The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has hosted the first‑quarter 2026 edition of its Book Reading Series, with former Director‑General of the Nigerian Maritime Safety and Administration (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, as Guest Author. The event centered on his 204‑page 2025 publication, Leading in a Storm: Practical Leadership Strategies in Crisis Situations, and drew a full‑house audience from universities, the media, the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), with several others joining virtually.
In a welcome address delivered by the General Manager, Corporate Communications Division (CCD), Dr Obinna Ezeobi, on behalf of the NCDMB Executive Secretary, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the book reading session was described as a “signature event” of the Board that reflects creativity, one of the institution’s core values. Ezeobi explained that the programme is part of the Board’s broader strategy to stimulate intellectual engagement, deepen sophistication among stakeholders, and strengthen the capacity of Nigerians to function effectively in the oil and gas industry and its linkages sectors, a key mandate of the NCDMB.
The Executive Secretary highlighted the Board’s extensive investments in research and technology through six Centres of Excellence spread across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, each with a distinct focus. These include Niger Delta University, Amassoma (Marine and Petrochemical Technologies); Federal University of Technology, Minna (Engineering Design); and Federal University of Technology, Owerri (Local Raw Materials Substitution). Others are Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola (Safety and Environment Studies); Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto (Renewable Energy); and Federal University of Technology, Akure (Geology and Geophysical Studies). The Board has also set up the Geosciences Research Centre at the University of Lagos, the Marine and Offshore Training Centre at Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, and the recently launched Centre of Excellence in Gas Development at Delta State University, Abraka, in partnership with Seplat Energy Plc.
Ogbe also noted that 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 run the inaugural Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO), which was launched in November 2025 in Abuja and is scheduled to conclude in April 2026. The Olympiad is designed to spur final‑year and postgraduate students to think innovatively and apply engineering principles to real‑world challenges in and beyond the oil and gas sector.
During the book conversation segment, moderated by Mr Victor Binawari, Dr Peterside explained that Leading in a Storm… emerged from his personal experiences as a leader navigating complex crises. He recounted tense periods as Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Downstream Petroleum Sector, where fuel‑supply crises were constant, and his tenure at NIMASA, where piracy in Nigeria’s territorial waters posed persistent security threats. The COVID‑19 pandemic, which caught many global leaders off‑balance, and a critical observation from a professor at the Kellogg School of Management that “Africa is in a near‑permanent state of crises,” further deepened his resolve to explore how leaders can perform better in turbulent environments.
Peterside emphasized that calmness, clarity, adaptability, and resilience are essential qualities in crisis leadership, and that the choices leaders make in such moments define their character. He outlined eight key competencies: contextual intelligence (the ability to read situations accurately and understand underlying forces); calm confidence (emotional steadiness under pressure); sense‑making (finding patterns and meaning in chaos); strategic decision‑making; clear communication; strategic flexibility; the ability to coordinate teamwork; and facilitating learning from past experiences. He also defended his storytelling‑driven style, arguing that stories are relatable, memorable, and effective teaching tools that embed principles stakeholders can apply in practice.
In closing remarks, Mr Teleola Oyeleke, Supervisor, Corporate Communications Division of NCDMB, thanked Dr Peterside for accepting the invitation and sharing his rich insights with the audience. He also expressed appreciation to all participants and urged them to read, reflect on, and internalize the lessons in Leading in a Storm. Echoing the Guest Author, Oyeleke challenged attendees to develop structured personal‑development programmes that would continually sharpen their leadership and professional edge.