Yenagoa—Captain Roselyn Tortor Tete is a trailblazer who has carved a niche for herself as a mariner in what could best be described as a male-dominated field.
Transversing the oceans for 30 years as a professional sailor, Roselyn told Mangrovepen.ng that she became a certified master mariner in 2012.
Roselyn who hails from Sangana Town in Akassa kingdom, Brass local government area of Bayelsa State stated that her desire to become a seafarer was influenced by her father, who was a Nigerian Port Authority tug master.
According to the female sailor, on one of her trips with her dad on his local cargo wooden boat, she saw a sailboat on the river with many children on board.
The sight left a lasting impression on her, and also made her develop an interest in seafaring almost immediately, she revealed.
Roselyn, who is the first female sailor and first female master mariner in Nigeria, stated that in 1986, she joined the Sail Training Association (STA) of Nigeria, as a seamanship trainee.
She later proceeded to the Sport Institute of Rivers State Isaka (former Sea School), where she continued her studies in seamanship, marine navigation, and communication.
“I feel good doing this job because I come from a place surrounded by water and almost everybody that hails from there can swim.
“So even though my job is a male-dominated one, I feel comfortable and see little challenges because it’s something I’m used to.
“However, the most pressing challenge I’ve faced so far in the course of my career over the years is discrimination.
“In the past, I’ve been denied my entitlements and rights just because I’m a female. But things have changed now because I’m the Captain heading the vessel,” she added.
Roselyn, who presently captains a security vessel, called on government at all levels to support girl-child education.
“I captain a security vessel. The MPVS vessel I was working on has returned to Singapore.
“With the outbreak of the pandemic and the attendant effect of job loss and all that, I head a security vessel in the meantime.
She said government has an important role to play in the life of young girls in the Niger Delta region.
“This can be done in the form of training and giving financial support to female children who dream to be sailors like me,” she averred.
She advised young female sailors and cadets to uphold their dreams to get to the top while adding that every dream is achievable.
As a staff of Tidex Nigeria Limited, in 2009, Roselyn was given an award as the first female marine captain in Nigeria by the former First Lady of Bayelsa state, Mrs. Alayingi Sylva.
