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‎The crew of Falcon Watch Online was in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to cover the 40th anniversary celebration of excellence, resilience and impactful contributions to Nigeria’s maritime industry hosted by Starzs Investments Company Ltd. In this report, we bring you the first part of our coverage of the Maritime Symposium which peaked the 7-day event.
‎Izuchukwu Ozoemena reports.
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‎More than anything else, the analogy of the mustard seed aptly captures the story surrounding the establishment and growth of STARZS Investments Company Limited (SICL), Nigeria’s foremost shipping-owning and marine logistics conglomerate, which marked her 40th anniversary in a grand style last week.
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‎In 1986, a Shell-trained young marine engineer, Engr Greg Ogbeifun, in the shipping parlance, chose open waters instead of safe harbours. He began, not with a fleet, but with a single consultancy practice at a time when indigenous participation in offshore marine logistics was almost non-existent and foreign conlomerates controlled nearly every vessel moving through Nigerian waters. That was the safe harbour most professionals would have stayed in. Engr Ogbeifun did not. And for the singular purpose of that drive, vision and commitment, it was said, his establishment blossomed leading to a grand 40th anniversary celebration in 2026.
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‎Addressing the rich assemblage of who-is- who in Nigeria’s marine sector, policy makers and oil and gas moguls at the Maritime Symposium in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, SICL Managing Director/CEO, Ms Iroghama Ogbeifun amplified this scenario of personal doggedness and unwavering vision when she recalled that forty years ago, one man’s vision set sail, and today that vision has become an institution, and “tomorrow, together we chart the course for the next generation of African maritime excellence.”
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‎”Today is more than a celebration of a company reaching a remarkable milestone. Forty years, we will be beings, like they say. It is a celebration of vision, of resilience, of innovation, and the enduring power of purpose.”
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‎”Forty years ago, STARZS began with a bold, very, very bold aspiration to build a world-class indigenous maritime economy that would contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s offshore energy industry. Four decades later, we stand on the shoulders of that vision, grateful for how far we have come and inspired by the possibilities that lie ahead. This occasion is particularly meaningful to me.
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‎She explained that as a managing director and a representative of the second generation of leadership, she does not need to be constantly reminded that true leadership is not merely about inheriting an institution. It is about honoring a legacy while courageously preparing it for the future. With her crew, she said, it has become a privilege to build upon foundations laid through years of sacrifice, integrity, and professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
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‎”Our responsibility is not only to preserve what has been built, but to strengthen it, modernize it, and position it for another 40 years of impact. The maritime industry is evolving rapidly. There’s digital transformation, decarbonization, local content development advancement, AI, energy transition, and of course regional integration.
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‎These are all redefining the future of shipping and offshore logistics. These changes present both challenges and extraordinary opportunities for Nigerian companies. That’s why today is so important.
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‎”Today’s symposium provides an opportunity for meaningful dialogue amongst policymakers, industry leaders, regulators, and the private sector. Together we can explore practical solutions that will strengthen Nigeria’s maritime competitiveness, deepen indigenous participation, and begin to develop the next generation of maritime professionals. We want to see more companies like STARZS emerge where second generation leadership takes charge.”
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‎Ms Iroghama Ogbeifun explained that the day’s event was carefully designed not only as a celebration of the present attainments of SICL but as a platform to discuss what to do to build a globally competitive maritime ecosystem.
‎” How do we strengthen indigenous participation while remaining internationally competitive? How do we accelerate innovation without compromising safety? How do we prepare our workforce for the technologies that will define the future? How do we ensure that the blue economy becomes a catalyst for sustainable national prosperity? These are conversations that matter not just to Starzs but to our industry and also to the future of Nigeria.”
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‎”So, as we celebrate our past, we must also ask ourselves an important question. What legacy are we building for the generations that will come after us? I believe our greatest achievement will not simply be the vessels we own, the contracts we execute, and the milestones that we celebrate.”
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‎It will be the institutions that we strengthen, the people that we develop, the standards that we uphold, and the opportunities we create for future generations of Nigerians.”
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‎She lavishly thanked Starzs’ clients and partners for their trust over the past 40 years. She appreciated regulators and government institutions for creating an enabling environment that functions to support indigenous participation and industry growth.
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‎Not left out were the company’s  employees who, according to her, are at the heart of the organization, cherishing their dedication, professionalism and resilience.
‎She pledged an unwavering commitment to the pursuit and achievement of the founder’s legacy which remains the overriding inspiration.
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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎As part of activities marking its 40th anniversary, Starzs Investments Company Limited (SICL) on Wednesday commissioned a 6,000-litre solar-powered borehole and renovated male and female toilet facilities at Government Secondary School, Ogu, in Ogu-Bolo Local Government  Area , Onne, Rivers State.
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‎Commissioning the projects, the company’s Managing Director, Ms Iroghama Ogbeifun, described the intervention as the first of many collaborative initiatives with the school and urged the school management to ensure proper maintenance and sustainability.
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‎”We dedicate this project, which will be by God’s grace, the first of many, in our collaboration with this community and with this school, in honour of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
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‎She also unveiled the commemorative plaque marking the company’s 40th anniversary.
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‎”I also use the opportunity to unveil the plaque that will memorialize us as a business concern, in celebration of our 40th anniversary.-
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‎“Starzs Investments Company Limited Solar Powered Ogu-Bolo Project, installed by Starzs Investments Company Limited. This water facility was installed to support access to clean and sustainable water for the school, transforming lives one boat at a time.”
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‎Community leaders, including Engr. Boma Dasinokuma, as well as the school’s Principal and Vice Principal, pledged to ensure the facilities are properly maintained.
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‎Addressing journalists, Ogbeifun said the intervention reflects Starzs’ commitment to sustainable corporate social responsibility, while stressing that the provision and maintenance of public school infrastructure remain the responsibility of government.
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‎Speaking on the state of infrastructure at the schools visited, the MD said;
‎”For me, it’s a call for action to the government. It’s as simple as that. And the more we begin to talk about it, the better.
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‎”The government has the core responsibility to ensure that these schools are maintained. Since this school was built in 2018, it has not been maintained or painted by the government. So why did the government build it? You can’t build schools with a plan that private companies will come here and do what you are meant to do.”
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‎She maintained that while companies should continue to support education through corporate social responsibility, government must not abdicate its constitutional responsibilities.
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‎”Yes, we encourage companies to come and do what they can  but the core responsibility remains with government. And government must be called to action to live up to their responsibility and not wait for private companies.
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‎”Whatever a private company does should just be an extra. They should be coming here and saying I want to give them what they don’t already have. What government has not already given to them.
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‎”That’s what I’m saying. Let me come and put playground here and not to give you water to be able to flush your toilet. That’s unacceptable as far as I’m concerned.”
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‎She explained that Starzs carefully chose projects that would have long-term impact on communities.
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‎”Starzs Investments Company Limited is celebrating 40 years of existence. We haven’t only just existed, we have also thrived, by God’s grace!
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‎”And in marking such a significant milestone, we have taken it upon ourselves to visit different communities, particularly the schools, to do some CSR projects. And they have ranged from tree planting, environmental maintenance, to more importantly, infrastructure projects.”
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‎Ogbeifun said the lack of clean water and functional sanitation facilities in schools has significant health and hygiene implications for pupils and teachers alike.
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‎”There are many implications of not having running water in a school like this, especially in this days. We have children from different levels of education. From kindergarten to primary, secondary and they don’t have clean, running water. And obviously, we must talk about the health implications of that. We must talk about the sanitary implications of that. And there are also teachers who live here. So, imagine not having access to running water…
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‎”The toilets have not been used in years because there was no water. And one of the biggest problems that they also have is power. So, even if you drill a borehole, the borehole has to move with a pump and that pump has to be powered.
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‎”So, my team came up with the idea of installing a solar-powered borehole. This will be the second kind of project that we as Starzs have executed. The other one was built in a community very close to where our office operates. So, this will be our second solar-powered borehole project.”
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‎Expressing satisfaction with the quality of the work, she said the project had restored functional sanitation facilities to the school and would positively influence pupils’ health and behaviour.
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‎” I’m very, very satisfied with what my team has done especially given the timeline, the time frame that was given to them to execute.
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‎”It’s a fantastic job. We’ve gone around. We’ve seen the solar project. We’ve seen the borehole. We’ve tested it. We’ve visited the toilets that were renovated and cleaned up.
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‎”All of them are working in two different classroom blocks. We have toilets in two different classroom blocks-for junior secondary and the senior secondary. Upstairs and downstairs. The water is running, the pressure is very good. It’s very satisfactory!
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‎”I’m very happy with what I’ve seen. It will help the children to develop the right mindset. We are showing them that squatting outside in public is not the standard. Even for civilization. What we have done here today is correcting that mindset.
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‎”And showing them that this is the standard sanitary practice. That you can have a toilet. You sit on it. Then when you’re done, you clean it up. You flush it. And the water comes out. Then you can also wash your hands in the sink.
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‎”So, that way, when the teachers are teaching them about washing their hands in school; they’re not looking at you, lost. Like where do I wash my hands? Where is the running water to wash my hands?
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‎”That’s the basic privilege of a child. Or a young child growing up. It should not be seen as a privilege. It’s a basic entitlement, as far as I’m concerned. So, for us as Starzs, we’re so happy that we could support the school management in this endeavor. To give them something that has sustainability attached to it. That is very important to us.
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‎”Because with that borehole that is powered by solar, the school will always have running water. And then, we also connected their staff quarters so they can benefit from the existence of this borehole.
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‎”So I think my in my heart… I feel a sense of fulfillment today. I must be honest. I’ve gone to a lot of other projects. But this one has impacted me the most because I know the implication of having running water, especially as a child.”
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‎By Izuchukwu Ozoemena
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‎As part of elaborate celebrations marking her 40tth anniversary, Starzs Investments Company Ltd (SICL), Wednesday, embarked on a campaign for environmental sanity and sustainability, beginning with planting of trees in some schools within her areas of operation.
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‎SICL also collaborated with  the Rivers State chapter of the Nigerian Environment Society to inaugurate school clubs whose mandate is to work towards protecting the environment through planting trees and promoting overall cleanliness even beyond the immediate environment of different schools.
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‎Schools that received waste plastic bags, trees for planting and other relevant materials from the Company to give teeth to this campaign effort included Government Boys’ Secondary School, Elelenwo and Government Community Boys’ Secondary School, Elelenwo. Others were Community Boys’ Junior Secondary School, Elelenwo,  Community Girls’ Secondary School, Elelenwo, and the Government Secondary School, Onne.
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‎Infrastructural upgrade was the major focus at Government Secondary School, Onne and the Community Secondary School, Ogu in Ogu-Bolo Local Government where SICL inaugurated rehabilitated classrooms fitted with new chairs, tables, whiteboards, etc.  The Company commissioned a giant solar-powered borehole at Ogu- Bolo alongside a befitting male and female school toilets for use by students.
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‎The General Secretary of the Rivers State chapter of the NES Dr Olowu Emmanuel, delivered a talk on the importance of a good environment followed by an exhortation by the Principal, Dr Alfred Wosa.
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‎The event recorded an impressive excitement from the students and teachers who saw it as a new beginning in a committed effort to uplift the environmental and infrastructural standard of the schools involved by the Starzs Investments Company Ltd.
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‎Frank Loveday, a chieftain of the Rivers State chapter of the Nigerian Environmental Society also inaugurated the Students’ Environmental Club of the schools.
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‎He said: “I hereby inaugurate the Environmental Club of these schools, Government Boys’ Secondary School, Elelenwo, Government Community Boys’ Secondary School, Elelenwo, Community Boys’ Secondary School (Junior), Elelenwo, and Community Girls’ Secondary School, Elelenwo”.
‎By way of motivation, cash prizes were given to some students among which were DaGogo Destiny and Christopher Godwin. Others were Umor Samuel and Philip John.
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‎Frank Loveday charged the students to see themselves as leaders of tomorrow who must show exceptional interest in protecting the environment.
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‎”If I say ‘NES’, your response is: Act, Think, Sustainable Environment!'” he tasked them and the response was spontaneous.
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‎He thanked the STARZS Group, an indigenous company fully and sincerely impacting the nation’s waters, for moving upland, to protect even the land, explaining that if the land environment is not protected and sustained, there could be dire consequences.
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‎He described the Nigerian Environmental Society as a non-profit-making organization, comprising pure-minded professionals who, over the years, have taken time to develop themselves on environmental issues.
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‎”As you know, the environment is our mainstay; it is our home. Everything we’re going to be doing, and we have been doing, and we’ll be doing, is actually packaged on this bed as the envelope that is housing us. And it is our core responsibility not only to be a watchdog, but to be participatory professionals by way of contributing our part and our quota in activities and actions that will help, not only to sustain, but also to manage the environment.
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‎”It is on the premise of that, that we are here today to do this programme. And we are doing it in conjunction with the STARZS Investment Company and Marine. This is an indigenous group that has, since 1986 or thereabouts, been on marine activities.
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‎”They have shown distinction, and I must emphasize distinction, in the way their activities have been carried.” Others should emulate the company, he counselled.
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‎Speaking on the need to maintain a safe environment, Mr Adeyi Adeniyi, Starzs Deputy Managing Director, assured that the Company would continue to support and promote environmental protection and sustainability.
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‎Recalling the old image of Port Harcourt as a garden city, he explained that aside protecting man from the harshness of the sun, houses against the winds, trees also provide oxygen while filtering away carbon dioxide.
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‎”There is something we do, as an organization. Basically, we go for trees that are medicinal, or of medicinal value; and of trees that are of economic value.
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‎”However, please note too, that the essence of our strategy is to ensure that while we are providing the economic value, we are also providing oxygen, we are protecting the environment, and we are also beautifying the environment.
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