Ogunkanmi memorial lecture focuses on positioning insurance for innovation

The 21 Adetunji Ogunkanmi Memorial Lecture will hold tomorrow Tuesday with stakeholders in the insurance industry coming together to discuss innovative disruptors in the business.

The zoom conference with the theme: Insurance Sector-Ready for the Innovative Disruptors (e-currency and fintech) marks the remembrance of late Adetunji Ogunkanmi, founder of Cornerstone Insurance Plc who passed on 21 years ago, precisely 5th November 2000 following a motor accident.

Funmilayo Babington-Ashaye, chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) Adetunji Akanji Ogunkanmi Foundation said this is another intentional opportunity to make out time to remember and celebrate our dear friend, a visionary, a true and down to earth gentleman, who despite having a short sojourn on this earth yet gave so much that the impact still reverberates today, 21 years after.

Babington- Ashaye who is also the MD/CEO, Risk Analyst Insurance Broker Limited said “As a visionary, Tunji’s ideals are still very relevant today, two decades after his untimely exit.

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The Executive and the Planning Committee member of the Adetunji Akanji Ogunkanmi Foundation (AOF) in deciding on the topics of the memorial lectures are always influenced or guided by the ideals of Tunji, hence this year is not an exception, she said.

The lead paper will be presented by Tunde Salako, CEO, Africa Insurtech Rising, while the chairman of the day will be Hakeem Oguniran, chairman Lagos Building Investment Company.

Sunday Thomas, commissioner for Insurance will be special guest of honour, while the panellist will be Tope Smart, MD, NEM Insurance Plc; Ganiyu Musa, MD/CEO, Cornerstone Insurance Plc; and Joyce Ojemudia, MD/CEO African Alliance Insurance Plc.

Babington-Ashaye said the Foundation has remained consistent with this year’s edition being as if Tunji saw the future, in any case, that is the hallmark of a visionary leader having started Cornerstone Insurance Plc with the clear intention of disrupting the status quo, to change the way insurance business was being practiced at the time, and so championed the needed change.

“Just two decades after, the industry is faced with another set of disruptors, stating that if Tunji were alive, without any shadow of doubt, he would not only embrace this disruptions, but also champion it. So, he must be looking down at us from above and wearing his ever present smile and perhaps nudging us to see the enormous potential that abound.

“I can imagine him saying ‘Guys let us embrace it, let us join them to make the industry better’ because in actual fact, his ultimate and consistent desire is for the progress and development of the industry, Babington –Ashaye said.