Transition to glory: NPA eulogises late Photographer A.K.A Texas
Lagos, May 12, 2026, Mr Ikechukwu Onyemakara, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), has described the death of the Authority’s former Photographer, Paul Erakhifu, as a huge loss.
Onyemekara said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday.
He said that Erakhifu, fondly called Texas, was employed into NPA on October 17th, 1994, as a quiet young man with a file under his arm and a fire in his chest.
Onyemekara said that Erakhifu was employed in the same month that he was born, started from Grade Level 3, a junior staff and one of many names on the roster.
“Though Paul was a junior staff, he was not interested in just filling a space, he came to leave a mark.
“Colleagues began calling him “Texas.” No one is entirely sure how the nickname stuck. Some say it was his big, open laugh that could fill a room like the wide Texas sky.
“Other colleagues say it was his fearless way of tackling any task, no matter how small. Whatever the reason, “Texas” stuck, and over the next 32 years, the name became synonymous with reliability, craft, and joy at the NPA.
“Erakhifu’s rise wasn’t loud. It was built on four things he lived by every day: diligence, determination, discipline, and desire,” Onyemakara said.
He noted that the late Erakhifu showed up early at work, stayed late when the job demanded.
Onyemekara added that the late colleague learned the system from the scratch, asked questions others were too proud to ask, and treated every assignment like it mattered.
He said the late photographer learned step by step, year by year, till he climbed the ladder to Grade Level 13 as a senior staff.
The NPA spokesman said: “His promotions wasn’t a surprise to anyone who knew him. It was expected. The man had earned every rung.”
He said if one asked anyone who worked with Erakhifu, they would not start with his grade level but tell you about his camera.
“Photography was his craft and he pursued it with an uncommon commitment. In an organisation driven by logistics, cargo, and deadlines, Erakhifu found beauty in the details – the sunrise over the docks, the quiet focus of a dockworker, the organised chaos of the port in motion.
“His photos did not just document the NPA. They told its human story. He had an eye for moments others missed, and a patience to wait for them. That’s how he worked in everything – both behind the lens and at his desk,” Onyemakara noted.
He said that Erakhifu eased tension with a short line, a grin, or his opener, adding that his skill was reminding people to take the work seriously while not taking themselves too seriously.
Onyemekara said the late photographer shared humour with everyone, from senior managers to cleaners, because he believed every person deserved a reason to laugh each day.
The general manager said the late Erakhifu wanted to be remembered for the good he did for people and not for titles or promotions.
He added that ” Texas” believed people could not choose their birth or death, but they could choose how they lived between those dates.
The spokesman explained that his late colleague lived deliberately, paid attention to his craft, and spoke with kindness.
He said that his actions showed that consistent thoughtfulness left a lasting effect on the people around him.
“On Friday, May 1st, 2026, Paul Ikherovba Erakhifu died. The news spread through the NPA and the office went quiet as colleagues absorbed it.
“Looking back, his meaning in “You have…” is clear: You have one life, so use it well, make it matter, and leave others smiling,” Onyemekara said.