- Transport Minister, PCC, others mourn
One of Nigeria’s highly reverred maritime personalities, the Chairman of Nigerian Ports Consultative Council, Otunba Kunle Folarin has died, sparking mourning across the nation’s maritime sector and entire transport industry.
Indeed Otunba Kunle Folarin’s death creates a vacuum, albeit a huge one, in the repository of knowledge in maritime and port business in the nation and the African continent, at large.
The Minister of Transportation, Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo has joined the Ports Consultative Council and all maritime stakeholders in mourning of Kunle Folarin, who died few days ago after a brief illness.
Reacting to the news of his death, the Minister said “the nation has lost a maritime repository of knowledge, an experienced maritime practitioner, a voice of the ideal, a highly cerebral gentleman and most importantly, a friend”
According to the Minister, there was a lot in the pipeline through the ingenuity of this intellectual doyen that will further enhance the dynamics of operation in the country’s maritime sector, and “in honour of his memory he will ensure they are brought to fruition. Every moment of his life was dedicated to improving the maritime sector, either in passing down knowledge or being a constructive critic to ensure the ideals are upheld in the sector. He served well and lived well.”
“May the Almighty Allah repose his soul and grant the family he left behind the fortitude to bear the loss” the Minister said.
This statement was disseminated via a press statement by Dr. Sam Idiagbonya, Special Assistant to the Transport Minister on Media and Publicity.
Meanwhile, the demise of Otunba Kunle Folarin also rattled Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) as the association concluded plans to have the erstwhile PCC boss as Co-Chairman of the upcoming MARAN @34 grand ceremony.
Speaking with the News Diet on this development, the Secretary of PCC, Mr. Patrick Ezedimbu described the demise of Otunba Kunle Folarin at 82years as “a massive, perhaps irreplaceable loss to the PCC.”