Unions Emphasise Needs for Careers in Maritime, Books

 Wednesday, Sept 4- Haboursandport.com :

Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and Female Seafarers Association of Nigeria (FESAN) have urged Maritime Writes Project (MWP) initiative to address the decline of seafarers and maritime workers including the dearth of books for the industry.



Both organizations made this submission at the just-concluded 2-day MWP 2024 bootcamp in Lagos themed: "Protecting Heritages in the Blue Economy".

At the MWP bootcamp,
President -General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, in his presentation on 'The Struggle and Strides of The Union in Nigeria’s Blue Economy ,' said that there has been a decline in number of people developing careers in the maritime sector globally, especially in seafaring.

Represented by the Union's Deputy Secretary- General, Comrade Oniha Erazua, he said: "There is a decline in seafarers, dockworkers, among other aspects of maritime.

This is beautiful catch-them-young initiative is bound to stimulate interest in the sector. As someone who has spent several years in the sector, I can confidently say that a career in shipping and other aspects of maritime will be gratifying."

The President of FESAN, Koni Duniya, represented by Marine Engineer, Dise Youdeowey, said that only 2% of the global seafaring workforce are women.

This  emphasized the need for equity and balance in the industry even as she inspired the participants with the profiles of several successful Nigerian female seafarers.


According to the Marine Engineer, the MWP Initiative to have children literature on the blue economy will improve the awareness about the industry in the minds of young people, thereby increasing the number of entrants that will become Marine Engineers, Ship Captains, Nautical Scientists, among others. 

Her words: "When I was growing up, I didn't have any literature associated with the maritime industry.

The only exposure I was privileged to have was some family relations in the Nigerian Navy.

The Navy sparked my interest in maritime but there wasn't much literature to find about the maritime sector."

"I would encourage the participants to write more about seafaring because it entails a lot. There are lots of interesting stories to write about the maritime sector, but I want them to talk about seafarers"

On his part, the Associate Director, Global Operations & Industry Engagement, Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN), Vivek Menon, stresses the need for attitudal change in the Nigerian maritime industry, specifically to curb corruption.

Vivek, who is responsible for engaging the maritime industry towards MACN’s vision and executing MACN’s collective action projects, remarked that there is a need to write stories about the challenges resulting from corrupt practices in the sector in a bid to curb the menace.


"You can't vaccinate people against corruption.
The maritime industry is one that is for the people and by the people. Nonetheless, it is taken for granted which is explained by sea blindness as many people don't understand the maritime sector and how much it contributes to the nation's economy."


"The maritime industry dictates global economy.

In the room where you're seated, you have tables, chairs, clothes etc. You have all these items because they were conveyed to your country via ships," Vivek said.


The Head, Creative Writing Revew & Editing Panel/ Dean, Faculty of Arts, Adeleke University, Ede, Prof. Adegbite Tobalase, trained the participants on writing techniques, good writing skills and capturing their big ideas.

Tobalase also admonished the participants to speedily commence their book projects from the trainings while the experience is fresh before they lose the inspiration in the bid to produce quality literary works.


On her part, the Convener/ Project Coordinator, MWP Bootcamp, Ezinne Azunna, observed that the MWP is set to release 3 volumes of compendiums of short stories written by participants in the first three editions of the bootcamp.


"The 2024 MWP theme is 'Protecting Heritages in the Blue Economy' and it is pertinent at a time when sustainability is core. One of the things we target at the MWP bootcamp is to address the challenge of sea blindness."

Meanwhile,  the Maritime Writes Project is a not-for-profit organisation that holds Creative Writing workshops annually to guide children, youths and women of all ages, within and around littoral communities in Nigeria and Africa, to author fiction that is hinged on the Blue Economy.

The project debuted in 2021 with 21 participants making it to its very first Creative Writing bootcamp after scaling through an entry selection stage.