CONMMEP Appoints Ladipo as Patron, Honours Him With Lifetime Excellence Award

By Stella Okocha

The Congress of Nigerian Maritime Media Practitioners (CONMMEP) has appointed the President-General of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC), Dr. Rafiu Olalere Ladipo, as a Patron of the organisation.

The appointment was announced at a special ceremony in Lagos, where CONMMEP also honoured Ladipo with a Lifetime Excellence Award for his exemplary leadership, integrity, distinguished service and contributions to the development of Nigeria’s maritime sector.

Ladipo, a veteran maritime practitioner, is the pioneer President of the Association of Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the first National President of the Association of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents in Nigeria (AMDLCA).

Presenting the certificate of appointment and award, CONMMEP President, Udo Onyeka, described Ladipo as a national asset whose wealth of institutional experience and extensive network would contribute significantly to the growth and repositioning of the organisation.

Onyeka said the honour was not only a celebration of Ladipo’s legacy but also a call for him to continue contributing to national development.

He expressed confidence that Ladipo’s knowledge, influence and international connections would help CONMMEP expand its reach and build strategic partnerships within and outside Nigeria.

Accepting the appointment and award, Ladipo pledged to deploy his experience, contacts and resources towards advancing the objectives of CONMMEP.

He traced his career in the maritime sector to 1967, when he began working with Transcom in the clearing section of CFAO.

According to him, he established his own company in 1976 and, in 1986, became the pioneer President of ANLCA. He later emerged as the first National President of AMDLCA in 1996.

Ladipo said the maritime industry provided the foundation for his professional career and created the platform that eventually enabled him to build the Nigeria Football Supporters Club into a globally recognised organisation.

He pledged to bring his organisational experience to bear on his new role as CONMMEP Patron, while leveraging his international network to attract support, partnerships and opportunities for the media body.

Recounting his journey with the Nigeria Football Supporters Club, Ladipo said he built the organisation from its humble beginnings at the National Stadium in Lagos through deliberate efforts, including extensive international engagements and visits to several countries.

He said the organisation had grown into an internationally recognised body with chapters across different parts of the world.

According to him, the Supporters Club’s distinctive culture of face painting, drumming, singing and dancing also earned it recognition from FIFA for its contribution to Nigeria’s football culture.

Ladipo described his appointment as Patron of CONMMEP as one of the most cherished honours of his career, despite the numerous local and international awards he has received.

He expressed appreciation to the leadership and members of CONMMEP for recognising his contributions and associating him with the organisation.

The veteran maritime practitioner assured the organisation that he would remain committed to supporting its growth and using his network and experience to promote its interests.

The ceremony brought together members of the maritime media community and other stakeholders to celebrate Ladipo’s contributions to Nigeria’s maritime and sports sectors.