coupled with her being innovative and creative stood her out at different stages of her career.

In 2011, 2012 and 2013, she won the Shipping Personality of the Year award. She is also a mentor with the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association Nigeria, and a trustee of the Women in Logistics and Transport. She is also a matron of the women wing of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents.

In 2015, she led ENL Consortium to emerge as the Best Terminal Operator for Middle East, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent at the 2015 Seatrade Awards held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It was the first time any Nigerian company would win the coveted award. This is in addition to several other individual, corporate, national and international awards that have been bestowed on her over the years.

When it comes to fashion, the brilliant Haastrup cannot also be shoved aside. The light-skinned beauty is always top-notch with her make-up. Her outfits bespeak elegance and class, even as she always carries herself like the Amazon that she is. Indeed, she has left her footprints on the maritime industry and her giant strides will forever linger in the hearts of those she worked with.

Wunmi Eniola-Jegede is one of the elegant and brilliant minds in the maritime sector. She was recently appointed as the Executive Director, Business Development and Strategic Planning of Sifax Group, which is a conglomeration of companies with investments in maritime, aviation, oil and gas, haulage and logistics, financial services, and hospitality. Her wealth of experience spans over 20 years in human resources and strategic planning.

She bagged a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. She also holds a certificate in Business Management from the Houston Community College Systems, Texas, United States of America. She also has a Master of Business Administration in Human Resources from the Devry University, Keller Graduate School of Management, Houston, Texas. She is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management as well.

Before getting to Sifax, she was the Director, Human Resources, Administration and Strategic Planning, at the Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency. Prior to that, she had worked as a human resources consultant to the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service. At different times, she was also the Revenue Manager, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service; as well as Human Resources and Admin Manager at Surveillant Fire Limited.

Anybody who has met Eniola-Jegede or seen her pictures would readily agree that she exudes class and portrays excellence in all she does. There are certain areas she cannot be faulted at, especially her fashion sense. She is dynamic and blends her outfit colours perfectly, while still appearing modest.

Aisha Ali-Ibrahim recently retired from the civil service, having clocked the age of 60. However, she recorded many successes during her active days in the industry. She became a global figure in the transport and logistics industry, and was the brain behind the Women in Logistics and Transport— a platform of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, which she founded and has expanded to several countries across the world.

Many women in the maritime industry have stated that they were inspired by her to join the sector, which has always been male-dominated.

At different times, she was Traffic Manager at both the Lagos Port Complex and Tin Can Island Port. She later became the Port Manager of LPC, the premier port, before being appointed as the General Manager, Marine and Operations, at the headquarters of the organisation.

After her retirement, she went into private practice, still within the maritime sector. Her company, Confluence Logistics and Transport Consults Limited, is also doing well.

The dark-skinned maritime expert is a fashion conscious person as she dresses to suit every occasion. Her hair is mostly wrapped in scarves, while her accessories are usually top-notch, though she often keeps her make-up simple.

Margaret Orakwusi is a foremost maritime lawyer and one of the founding partners of a law firm, Consolidated Legal Practice. She has been a member of the Nigerian Bar Association since 1985 and is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Ship Owners Forum. Over the years, she had handled several maritime cases that had to do with personal injury, marine liability, vessel mortgage and documentation, vessel fires, vessel arrests, collision, limitation of liability, vessel repair, warranty issues and others. Her core areas of law practice are commercial law, company law, criminal law, government relations, maritime law and oil and gas.

Having dedicated many years of her love to the maritime industry, some of her achievements include being a member of the Board of Directors, Pegasus Security Limited; member, Board of Trustees, Ship Owners Association

of Nigeria; first vice-president, Nigerian ship Owners Association; member, Nigerian Maritime Law Association; Chairman, Nigeria Maritime Expo 2013 – 2014; first chairperson, Women Corporate Directors Nigeria 2012 – 2016. Between 2008 and 2011, she also served as the first female president of the Nigeria Trawler Owners Association.

She is currently a council member of NTOA and the Indigenous Shipowners Association of Nigeria. Also, she served as the chairman of the Indigenous Shipowners’ Association of Nigeria’s constitution review committee 2013.

Since 2008, she has been the matron of the Fisheries Society of Nigeria, Lagos State. She is the director, Pioneer Board of Directors, University of Ibadan School of Business. This is in addition to being a fellow of the Certified Institute of Shipping, and the International Logistics Association.

Variously described as hardworking and courageous, Orakwusi always desires to make a mark anywhere she finds herself.

Her works have not gone unnoticed as she has bagged several recognitions and awards such as the Maritime Personality of the Year at the Female Achievers Awards (2014); Women in Logistics and Transport Award of Recognition as WILAT-NIG Role Model (2014).

In 2012, she was recognised for her positive contributions to the maritime industry by the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping.

Regarded as a lawyer who knows her onions, Orakwusi always appears simple but elegant. She prefers a simple look, from her make-up to her hairstyle. It is also noteworthy that she has not allowed her age to impede her style.

Eunice Ezeoke is a major stakeholder in the maritime sector where she has worked for several years.

Always looking beautiful, whether she sports a low-cut or braids, she is the President of the Women International Shipping and Trading Association, Nigeria. She is also the Assistant General Manager, Tariff and Billing of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

Always armed with a bright and charming smile, she often wears simple make-up, which complements her outfits.

Felicia Mogo is an environmental scientist who has served in the civil service for over 30 years. The scientist, whose hair is often well styled with a complement of understated, has shown that she is not a slacker when it comes to maintaining her beauty. Her use of light jewellery also blends perfectly with her simple yet tasteful looks.

Mogo holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Technology from the International Institute for Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering in Delft, The Netherlands. An intelligent and avid reader, she also has a PhD in Ecotoxicology from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. She has never hidden her opinion that ‘when efforts are made to sustain the environment, it will help to grow the social and economic resiliency of any society’.

She is currently the Director of the Marine Environment Management department of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency. As an executive with NIMASA, she provides strategic guidance to her subordinates, and works closely with the federal government and some international organisations.

Before joining NIMASA, she worked with the Federal Ministry of Environment for 23 years. While at the ministry, she held the post of Head of Environmental Assessment Department (Oil and Gas), and conducted several routine compliance visits to oil and gas companies to ensure spill reduction and prevention, including evaluating remediation and post-remediation of oil-spill impacted sites in the Niger-Delta region.

Also, she has been a member of several United Nations’ groups on sustainability. She became a member of the United Nations’ advisory body, Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection as a candidate of the International Maritime Organisation in 2014 and served until 2018.

She was the regional representative (West and Central Africa) at the I’nternational MO- Expert Compliance Meeting, London Protocol (1996) on prevention of dumping of waste and other matters in the marine environment.

She serves as the project developer and coordinator of the United Nations’ Environmental Program’s partnership with NIMASA on marine litter management in Nigeria.

She also had a stint as a lecturer when she taught at the Institute of Maritime Studies, University of Lagos. She lectured post-graduate students on the conventions of IMO. She created the African Marine Environment Sustainability Initiative out of her unwavering passion to promote healthier and sustainable management of marine resources in Africa.

Chizoba Anyika is a brilliant professional who has had an illustrious career in the maritime sector. She is an assistant director at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency; and Head, Cabotage Secretariat. She is also the Secretary of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association Nigeria. Before then, she had served as a Senior Public Relations Officer at NIMASA and as a former public relations officer of WISTA.

Before joining NIMASA, she had honed her publicity skills as the Head, Documentation and Information Control Unit of Sullivan and Sullivan Consultants, a Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria’s community relations de-confliction firm. While in that position, she ensured projects within the Cawthorne channels and flow stations went on smoothly. She was also the programme process developer in cases of evacuation or relocation of community members.

Her other achievements include being the editor of WISTA Magazine. She leveraged her position as the editor of the magazine to interact with big names in the maritime sector and other notable individuals in the transport industry.

Anyika, who is a member of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, has proven that there are rewards for hard work. With over two decades in public service, she has made a tangible impact in the industry.

The well-spoken woman is also a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and Nigeria Institute of Shipping. She was a sub-committee member on publicity during the CILT African Forum in 2012.

Anyika’s journey in the maritime sector began at Nigerdock Nigeria PLC where she worked between 1996 and 1999. While there, she developed the procedural manual for communication, entrance and exit from Tin-Can seaport to Snake Island.

She was later deployed to the then Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer’s office to coordinate business dealings with the high profile personalities that visited the office. Since then, she has grown to become one of the big names in the industry.

Subsequently, she worked with the Embassy of Palestine as the administrative secretary in charge of correspondences.

Her educational qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Port Harcourt ; and a Master’s degree from Cardiff University, United Kingdom. She also underwent training at the Maritime Business School of Cardiff University.

Aside from work, Anyika is a fashion-conscious woman. Well travelled and exposed, her love for fashion is not in doubt. She is a lover of beads and it has become a prominent part of her trademark look. Her jewellery, including earrings, are usually not too loud, even as she has a soft spot for packing her hair in a bun. When she does decide to make her hair free flowing, she keeps it simple.