From Scholarship to Stagnation: Eight Ijaw Cadets Appeal for Support to Complete Maritime Careers
Eight beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s maritime scholarship programme initiated in 2012 have appealed to prominent Ijaw leaders and stakeholders in the Niger Delta to assist them in completing the final stage of their professional maritime training after spending 13 years in educational limbo.
The affected cadets, operating under the Ijaw International Maritime Students Association (IIMSA), NIMASA Cadets, Delta State Chapter, made the appeal in a letter dated June 11, 2026, addressed to notable Ijaw leaders and philanthropists, including “High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), Matthew Tonlagha, High Chief Godfrey Pondi, High Chief Engr. Kestin Pondi, Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, High Chief Michael Johnny, High Chief Adowei Binaebi, and High Chief Favour Izoukumor, Executive Director, Social Services Development, DESOPADEC”.
According to the cadets, they were among Nigerian students sponsored by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to study maritime-related courses in the Philippines under a scholarship programme introduced during the administration of former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR.
They explained that although they successfully completed their academic programmes overseas, funding constraints that emerged following a change in government prevented them from undertaking the mandatory one-year sea-time training and Certificate of Competency (CoC) examinations required for professional licensing as Deck and Engine Officers.
The cadets said the development left them unable to obtain internationally recognized maritime certifications despite years of academic preparation and training.
In their appeal, the group requested sponsorship to participate in the August 2026 Certificate of Competency Programme in the Philippines, describing it as the final requirement needed to complete their professional qualifications.
They argued that securing the certification would not only transform their personal careers but would also contribute to the development of indigenous maritime manpower and strengthen local content participation within Nigeria’s maritime, shipping, and oil and gas sectors.
The eight cadets seeking assistance were identified as “Deck Cadet Seimiegha Yerindideke Emmanuel, Deck Cadet Omoko Ebikonboere Francisca, Deck Cadet Gbodo Ayakeme Tonbra, Deck Cadet Opori Godbless Ebide, Engine Cadet Austin Amadiwerepre, Engine Cadet Jebba Tamaradenyefa, Engine Cadet Ayibatare Ikedinobi Ifeanyi, and Engine Cadet Amgbaduba Emmanuel Ebikpolade”.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Deck Cadet Seimiegha Yerindideke Emmanuel, said the cadets remain committed to completing their training and contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s maritime industry if given the opportunity.
The association noted that support for the programme would unlock professional career opportunities for eight qualified Ijaw youths while preserving the substantial investment already made in their education through the federal scholarship initiative.
The cadets further appealed to the recipients of the letter to intervene in what they described as a critical stage of their professional journey, expressing confidence in the longstanding commitment of Niger Delta leaders to youth development, education, and human capital advancement.
Observers say the situation highlights the challenges faced by some beneficiaries of overseas training programmes whose professional pathways were disrupted by policy changes and funding gaps, leaving them unable to complete mandatory certification requirements years after graduation.
With the August 2026 CoC programme approaching, the cadets are hoping that intervention from public-spirited individuals and stakeholders in the Niger Delta will enable them to finally obtain the licenses required to practice as certified maritime officers and fully realize the objectives of the scholarship programme that began more than a decade ago.
