When I arrived at NIMASA in March 2016 and started preaching the gospel of reforms and reputational restoration, the director – level cadre of the agency threw only one challenge at me:equal or surpass the record of a certain Arc. Ferdinald Agu,who had earlier served as DG/ CEO of the predecessor organisation to NIMASA, NMA.
That challenge set the stage for and the tone of my future engagements in the agency. First, who is this man who has become a source of leadership reference in NIMASA? It was evident to all that we have only ever had very few of these agency leaders as role models and sources of inspiration for leadership. Fewer have been superlative and exceptional .Therefore, it became imperative to extract the core elements of Arc Agu’s outstanding and qualitative performance prior to, during, and following his stay at NIMASA. I reached out to him, and what I found challenged me even more. Here was a man of intellect , versatile , confidant yet humble,and desirous to assist . I immediately bonded with him, and he became my unofficial adviser-in-chief. Like that proverbial eagle, Arc Ferdi Agu was exceptionally and irreversibly visionary, and quite aware of his capacity to contribute to the betterment of his society . He was equally skilled at translating his vision in any sector to reality. I found him to be administratively savvy, an extremely well-organized professional who paid close attention to even the smallest details. Despite his imposing height and stature , he exuded confidence and fearlessness while remaining incredibly humble. In addition to having faith in himself, he frequently exhorts others to have faith in their own abilities and the beauty of their aspirations, and he was always ready to offer his intellect and experience to help you succeed.
Arc Agu loved the maritme industry as much as he loved Nigeria . His knowledge of the industry was nearly encyclopaedic . His passion for the country and its growth was second to none that I have seen around . He was of Igbo parentage, but his network of friends came from every nook and cranny of Nigeria, and even he could not explain how he built that network . I intentionally chose not to talk of my own personal encounters with him, as each occasion turned out to a lesson on patriotism and leading when everything seemed to go south . Arc Ferdi Agu was a rare human being , a gift to Nigeria that was highly underutilized,a patriot and most importantly,my elder brother and source of inspiration . Arc Agu was the only Ferdi Agu that could be . Goodbye our pathfinder and intellectual powerhouse.