Nigeria Customs ‘Centre Striker’ Bows Out in Blaze of Glory

…DCG Dera Nnadi mni on the Dais

It was a moment heavy with symbolism at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, when Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) Adewale Adeniyi and the management team figuratively “pulled out” one of their finest, Deputy Comptroller General (DCG) Dera Nnadi mni, from the ‘pitch of service’.

The Service celebrated not only his retirement but also his 60th birthday, a rare double honour that underscored the uniqueness of his journey. For many, the image was clear as crystal. The gentleman officer known as the ‘Customs Centre Striker’, who had carried the ‘ball’ through decades of discipline, loyalty, and intellectual brilliance, was bowing out in a blaze of glory.

The colourful ceremony, held on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, brought together members of the NCS management team, senior officers, family members and well-wishers to honour the retiring officer’s impactful career. The occasion was particularly symbolic as it coincided with DCG Nnadi’s 60th birthday, making the celebration both a farewell and a milestone birthday tribute.

According to the CGC, the retirement ceremony provided an opportunity not only to celebrate a successful career but also to appreciate the sacrifices and dedication of officers who devote their lives to safeguarding the nation’s economic and border security interests. He noted that DCG Nnadi’s career reflects the core ideals of the Nigeria Customs Service, particularly in leadership, revenue generation and trade facilitation.

“Today is a moment of celebration and reflection. It is also an opportunity for us to thank Almighty God for the grace that has sustained our colleague throughout his years of service,” the CGC said.

A Career of Destiny and Discipline

From his earliest days at the defunct Ogun Area Command, Nnadi chose the harder path of dedication and duty. Those who knows him closely, believes that he never looked for shortcuts, and chose to build his career on discipline, hence he endured.

His control postings which reads like a map of Customs’ most strategic commands spans Ogun, Seme, Tin Can Island, and finally Headquarters. At Tin Can, he was entrusted with the Service’s Time Release Study programme, a high-stake clinical assignment that he delivered with precision, while also recording landmark seizures along the way. His intellectual restlessness later took him to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), where he graduated as a Member of the Institute (mni), cementing his reputation as both practitioner and scholar.

The Centre Striker of Customs

The press once dubbed him “Centre Striker,” a metaphor that captured his knack for delivering results when the stakes were highest. CGC Adeniyi echoed that sentiment during the ceremony: “Today is not just about retirement. It is about celebrating a man whose professionalism and discipline strengthened the values of the Service.”

Short of saying “Dera was our Centre Striker, and he never missed his mark”, the CGC also spoke of their personal bond, describing Nnadi as more than a colleague. Recognizing  the out gone DCG Strategic Research and Planning intellectual qualities, CGC Adeniyi expressed confidence that DCG Nnadi still possesses the energy and experience to continue contributing meaningfully to national development through academic and other professional engagements.

Voices of Admiration

Tributes poured in from colleagues, journalists, and industry stakeholders. Members of the Service’s management team also paid glowing tributes to the retired DCG, commending his leadership qualities, integrity and mentorship. Officers who served under him described him as a dependable leader who provided guidance and encouragement to younger personnel while strengthening the Service’s institutional capacity.

Veteran journalist Funso Olojo described him as “a good man” whose generation of Customs public relations officers refined the craft. “What endeared him to me was his intellectual prowess and camaraderie with journalists. He will be missed,” Olojo said.

Another journalist, Anya Njoku recalled his pivotal role in the port reforms under President Obasanjo: “He attended all the meetings, took minutes, and was deeply involved in shaping the reforms. Dera is almost irreplaceable because he is one man that knows so much”, he said.

A Legacy of Mentorship

For younger officers, Nnadi was more than a boss, he was a mentor. His leadership style combined firmness with kindness, guiding many through the complexities of Customs operations. In his own words, he credited his growth to working with multiple generations of leaders.

A Fulfilled Journey

In his own words, Nnadi reflected on the richness of his career: “I had the privilege of working with several generations of leaders: Comptrollers, ACGs, DCGs, and CGCs. That exposure gave me knowledge and experience, and made my years in Customs a fulfilling journey of growth and service.”

The ceremony featured awards, gifts, and commemorative photographs, each a token of respect for a man whose presence in high-stake meetings amplified the Service’s voice and credibility.

Bowing Out in Blaze of Glory

As DCG Dera Nnadi bows out, he leaves behind more than a career, he leaves a legacy; a legacy of resilience, mentorship, and intellectual rigour. He retires not in silence but in a blaze of glory, his name etched in the annals of Customs as the Centre Striker of all time.

For the Service, his departure marks the end of an era. For the nation, it signals the beginning of a new chapter for a statesman whose story will continue to inspire.

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