Abdullahi Maiwada: Rising Profile of a Brilliant Customs PRO
*By Abdulsalam Mahmud,*
Youthful, eloquent, charismatic, focused, methodical and superbly intelligent, Chief Superintendent of Customs, CSC, Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, is one officer that is gradually carving a niche for himself.
In what field, I know many readers will be asking? Well, it is not in the realm of sport. It is also not in the world of literature. It is again not in the murky water of politics. Just like it is neither in the spirit of philanthropy.
But it is in the art of spokesmanship. Maiwada the National Public Relations Officer, NPRO, is what anyone can describe as a spokesperson par excellence. He knows his job very well, and carries it out very efficiently.
He is abreast of what his job entails, and he has not relented in discharging it with a brilliant touch of professionalism and utmost diligence.
Appointed less than a year ago, the Customs’ NPRO has reinvented the job of speaking for the revenue-generating cum law-enforcement agency.
He has, with a profound sense of responsibility, always availed the general public of the strides of the Nigeria Customs, particularly on fighting smugglers, and other economic saboteurs.
Maiwada, who sauntered into limelight following his appointment as NPRO in April 2023, personifies true loyalty. As the mouthpiece of the Customs Service, the NPRO indeed projected the leadership philosophy of Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), the immediate-past Comptroller General of Customs, CGC – who appointed him as Customs’ megaphone.
Working under Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the incumbent Customs’ helmsman, Aliyu Maiwada has shown remarkable fidelity to advancing the good causes of his principal.
Adopting a beautifully-planned, portent and clear-cut information dissemination strategy, the Customs PRO, regularly intimates the media how the Bashir Adeniyi-led NCS management is helping to safeguard the Nigerian economy, from criminal elements.
Having exhibited sheer professionalism devoid of even a scintilla of opportunism in the course of doing his job, it did not take long before rewards and honours started drenching him.
Last December, Maiwada, at the 2023 National Spokespersons Award ceremony, was the “star of the show”. The Customs NPRO emerged as the “Spokesperson of the Year”.
He defeated two other accomplished finalists to pick the coveted award. In proving that his inaugural award as one of Nigeria’s best spokespersons was not a fluke, Maiwada recently replicated the feat he recorded last year.
At the 2024 edition of the National Spokespersons Award held in Abuja on the night of Wednesday, March 27, the Customs spokesman defended his award, amid all odds.
For the second year running he was announced as the “Spokesperson of the Year”, by the Image Merchants Promotion Limited, IMPR, organizers of the award event.
Maiwada defeated the spokespersons of MTN, Funso Aina; and that of the Nigerian Communications Commision, NCC, Reuben Mouka – to retain his lofty crown. On hand to present the Customs NPRO his award certificate and trophy was CGC Adeniyi himself, joined by some other A-list guests at the event.
Adeniyi, on record, is the longest-serving spokesperson of the Nigeria Customs. Maiwada is barely a year old on the saddle as the NCS’ mouthpiece. He has however, shown great promises of surpassing his current boss’ feats.
With his intimidating profile, that is also on the rise on a daily basis, the sky, certainly will not be the limit for CSC Aliyu Maiwada – the rave of the moment at the Nigeria Customs.
*Mahmud is the Deputy Editor of PRNigeria, and wrote in via: [email protected]*.
