Spotlight: Capt. Kunle Olaiwola: Master Mariner and Fellow, Nautical Institute UK
Captain Kunle Olaiwola is a seasoned master mariner. He was recently awarded fellowship of the Nautical Institute, United Kingdom, at the institute’s December 2021 Annual General Meeting, in London.
Captain Olaiwola is the first master mariner in Nigeria and one of the few on the African Continent to get to the highest level of membership at the Nautical Institute UK; indeed a great achievement in the maritime world.
The Nautical Institute has represented the best of what the shipping industry has to offer in terms of dedication to professionalism globally. The institute is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with consultative status at the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Capt. Olaiwola served in the Nigerian Navy from January 1983 to April 1994. He attended the following navy schools;
- Basic and Seamanship Training College
- Navigation and Direction School
He specialized as Radar plotter/Electronic warfare. While he was in the Nigerian Navy, he also sailed on various warships, stone frigate (ashore base) and he engaged in flag showing tours/peace keeping missions. He was decorated with military medals to his honour for serving his country Nigeria, sincerely.
Captain Kunle Olaiwola also attended the following schools; Maritime Academy Of Nigeria, Oron Akwa Ibom, where he obtained National Diploma in Nautical Science; Singapore Polytechnic And Singapore Maritime Academy, where he was trained in Advanced Maritime Study, Nautical Science, Navigation Control, Electronic Navigation System, Maritime Business And Law, Ship Handling, Meteorology for Ocean/Sea, Global Maritime Distress And Safety System (GMDSS), Maritime Administration, Basic Survival At Sea, International Safety Management, International Ship And Port Security, Automatic Radar Plotting (ARPA) and Command Navigation.
He obtained his licenses; Class 3 (Deck officer) Certificate of Competency at Maritime Port Authority Singapore, and Class 2(Deck Officer) Certificate of Competency and Class 1 Master Mariner respectively, at the Maritime Port Authority, Singapore.
Captain Kunle Olaiwola sailed on board various international ships such as general cargo ship, crude/product oil tankers, anchor handling tug boat Dp2, FPS0 and container ship.
He rose through the ranks to take a command as a ship captain onboard ocean- going and coastal ships, during his sailing days.
Captain Olaiwola worked in various organisations in the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, Nigeria, Angola and UK. He experienced sailing across Asia, Africa, Micronesia, South America, Baltic, Bay Bengal and Europe ocean/seas and ports.
He attended Lloyds Maritime Academy London, where he obtained Certificate in Marine Pollution Management, Port/ Flag State Surveyor Certificates and Nautical Examiner Certificate.
He obtained PGO in international Maritime Law and LLM in international Maritime Law at different occasions at the World Maritime University, Malmo Sweden.
He is currently a nautical surveyor at the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.
Captain Kunle Olaiwola is an alumnus of the Kofi Anna Peace Keeping Institute, Accra Ghana.
He hails from Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti State. He is married and blessed with children. He loves reading and research, likes playing football, table tennis and socializing.
Congratulations, great master mariner and conqueror of the sea waves and storms.
