Rear Admiral Ibrahim Shehu has officially assumed office as the Admiral Superintendent of the Naval Dockyard Limited (NDL), taking over from Rear Admiral Abolaji Orederu, who completed his 21-month tenure.
At the handover ceremony, Orederu expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve, acknowledging the support of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla.
“I thank God for His grace, for good health, strength, and for helping us to have a very successful tour of duty for the past 21 months at the Naval Dockyard,” Orederu said. “Deep gratitude goes to the CNS for his support throughout my tenure. He was there to encourage and motivate us.”
Orederu highlighted several key achievements during his tenure, including the simultaneous construction of Seaward Defence Boats Four and Five, a first in the dockyard’s history. “We have taken these ships to the stage of hull formation, and my successor will take it from there and complete the project,” he stated.
He also noted the revival of the galvanising and electroplating workshops, dormant for over 20 years, and the establishment of the Naval Dockyard Gallery, a museum showcasing artefacts, past projects, and historical records of the dockyard.
“For the first time, we have been able to create a kind of museum where we house artefacts, past projects, ongoing projects, and records of those who have served here meritoriously,” Orederu explained.
Additionally, he initiated the Vice Admiral Ogalla Multipurpose Complex, which will include a senior rates’ mess, a restaurant, a supermarket, a salon, and apartments.
On ship repair operations, Orederu highlighted the successful docking of multiple vessels, including a 130-metre ship, positioning the dockyard as a leading facility in Africa. He also noted the dockyard’s first international contract, refurbishing six ships for the Benin Republic Navy, with one already delivered and two undergoing refurbishment.
Advising his successor, Orederu emphasized the importance of leadership and personnel welfare. “You have the man, and you have the machine, but when you look after the man behind the machine, the machine will always work,” he said.
In his acceptance speech, Rear Admiral Shehu expressed appreciation to the CNS for his appointment and pledged to build on the foundation laid by his predecessor.
“I thank the CNS for the confidence in appointing me as the new Admiral Superintendent. I also appreciate my immediate predecessor for the wonderful foundation he has laid, and I assure you that I will build further on his legacy,” Shehu stated.
Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Shehu reaffirmed his commitment to advancing the dockyard’s role in shipbuilding, maintenance, and repair in Nigeria and beyond.
“If there are no challenges, there won’t be leadership. The essence of leadership is to find ways to surmount challenges, and I assure you that we will bring everything to bear to drive the dockyard towards the vision of the CNS,” he said.