By: Kareem Malik.

Former Minister of Interior and maritime veteran, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho, has urged maritime journalists to view their work as a strategic national assignment that can either accelerate reforms in Nigeria’s blue economy or erode investor confidence through inaccurate reporting.

Iheanacho, who spoke through Dr. Emeka Akabogwu (SAN), delivered the keynote at a reception organised by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) on Friday at the Rockview Hotel, Apapa, in honour of the association’s past presidents.

With nearly five decades of experience spanning private enterprise and public service, Iheanacho highlighted four critical roles of the media in maritime development: agenda-setting, accountability, public education, and stakeholder mobilisation.

He stressed that consistent, informed journalism is needed to bring persistent challenges including port congestion, high transaction costs, infrastructure gaps, and policy inconsistencies into national policy consciousness.

“Many genuine industry problems do not move into policy consciousness until the media shines a consistent light on them,” he said, adding that sustained coverage is essential to ensure reforms are followed through to completion.

While commending maritime journalists for their watchdog role in exposing inefficiencies and risks, Iheanacho cautioned against reports based on incomplete facts or insufficient technical knowledge.

“A misleading report may damage confidence, unsettle investors, and distort policy debates. Accountability journalism must therefore be rigorous, fair, and evidence-based,” he stated.

He called for greater public education through data-driven and simplified reporting, with more coverage of inland waterways and coastal economies.

“Nigeria cannot build a strong blue economy with a poorly informed public,” Iheanacho warned.

He further positioned the media as a bridge for stakeholder alignment, urging journalists to track commitments and demand measurable outcomes.
“Your words can attract confidence or discourage it. Your analysis can clarify choices, or deepen confusion,” he told members of MARAN.

The event blended celebration with deep reflection on MARAN’s nearly four-decade history. Pioneer President, Pastor Alban Opara, recalled that the association was founded on April 30, 1988, during the Structural Adjustment Programme era under Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.

He described MARAN as “a child of necessity,” born amid severe port congestion, rice importation scandals, and daily demurrage payments reportedly reaching five million dollars. Early reporters operated without formal accreditation and faced uncooperative officials until an exclusive story on rice importation at Apapa Port drew government attention, prompting an invitation to Port Manager Babatunde Sarumi at Dodan Barracks.

Persistent media exposure of systemic inefficiencies contributed to major policy outcomes, including the National Shipping Policy and the Cabotage regime, Opara said.

MARAN Caretaker Committee Chairman, Tunde Ayodele, who was still writing his secondary school exams when the association was founded, reflected on the passage of time.
“Back then, a group of young men in their early 30s came together with a shared passion. Today, many of them are in their 60s and 70s. We are here not just to celebrate their years, but their legacy,” Ayodele said.

A moment of silence was observed for departed pioneers. Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Organising Committee, Mr. Funsho Olojo, appealed to former leaders who had stepped away to return to the fold, while Ayodele added a heartfelt appeal: “There is truly no place like home.”

In a goodwill message read in his absence due to security challenges in Katsina State, retired Comptroller of Customs Usman Bello Kankara recounted his long-standing relationship with MARAN, which began in 1989 through then-president Asu Beks. He praised the monthly press briefings and credited MARAN’s coverage for helping him earn recognition as the Best PRO of the Nigeria Customs Service in 1999.

“Even after my retirement ten years ago, I continue to maintain strong ties with MARAN members,” Kankara stated.
The Secretary-General of the Abuja MoU, Capt. Sunday Umoren (represented by Engr. Richard Owolabi), commended MARAN’s advocacy for transparency and pledged continued collaboration to promote accurate reporting that supports safe, secure, and environmentally sustainable shipping across West and Central Africa.

Among those honoured was Dr. Bolaji Akinola, repeatedly praised as a bridge between media, policy, and the maritime industry.

The reception was widely regarded as both a nostalgic reunion of pioneers who once chased headlines in challenging conditions and a reaffirmation of MARAN’s enduring influence in shaping maritime discourse and contributing to national development.