The Nigerian insurance community was bathed with emotions last week during a Service of Songs at the Chapel of Christ the Light in Alausa, Ikeja, recounting valuable contributions of their three departed colleagues who have gone to join their makers.
In several tributes that depicted love, affection and long standing relationship, the industry bid farewell to Oladipo Bailey, former commissioner for Insurance; Olorunfumi Adeyemi, former director general of the Nigerian Insurers Association(NIA) and Uju Ndubuisi Chukwu, former the deputy director general of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN).
They unanimously observed that the legacies they left behind are huge and that their shoes would be difficult to fill.
Paying tribute to Chief Oladipo Bailey, the President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria(CIIN), Eddie Efekoha, said, Bailey was an iconic insurance practitioner and former commissioner for insurance, an astute professional and administrator of purpose.
He stated that that the deceased was a personality who helped to shape the perspectives and lives of many in the insurance profession, adding that late Bailey was an administrator of note and was quite detailed and belonged to the school of administrators who instilled discipline in their subordinates in all ramifications.
According to him, “He was a pillar in the industry and worked tediously to make insurance part and parcel of the consciousness of the government, the people of Nigeria and the West African sub-region. He was a problem solver and a bridge builder between the young and the old. He was a man who gave his all to the insurance industry in general and the CIIN in particular. He will always be remembered for his mien and gentility.”
On late Funmi Adeyemi, he said, the past director general of the Nigeria Insurers Association(NIA) contributed in no small measure to the development of the insurance industry through his legal expertise, following the examples of people like Joseph Irukwu . “He was also the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser of National Insurance Corporation and was part of the pioneering team that took NICON to a great height. He will surely be missed for his contribution to the industry,” he pointed out.
To him, the death of Uju Ndubisi-Chukwu, who, until her death, was the deputy director-General, CIIN, was too sudden and shocking and it took all unaware. To make the matter worse, he said, the cause of her death has been linked to unnatural cause by strangulation.
“We have since written officially to the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa and the organizers of the conference AIO/Institute of Insurance in South Africa to assist in getting to the bottom of this. The Nigerian High Commission has in turn confirmed working with the South African Police authorities to unravel the cause of death. As the Institute work with the family of Ndubisi-Chukwu and others to unravel the cause of death, we enjoin all parties concerned to exercise patience and avoid making statements that will prejudice official investigations,” he stressed.
Paying his tribute to Olorunfumi Adeyemi, the Chairman, Nigerian Insurers Association(NIA), Tope Smart, said, Adeyemi, was one of the finest insurance lawyers in Nigeria, and that, many insurance professionals drew significant inspiration from him through his many books on insurance and law.
To him, “An astute administrator, consummate lawyer and an erudite scholar, his tenure at the NIA recorded many significant milestones. In fact, the Association was reported to have reached the apogee of its influence and relevance as he challenged any legislation that impacted negatively on the business of member companies. He was reported to have galvanized member companies into one strong insurance family by promoting a strong sense of oneness amongst members.”
Shola Tinubu, President, Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers(NCRIB), in his tributes said, while Bailey was a man of many parts, a consummate insurance practitioner, a risk manager and an idea generator of great standing, he added that the passing of Adeyemi has created a void in NCRIB, as the consummate lawyer was from 2004, was the External Auditor of his council, until he gave up the brief early this year due to failing health.
Uju, according to him, drove the CIIN Breakfast Seminar from inception as a platform where distinguished people in various fields were invited to share experience and ideas with professionals. “Uju had secured as speaker for the June 2019 edition, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Chairman, BUA Group, an event she was still working on while in South Africa and for which she was eager to return to conclude arrangements on before her shocking and sudden departure,” Shola eulogized.
Bailey was a London trained insurance professional of many years and a former Commissioner for Insurance. Chief Bailey was on the board of several organisations, among which are: Shepherds Insurance Brokers (Vice Chairman); Bailey Professional Training and Development Centre (Chairman); NICON Insurance Plc (Director) and Total Corporate Services Limited (Chairman).
Adeyemi, was the former Legal Adviser of National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria (NICON) and visiting Professor of Insurance, University of Gambia. The erudite Lawyer, alumnus of University of Lagos, and a pastor of Christ Apostolic Church, Ebute Meta was 77.
He was the past Director General of NIA and was also the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser of National Insurance Corporation. He was part of the pioneering team that took NICON to a great height.
Uju was one of Nigerian delegates to the just-concluded African Insurance Organisation (AIO), but met the cold hand of death, in her hotel room in Johannesburg, South Africa. She was the deputy director general of the institute before she passed away. Ndubisi-Chukwu was a dedicated staff of the Institute and was a valued member of the Institute since she resumed duties at the Institute on the 9th April 2016. She was a member of CIIN, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Marketing, ex-council member of the National Council of Registered Insurance Brokers and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Loan and Risk Management of Nigeria. She was also an active member of the Professional Insurance Ladies Association (PILA).
Modestus Anaesoronye
