IT is usually commendable the consistency of focus and proper heartedness with which the present control of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN, underneath the captainship of the Rector, Commodore Duja Emmanuel Effedua, continues gratifying its promises across statutory and ancillary duties of the Academy. This has attracted corresponding commentaries and wide appreciation from stakeholders and maritime observers, domestic and overseas.
Cross-phase of contributors at a Townhall Meeting organized with the aid of the Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking as a part of sports to mark the World Anti-human Trafficking Day, held in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area, Edo State. Monday, July 22, 2019, witnessed but every other euphoric ecosystem of testimonies and gratitude from beneficiaries of such pragmatic strides when the most useful maritime organization subsidized and organized a seminar for teenage ladies in secondary faculties in the host groups of the Academy and past, as part of its multifaceted commitments to corporate social obligation.
The one-day seminar, which became largely interactive, with about 500 students and instructors from seven non-public and government secondary colleges in Akwa Ibom State, had a timely and thrilling theme: “Empowering the Girl-Child for the twenty-first Century Nigeria.” Expectedly, this leitmotif changed into expertly harnessed by way of renowned useful resource men and women sourced from the ladies international who have eminently distinguished themselves in their respective fields of endeavor and are surprisingly obsessed with the many girls- baby.
Commodore Duja Effedua, who turned into the present for the duration of the period of the seminar with all his management personnel, had throughout his welcome address and preliminary insights into the purpose and necessity of the seminar hinted that the exercise has become essential to expose the woman-infant to certain contemporary and general issues which have adversely affected the character, goals, increase, and development of young girls in our society.
The Rector condemned in totality the retrogressive traditions and tendencies amongst mother and father and people who had been imagined to be position fashions who’ve advertently or ignorantly omitted, marginalized and segregated in opposition to the female- child in choice for male youngsters, just to gratify a few societal customs, one of which become the belief that the lifestyles of the female-infant must end within the kitchen and different menial preoccupations.
Describing such mindset as illogical, unforgivable, chauvinistic, and barbaric in modern-day society, Commodore Effedua emphasized that the seminar becomes additionally geared toward defensive young girls from falling victims to the dangers associated with sure customs, terrible decision-making, terrible affiliation, and other untoward attitudes which can eclipse their dreams and future.
“That turned into why the Academy determined to have interaction professionals to talk approximately the female-infant these days. Given the case formerly even within the Academy communities, we no longer want any irresponsible person to hijack or mortgage the future of those younger minds. No, that cannot occur underneath my watch. They are our youngsters and the future of these united states. It behooves us to create a conducive environment and opportunities to understand their ordinary desires without the slightest biases. The lady-baby ought to never be seen as inferior”. He, therefore, implored the students to pay keen interest to the lectures that have been prepared to assist them to excel in existence.
Indeed, there was no doubt that the scope and content material of the seminar changed discreetly designed to meet the grand motive. Delivering a one-hour paper on the topic – “Taking Charge of Your Life: How to Make Decisions in Your Own Best Interest,” a tremendously respected journalist, maritime commentator, and editor of The Nigerian Maritime News, Mrs. Ezinne Chinwe Azunna, commended the Academy for investing highly on what she described as “female-toddler network carrier initiative.”
Her paper challenged the women to know that regardless of where they were born or the situations they currently can discover themselves, they had no excuses to be somebody in existence. The paper stressed that excellence became no specific blessing for any gender but a not unusual gift imbued in all people by Nature. Reference changed into made to Goal Number Five of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, which, in element, is “to foster gender equality and women empowerment – to recognize their rights and have faith to assert them.”
