Continental Reinsurance Plc, one of Africa’s leading reinsurance firms, recently held a dedicated farewell dinner in honor of its erstwhile chairman of the company’s board, Chief Ajibola Ogunshola, and three other retiring directors. 

Encomiums poured in torrents as Ogunshola took a bow out of Continental Reinsurance after years of meritorious service to the reinsurance firm. Captains of industries, Capital Market regulators, Friends, Colleagues, and other dignitaries in attendance took turns to pay their tributes to the outgoing chairman for his contributions to the insurance and reinsurance industry in Africa. 

The Group Managing Director, Continental Reinsurance Plc, Mr. Lawrence Nazare, eulogized Ogushola for his exceptional record of service to the company and for being at the forefront of advancing the course of journalism in Nigeria. 

Nazare said, “Over the last seven years, we have had a distinguished gentleman as the chairman of Continental Reinsurance Plc. He is Chief Ajibola Ogunshola. He has provided distinguished stewardship to Continental Re in the period of unprecedented growth and success for the company.” 

“He is the chief reason for this event. We want to thank and wish him well as he leaves his mark on Continental Reinsurance. We would also like to pay tribute to three of our distinguished retiring non-executive directors, Mr. Ian Alvan Tofield, Ms. Ahlam Bennani, and Mr. Stephen Murphy, luminaries of the insurance industry.” 

While appreciating the honor bestowed on him by the organisers of the event, Ogushola thanked the directors who worked with him, saying, “As chairman, my job was made very easy by the quality of directors that I had to preside over. I enjoyed my position as the chairman.” 

Meanwhile, after two years of virtual events, Continental Reinsurance announced and rewarded the winners of the 7th pan-African (re)insurance journalism awards at an in-person ceremony held in conjunction with the director’s farewell dinner in Lagos.   

The pan-African re(insurance) journalism awards, now in its 7th successful year, recognizes the outstanding work of journalists who reports on developments within the insurance sector across Africa and has given out prizes worth more than USD 60,000 to more than 80 winners and runners-up since its commencement seven years ago. 

Nazare said the awards programme was created to popularize the insurance message and recognize those that tell the insurance story. He stated that the programme has also enabled the reinsurance firm to provide 15 reporters with access to mentorship and industry knowledge. 

This year, Tunde Ajaja, chief correspondent on weekend titles at Punch Nigeria Newspapers, emerged the winner of Africa’s Best Re/Insurance Print Journalist (English category), Felix Klutse of BusinessDay Media, Ghana won the Online (English) category, while Fraterne Ndacyayisenga, from Rwanda, was named the winner of the Dr. Femi Future Talent category, a category introduced to honor the past Group Managing Director, Dr. Femi Oyetunji.  

Other winners at the event were Destiny Onyemihia, of the Voice of Nigeria, who won the broadcast (English) category; Ouedraogo Oumar, from Burkina Faso, who won the French category for Print, Broadcast, or Online; while Atif Mahrous and Maher Hanna, both from Egypt, were joint winners in the Arabic category for Print, Broadcast or Online. 

In his remarks, the chairperson of the eight-member jury, Michael Wilson, applauded the winners, saying, “The top entries were very competitive, covering topical issues, and combining the industry’s role in building trust, responding to risks, and committing to sustained growth, with compelling human interest angles and strong narratives. For the first time, the awards welcomed entries in Arabic, which contributed to a rise in submissions by 37%.” 

The event organisers said about 100 entries were received from 22 countries on the continent and that about 20 journalists from 10 countries were shortlisted for the six categories. Winners were rewarded with cash prizes, certificates, and plaques. 

The Deputy Commissioner, Technical, at the National Insurance Commission, Mr. Sabiu Abubakar, who represented the Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Mr. Sunday Thomas, and the Director-General, Nigerian Insurers Association, Mrs. Yetunde Ilori, were among the dignitaries and stakeholders at the event.