Bailey Challenges Insurance Professionals to Write Books
By Nnamdi Duru
The Commissioner for Insurance, Dr. Oladipo Bailey, has placed a hurdle before the first and second generation insurance practitioners in the country, challenging them to write books on insurance.
He observed that these professionals including the President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Alhaji Bala Zakariya'u were trained on the job by their respective employers and as such are expected to bequeath to future generation of insurance practitioners the knowledge they acquired they acquired on such foreign training programmes.
He presented them with this challenge at the launching of the book, "The Foundations of Insurance: Law, Agency and Salesmanship" written by the Director-General of the Nigerian Insurers' Association (NIA), Mr. Ezekiel Chiejina in Lagos recently.
The Commissioner, who described the book launch as "one of the best moments" he had in the industry observed that what is needed in the industry today is "not just books but good books".
Bailey recalled how he was sponsored on a training programme abroad for months by his employer then, Nicon Insurance Corporation as well as some of his colleagues that were also sent on similar training programmes for upward of one year. He regretted that the new breed of insurance practitioners owing to the harsh economic realities would not enjoy the opportunity to go on such trainings.
Bailey then challenged the first and second generation insurance professionals, particularly the CIIN President to bequeath a little of the knowledge they acquired on such overseas training to future generation in the form of books. He advised these group of professionals to write books on pension and other critical subjects in insurance.
"There are very few books in the insurance industry. There must bee books on Pension, there must be books on other issues too. They must drop a bit of the knowledge they got. I am expecting you, Bala Zakariya'u to be the next person whose book we are going to luanch", Bailey said.
He also commended Chiejina for following the footsteps of his former boss, Reverend Funmi Adeyemi who has written several books in insurance.
Meanwhile, Chief George Uwechue who represented the Chairman of the book launch, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue trilled the audience when he traced the origin of the legal profession to the days in London when those who felt that they had oratory prowess took it upon themselves to argue the cases of others at no cost.
This he said went on till a time that these orators decided to distinguish themselves by wearing a special gown while practicing their hobby but sewd the pocket to the back of the gown. This he explained indicates that even as they charge their clients no fee, if the client decided to show appreciation by dropping a coin in their back pocket, they pretended not to be aware of it.
Uwechue defined insurance as "a business where one renders services for little consideration. The insurer he observed "is the man with the large heart".
The book launch attracted the creme-de-la-creme in the insurance industry including the former Managing Director of Nicon Corporation, Uncle Yinka Lijadu and the leadership of all trade groups in the industry.
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