Two former Senate Presidents, Ken Nnamani and Anyim Pius Anyim, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, and several dignitaries lined up to pay tribute to the former Director General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Sir Ferdinand Agu.

Agu, who served as the Director General of the defunct National Maritime Authority (NMA), now NIMASA, between 2000 and 2005, passed away on June 7 of this year at the age of 64.

Anyim, who chaired the “Night of Tributes” held on Wednesday night at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja in honour of Agu, expressed gratitude to the array of dignitaries from across the country that graced the occasion.

Reminiscing on his cordial relationship with Agu as both the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Senate President over the years, he described him as a brilliant, ebullient, and yet honest and straight person.

“He was loyal and committed to every relationship he found himself in, and yet, he was a man of his own convictions. That was the Ferdinand I knew for over 20 years,” he said.

Nnamani, who spoke in the same vein, described Agu as an encyclopaedia who distinguished himself among his contemporaries.

He called on Agu’s family to take solace in the fact that he lived an unblemished life worth emulating by the upcoming generation of Nigerians.

“Because if your contemporaries are honest enough to say the truth about you, and if you are a liar, it is your contemporaries that will expose you quickly because they know you more than others. Personality is something that is naturally endowed. He was endowed. It is difficult to talk about him in the past, but the truth is that he is gone,” he added.

Kalu said Agu was not just a reputable public servant but a beacon of hope and a pillar of strength for many during his sojourn on Earth.

He noted that as the DG of NIMASA and as a Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan, he served Nigeria with integrity, distinction, and honour.

“Ferdinand was a gentleman of profound kindness and humility. His life was a testament to the power of compassion and the impact one individual can have on countless lives. He reached out to those in need, offering not just material support, but a listening ear, a kind word, and a spirit of encouragement. His philanthropy was not about grand gestures but about the quiet, consistent acts of generosity that changed lives and built communities,” Kalu said.

The President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Simon Ochindo, also paid tribute, saying Agu’s legacy of love and humanity is worth emulating by all.

Former Women Affairs Minister Mrs. Paullen Tallen, who worked closely with Agu as members of the transition committee that ushered former President Olusegun Obasanjo into power in 1999, described him as reliable, dependable, committed, and a good man.

She said, “It is so painful for me to stand here and talk about Ferdinand in the past. Apart from his intellectual capacity, he was simply phenomenal. Nigeria has lost one of its best. He lived an impactful life.”

Also speaking, the Director General of NIMASA, Dayo Mobereola, recalled that when Agu resumed as Director General of the agency in 2000, he brought in a breath of fresh air.

He said the organisation was then at a crossroads because the reason for the existence of the agency was threatened.

“He was appointed as an undertaker; however, Arc. Ferdinand Agu, with his true passion, his personal conviction, and professionalism, turned around and transformed NIMASA. He was a paradox, an enigma. There was no financial scandal during his time.”

The Director of the Department of State Security (DSS), Peter Afunnaya, who described Agu as a tiger without harmful claws, recalled that he was not just humble but an academic giant in all ramifications.

Among the dignitaries at the occasion were former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka; former Minister of Information, Frank Nweke Jr.; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri; and members of the Literary Club and his University of Nigeria Nsukka Alumni based in Abuja.