As a mass communication student and radio presenter, I know an orator when I meet one. And I have seen a lot of good and ‘poor’ speakers: some are good in Inter personal Communications, others in Group Communications, and some others in Mass Audience Communications. While some Speakers have a lot to say but don’t know how to effectively say it. Others, know how to say it but they don’t have a lot of what to say. Yet others have both what to say and how to say it.
The first time I listened to Hon Dr Chris Asoluka was at NIMAREX 2014 when Nigeria marked 100 years of almagamation. The theme of NIMAREX 2014 centred around 100 years of Shipping Development in Nigeria.
After his presentation at the event, I went up to him to appreciate his eloquent delivery and also collected his number.
So on August 2nd 2014, I invited Dr Chris and Otunba Kunle Folarin as Guests on my Live Radio Program, (Maritime Platform) then aired on Radio Nigeria 103.5fm, Ikoyi Lagos. Our discussion focused on how Nigerian Shipping Sector has fared 100 Years after Almagamation.
Having those two veterans same time as my Guests was one of my best episodes on Radio. And the outcome of our 30 minutes radio discussion prompted me to organize Maritime Platform National Discourse in August 2015 with the theme, “The Nigerian Maritime Sector In The Next 5 Years: Deciding Where We Want To Be”. The Discourse aimed at setting mid-term agenda for the new Buhari Government
At the event which was used to mark the 1st Anniversary of Maritime Platform Radio Program, Otunba Kunle Folarin was Chairman of the Occasion, while Dr Chris Asoluka Delivered the Lead Presentation on the Central Theme of the Event with about 180 persons in attendance.
Being my first major event in the industry, it had some flaws; for instance, program proceedings weren’t very smooth . But guess what? The moment Dr Chris picked the Mic and started his presentation, everything fell in place. He took control of the audience, held them spell-bound as he spoke with so much eloquence, power and authority, dishing out instances of how other maritime nations has used the instrumentality of policies to change their shipping industries for good and what Nigeria needs to do to be where they wanted to be in the nearest future.
His presentation was so interesting and revealing and the audience listened with rapt attention such that when the Chairman gave him signal to stop, the audience protested with a thunderous ‘ride on sir’. That is Dr Chris Asoluka for you! He has the message, he has the eloquence also! They are very few like him in the maritime industry. So I decided to hold onto him going forward.
At the maiden edition of AMSAY Conference in 2016, he was a speaker and he thrilled the over 400 maritime students who cheered and clapped as his message connected to them like a socket. In 2018 AMSAY Conference, he did the same.
After giving him three years breather, the big masquerade will once again appear to speak on this all important issue of job creation for Nigerian maritime Students/youths.
Dr. Chris Chigoziri Asoluka is a polymath with two Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Law (Universities of Ibadan and London.), multiple Masters degrees in International Economic Relations (University of Lagos), Shipping Economics/Finance and International Trade (CASS Business School) and a Ph.D. degree in Policy Analysis (University of Ibadan).
Elected Honourable Member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives and Deputy Chairman of Committee on Appropriations, National Assembly (NASS) 1992 and leader of the Bipartisan Caucus of NASS;
• He also served as Hon. Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Imo State (Nigeria), Chairman, Committee of Finance Commissioners in Nigeria, 1994 – 1996;
Later on, he was appointed by President Jonathan as Chairman, Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority, Nigeria between 2013 to 2015. Okwuruoha as he is fondly called is a respected management, development, and legislative strategy consultant (FIMC), who has played very important roles in politics and in various sectors of the Nigerian economy, especially in maritime where he contributed in drafting the Cabotage Law and others. He is currently the Managing Consultant, FM&T Consulting.
Join us on May 27, 2022 at Rockview Hotel Apapa-Lagos as Hon Dr Chris Asoluka again speaks on ‘Job Creation For Nigerian Youth Through the Maritime Sector’.
Regards,Sylvanus ObasiConvener, AMSAY Conference