Peterside emphasises strong leadership at NCDMB book reading series

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board on Wednesday at its Conference Centre hosted the 2026 first quarter edition of its Book Reading Series.

With Dr. Dakuku Peterside, former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Administration as guest author, the event focused on the 204-page publication of the author, ‘Leading in a Storm: Practical Leadership Strategies in Crisis Situations’, published in 2025.

The capacity audience was drawn from higher institutions, the media, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), and Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), with several others participating virtually.

The Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, represented by the General Manager, Corporate Communications Division (CCD), Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, said the book programme, which he described as “a signature event”, speaks to creativity, which is one of the core values of the Board.

He explained that the event is part of the Board’s strategy in fostering intellectual activity and sophistication among stakeholders, as well as building the abilities of Nigerians to operate productively in the oil and gas industry and linkage sectors, which is one of its core mandates.

The Executive Secretary enumerated several initiatives of the Board geared towards advancement of research and technology; notably six centres of excellence in the nation’s six geopolitical zones, each of which has a unique theme.

These are the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, with Marine and Petrochemical Technologies as theme; the Federal University of Technology, Minna (Engineering Design), and Federal University of Technology, Owerri (Local Raw Materials Substitution).

Others are Modibbo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH), Yola (Safety and Environment Studies); Usman Dan Fodio University (UDUS), Sokoto (Renewable Energy), and Federal University of Technology, Akure (Geology and Geophysical Studies).

Additional research centres established by the Board include Geosciences Research Centre at the University of Lagos and Marine and Offshore Training Centre at Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.

The latest is the Centres of Excellence in Gas Development at Delta State University, Abraka, being developed in partnership with Seplat Energy Plc.

According to Ogbe, the NCDMB is collaborating with Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited (RAEC), First Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Limited, and the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), to organise the first Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO), which was launched on November 20, 2025 in Abuja.

The Olympiad is to encourage final-year and postgraduate students to be innovative in applying engineering principles to real-world operational challenges in and out of oil and gas industry.

In the book conversation segment, moderated by Mr. Victor Binawari, Peterside explained the inspiration behind ‘Leading in a Storm…,’ saying, “My own lived experience informed the contents and thrusts of the work.”

 He added, “Every single day, Nigerians face one crisis or another, and the experiences posit weakness of leadership.”

 He recalled his time at the National Assembly, when he served as Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Downstream Petroleum sector, with the unremitting crises in fuel supply.

As NIMASA Director General, he said he had to contend with recurring incidences of piracy within Nigeria’s territorial waters.

“Then the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw many world leaders fumbling, unable to determine how best to safeguard the health of citizens,” he said, adding that another inspiration was drawn from an uncomplimentary remark by a professor at America’s Kellog School of Management.

He said, “The professor remarked that ‘Africa is in a near-permanent state of crises.’ I began to investigate how leaders can perform better in crisis situations; Calmness, clarity, adaptability, and resilience, are critically important. What kind of choices leaders make when faced with crises would reveal the stuff they are made of.”

He outlined eight competencies of leadership, namely: “Contextual intelligence- the ability to read situations accurately and understand the deeper forces at play; Calm Confidence – which provides emotional stability; Sense-making – which enables a leader to find patterns in chaos and make meaning  from confusion; Strategic Decision-making; Clear Communication; Strategic Flexibility; Coordinating Teamwork, and Facilitating Learning.

“Every great leader should rank high enough in these.”

On his style, which relies heavily on storytelling, he stated that stories are relatable, memorable and engaging, and that “stories teach you principles which you can apply.”

In closing remarks, Mr. Teleola Oyeleke, Supervisor, CCD of NCDMB, thanked Peterside for readily accepting the invitation and for the wealth experience he shared at the event.

He also thanked all participants, while advising them to read and digest the contents of the book.

He also echoed the guest author in challenging attendees to have personal development programmes.