The Global Peace Ambassador of the United Nations and President, Governing Council of International Organization of Advocates for Global Peace and Development, His Excellency Ambassador Chief Per Stafsen, a member, Maritime Academy of Nigeria Governing Council, Mr. Reuben Agwu, the Chief Personal Security to the President of Nigeria, represented by Mr. Abraham Amali, Representative of the Clan Head of Ikot Ansa, Calabar, Esinjo Francis Edet, Registrar of MAN, Oron Barr. Okon Ntekim and others were those who joined avalanche of stakeholders and progressive thinkers in extolling the sterling leadership qualities, humility, integrity, unrivalled dynamism, generosity, doggedness, fertile sense of administration and super sensational passion for quality service delivery of Ambassador Joshua Okpo, the Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron.
The commendations were made in Calabar, Cross River State on January 3, 2015 during the official flags hoisting in honour of Ambassador Joshua Okpo who had since been conferred with Global Ambassador Peace Award by the International Organization of Advocates for Global Peace and Development.
The Chairman on the occasion and President Governing Council, Denmark, Ambassador Chief Per Stafsen, represented by Ambassador (Dr.) Prosperity Udoji West African Regional Director, Senegal (Global Peace) described Joshua Okpo as a bridge builder and a seasoned administrator with a clean record of dedicated public service.
Ambassador Prosperity recalled that centuries ago, there were men like Martin Luther King Jnr., Thomas Edison and others who positioned themselves in fame as a result of their human-disposition and positive actions for the benefit of humanity. He added that these men consistently served their generation as promising beacons of hope and life to the hopeless and the down-trodden, with a message that mankind is redeemable despite their level of poverty, perils of thorny existence. Ambassador Prosperity observed that Ambassador Joshua Okpo, the Rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron has presented himself to the world as a man of peace, integrity, and goodwill whose mission is that of leaving the society better than he met it.
On his part, the country representative, International Organization of Advocates for Global Peace and Development, Ambassador (Engr) Solomon Obrikogho described Joshua Okpo as a peace builder and erudite administrator whose peace initiatives in the host communities of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron and beyond has been noticed globally. He advised Nigerians not to see Ambassador Peace award as a chieftaincy title, but a special honour to people who have distinguished themselves in various fields of human endeavours.
The country representative further hinted that the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in a moment of comfort and convenience, but where his stands in times of challenge and controversy, adding that the Rector has brought his administrative savvy to bear in calming frayed nerves in the host communities of the academy, among other impressive strides his administration has recorded in MAN, Oron.
He declared Ambassador Joshua Okpo’s private residence in Calabar as Peace Embassy and congratulated him on his emergence as an International Diplomat.
Also speaking, the Chief Personal Security to the president described Ambassador Joshua Okpo as a result-oriented administrator who is very patriotic and resolute in driving President Jonathan’s transformation agenda in MAN, Oron. He disclosed that the Rector represents Excellence, peace, and an embodiment of hardwork. He lauded the rector’s sustained drive in making Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron the first and the best in the comity of maritime institutions in Africa, in terms of infrastructure, academic excellence and manpower development.
Mr. Reuben Agwu, member of the Academy Governing Council spoke glowingly of Joshua Okpo’s leadership style and his robust working relationship between the Governing Council, Management and Staff of the academy.
Agwu described Okpo as a transparent administrator whose likes are few in the country and congratulated the Rector on the conferment of the Global Peace Ambassador Award on him. The Clan Head of Ikot Ansa, Calabar, described Ambassador Joshua Okpo as a team player, a social crusader and a community leader. He commended the Nigeria/UN Officials of the Global Peace Advocates for acknowledging the contributions of their son, Ambassador Joshua Okpo to the promotion of global peace.
The Registrar of the Academy, Barr. Okon Ntekim described Joshua Okpo as the messiah the academy was yearning for. Ntekim noted with delight that Ambassador Joshua Okpo’s administration in MAN, Oron has calmed frayed nerves in the academy community; put smiles on the faces of staff of the academy transformed the landscape of the institution to the admiration of all stakeholders who visited the academy in recent times and has been staff and cadets-friendly. He described the Rector as a peace builder.
Engr. Mike Enun Okpo, who spoke on behalf of the Rector’s family described Ambassador Joshua Okpo as an apostle of peace, a philanthropist, advocate of justice, a generous donor and a good ambassador of the great Enun Okpo’s family, Biakpan community in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The International President of Essu Nlap Oro, Ulap Chief Asuquo Enweme in his goodwill message presented by Ulap Joseph Okon, Secretary General of Essu Nlap Oro, used the occasion to thank the Rector onbehalf of Oro Youths for initiating peace in the once warring communities of Idua and Udung Okung in Oron Local Government Area, and for providing succour to Oro youths through academy corporate social responsibility to the host communities. Essu Nlap Oro boss used the event to call on the Governing Council and the Federal Ministry of Transport to facilitate the extension of the tenure of the Rector to four years to enable him complete his lofty plans for the academy and succeed in giving cadets of the academy sea time training.
Responding, amidst tears of joy, Ambassador Joshua Okpo, the Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron eulogized his late mother whom he said nurtured, trained and groomed him to become a peace maker.
Ambassador Okpo described the event as the manifestation of what a Pastor prophesied to him while working in the Federal Ministry of Defence that he would be celebrated globally.
He also described his posting from the Federal Ministry of Transport to Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron with a mandate to calm grayed nerves; clean up the academy and put it on the path of growth, as a rare mystery.
Ambassador Okpo expressed gratitude to God for using him as an instrument to initiate peace in the academy host communities and beyond. Okpo pledged to live a life of sacrifice, peace, fear of God and do justice to all manner of persons irrespective of tribal, ethnic and religious sentiments.
Ambassador Joshua Okpo urged Nigerians to pray for an end to the activities of the Islamic Boko Haram Sects which have posed serious security threat to the nation. He particularly thanked the officials of international organization of Advocates for Global Peace and Development for the honour done him and promised to remain focused and undeterred in sustaining his NO MORE BLOOD CAMPAIGN in the host communities of MAN, Oron and beyond.
Also present at the event were Ambassador Otu Abasi, Director of Programmes, Global Peace, Management and staff of MAN, Oron some youth leaders of Oro Nation, family members of the Rector, friends of the academy, among others.
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