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Work towards greater acceptance
Work towards greater acceptance,
envoy tells insurers
KELVIN EGERUE, Insurance Editor
ECONOMIC
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Special Representative, Ambassador
Ralph Uwechue yesterday tasked insurance practitioners in Nigeria to push
further the industry’s level of acceptance to the greater part of the citizenry.
He spoke in Lagos at the public
presentation of a book: "Foundation of Insurance: Law, Agency and
Salesmanship, written by the Director-General (DG) of the Nigerian Insurers
Association (NIA), Mr. Ezekiel Oyibo Chiejina. Uwechue chaired the function.
At the event, graced by a glittering array
of insurance gurus, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of Champion Newspapers
Limited (CNL), Mr. Emma Agu restated the organisation’s resolve to assist in
ensuring the realisation of the full potentials of the insurance industry as a
committed stakeholder having pioneered insurance journalism in the country.
Ambassador Uwechue, in his remarks on the
occasion, applauded the stabilising role of insurance in any economy, pointing
out that the market in Nigeria has done well to remain above board.
"Insurance is no gambling. It is a
business where you render service for a little consideration tagged premium. The
insurance man is that person with a large heart who is assured to carry another
person’s risks. The problem is on getting to get members of the public to
understand and appreciate insurance, "Amb. Uwechue, who was represented by Chief
George Uwechue said.
On his part the CNL boss, said there would
be no half measures on the part of Champion Newspapers in rendering back-up
services to the insurance industry and its practitioners.
He said the company had long taken the
position of pairing efforts with insurance industry operators in the quest to
ensuring that the economy enjoy the full benefits of insurance as a dependable
risk management mechanism.
Champion Newspapers, it would be recalled
had way back in 1989, barely a year after the organisation was created,
pioneered insurance journalism in Nigeria as an integral part of financial
reporting.
The organisation took further initiative
in 1997 when it institutionalised an annual intellectual discourse of insurance
matters with the yearly Champion Insurance
Day/Luncheon.
Mr. Agu assured of the continued provision
of the plateful required for enhanced awareness of insurance and its attendant
benefits.
The book presentation which held at the
Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Victoria Island was attended
by the mainstream insurance managers and administrators led by the Commissioner
for Insurance, Chief Dipo Bailey.
Among them were the NIA chairman, Mr. Oyeh
Hassan-Odukale, president of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN),
Alhaji Bala Zakariya’u, who reviewed the book, Messrs. Godwin Alegieuno of Lion
of Africa Insurance, Dolapo Balogun, Dan Okehi, Paschal Egerue, Felix Amadi,
Yinka Lijadu, Ope Oredugba, Olusola Ladipo-Ajayi and Mrs. Ifeanyi Jaiyesimi of
Security Assurance Plc.
Other company executives in attendance
included Dr. Femi Oyetunji of Crusader Insurance, Chief Funmi Adeyemi, Mr.
Ochuko Akposibriake, Chief Theo Eke, Mr. Tope Smart and Mrs. D. J. Ifaturoti.
The presentation was presided over by Ambassador Uwechue.
Speakers at the event eulogised Mr.
Chiejina for his efforts at adding to the body of insurance knowledge.
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