Birthday is a perfect opportunity to remind people how much you appreciate them, a wonderful time to show them how much they mean to you. For Dr. Dakuku Peterside, a great inspirer of people and organisations, widely esteemed for working hard for the love of societal transformation, it is difficult to figure out how to put all the credits surrounding his life in one birthday tribute.
The only way to effectively capture the man, who has inspired generations since 1970, is to take his life one aspect at a time.
Dakuku continues to bring to society and political discourse a stimulus that is both legendary and exceptional.
Since his last public stewardship in 2020 as Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku has used all the talent and resources at his disposal to lead both the maritime industry and society at large in the direction of change.
The maritime regulatory agency, NIMASA, was fantastically successful under him, making it emerge as one of the most admired Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the country. And, armed with enormous knowledge and experience, he has continued to be of tremendous service to the industry since leaving office.
In January 2021, his book, “Strategic Turnaround: Story of a Government Agency,” was published. It is a detailed account of how he took NIMASA from a pariah state to the envy of the Nigerian public service during his four-year tenure.
His public engagements within and outside Nigeria have enriched lives, businesses, and economies.
He says, “Delivering progress is my passion, engaging people is my strategy, seeking and sharing knowledge is an everyday delight for me.”
The Opobo, Rivers-born change expert had 12 major international speaking engagements within six months this year in different countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, China, and Ghana.
He was the keynote speaker at the 36th Annual General Meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), South-East zone, held November in Enugu.
He spoke on the theme, ‘Revitalising Nigeria’s Economy through Manufacturing-driven Non-oil Export.’
The public sector management expert described manufacturing as the “master key” to economic progress, saying it is needed to reduce exposure to the vagaries of the international oil market as well as create jobs and generate income. But for manufacturing to accomplish those lofty tasks, the country must fix critical infrastructure and stabilise the foreign exchange market, he stated.
The former member of the House of Representatives was chair of the 18th Annual Lecture and National Executive Council Meeting (NEC) of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), held May in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
In a speech to open the event, Dakuku, a medical laboratory scientist by training, emphasised the need for improvement in Nigeria’s medical laboratory system as a vital step in the attempt to combat intractable diseases.
He called on medical laboratory scientists in Nigeria “to find new ways to work together more effectively in pursuit of our determination to solve humanity’s most significant health challenge”.
A former chairman of Association of African Maritime Administration (AAMA), he was one of 50 speakers at the Sustainable Maritime Industry Conference, held September 2023, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The conference, organised by the Transport General Authority (TSA) of Saudi Arabia, under the patronage of the kingdom’s Minister of Transport and Logistic Services, His Excellency, Saleh Aljasser, brought together experts from the maritime sector across the world to share ideas on latest innovations in the industry.
As lead speaker on maritime circular economy, Dakuku shared his thoughts on opportunities in the sector, navigating the key pillars of the maritime circular economy subject, including its benefits, initiatives, challenges, and why it is a guide to the future.
At Beijing Normal University, China, same month last year, Dakuku made a case for robust technology infrastructure and smart applications, saying they are key to enhancement of safety and growth in the maritime world. The event was a one-day international conference on the future of the maritime industry in developing countries.
The public sector turnaround expert was at the Arab Academy for Maritime in Egypt, and another maritime event in London, in September 2023 facilitating measures to properly structure the marine economies of the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, and America for optimal performance, safety, and profitability.
He was in Kenya, Singapore, and South Africa as lead speaker at different maritime conferences.
A co-founder of Growth and Transformation Professionals (GTpro), Africa’s foremost government relations and policy strategy consultancy firm, Dakuku brings to public discourse domestically and internationally a wealth of experience and expertise that holds a huge promise for reshaping society for the progress that everyone craves.
He gave a keynote speech at the Centre for Pan-African and Peace Studies (CePAPS) of the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja, during a special event on May 25, 2023 to mark Africa Day.
Speaking on the theme, “The Future of Africa and Nigeria’s Leadership Role,” he identified parameters of global and continental leadership and tried to locate Nigeria at the centre of power and leadership. It was a major statement of hope for Nigeria, despite its challenges.
Dakuku says his speaking engagements around the world are simply a campaign for change.
These days he is a regular feature in the media, syndicating intellectually muscular articles that speak to power and the people on the need for deep-seated attitudinal change in governance and policy.
“Change in the way we do things, in the way we manage men and resources for the ultimate good of everyone,” he says.
A soft-spoken gentleman, Dakuku, is not one to surrender to the temptation to rest in inauthenticity. He devotes ample time to sifting intellectual resources and voyaging across humanity’s critical development centres on a mission to help in making the world a better place. His passion has motivated many, and returned hope to those who had lost it.
Let’s raise our glasses as we celebrate Dakuku’s birthday today. May this new phase of his life be filled with as much inspiration and hope as he brings to society.
Obia, a journalist, lives in Lagos.
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