PROTOCOL:

His Excellency, Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, Executive Governor, Akwa-Ibom State,

Honorable Commissioner for Finance, Mr 

The Commissioner for Insurance, Alhaji Kari Mohammed,

The M. D CEO AIICO, Mr. Edwin Ighiti,

The Management team of AIICO Insurance, 

Our Guest Speakers,   

Members, Governing Board of our Council,

All CEOs Present,

Gentlemen of the Press,

Distinguish ladies and gentlemen,

I am most delighted to welcome you to the 2018 edition of Chief Executive Officers’ Retreat of our Council. The CEOs’ Retreat has attained the reputation of  exciting and building expectations of all participants which cut across all our duly registered Members across the Country. The Retreat has become a platform for all Brokers, especially, the Chief Executives of Member Companies to be adequately equipped with information necessary for the development of their practice in a very conducive environment and by so doing, advancing the insurance broking profession in Nigeria. Assuredly, this year’s retreat will be an informative, productive and enjoyable event.

First, I would like to register my sincere appreciation, to God Almighty, who granted us all journey mercies to the city of Uyo. Personally, since my arrival at Uyo yesterday, I have continued to savor the allure of the beautiful environment that the successive governments of the state have brought to bear on the state. Uyo City has distinguished itself with significant and monumental infrastructural growth over the last nine years. I am convinced beyond any doubt that there are significant business opportunities for us to tap into as we congregate here for these three days. And to every one of you that deemed it fit to be present here today in spite of numerous financial and business challenges, I would like to appreciate you. That you travelled long distances from your base to attend this Retreat underscores how important our Council is. I must confess that your attendance at this retreat portrays an indication that we have your support to grow Insurance Broking profession in Nigeria as we continue to grow and adapt to changing dynamics of our practice. We are convinced beyond any doubt that Insurance Broking profession shall soon take its rightful position in its contribution to the growth of our Nation’s economy.

One of the cardinal mandates of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers is to offer opportunity of continuous training and retraining to its members across all strata, towards making them more adaptive to the changing dynamics in their operations. It is in this vein that it has become a tradition to organize yearly Retreats for the top echelon of the Council under the yearly CEOs’ Retreat, rotated in cities across the Country. The choice of the metropolitan city of Uyo as venue is deliberate; not for any sentiment, but for its serenity and its historical significance in Nigeria. I am sure that the memory of this year’s retreat will remain indelible in the minds of everyone that have chosen to attend. I would like to also inform you that the choice of speakers and the theme of the event centers on adding values to our noble profession, especially, as we look forward to developing the profession.

I have the honour of welcoming into our midst, His Excellency, Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, the Executive Governor of Akwa-Ibom State. I use this opportunity to appreciate Your Excellency for making out time to attend this Retreat in spite of your busy schedule. This has further confirmed that His Excellency is a People’s Governor. I am convinced that this will be the beginning of business relationship between Insurance Brokers and the Government of the State. His Excellency, let me digress a little to inform you that there are lot of benefits the State could derive from patronizing Registered Insurance Brokers in placing all her insurances. The importance of Insurance Brokers in the Insurance Value Chain cannot be overemphasized. It is important to state that Insurance Brokers are the Professional arm of the industry.We know the nitty-gritty of Insurance Business and their engagement gives the client opportunity to maximize their insurance placement without any extra cost to the client. I would like to appeal that the government ensures the inclusion of Insurance Brokers in all its Business transactions. This step is definitely in tandem with the NCRIB Act which makes for patronage of only registered insurance brokers. We will appreciate that our choice of Uyo for the CEOs’ Retreat will be the beginning of mutual and beneficial relationship between the Council and the Akwa Ibom State Government.

Also, I would like to commend the Commissioner for Insurance, Alhaji Mohammed Kari, who deemed it fit to spare time to be with us since yesterday. Your responses to our questions yester night were quite helpful and encouraging. I also salute every other dignitary here present today, especially, the management of AIICO Insurance.

We have carefully chosen a theme that is both apt and timely in line with the vision of the incumbent administration. The theme of the Retreat The Future Broker would definitely not have come at a better time, considering the recent advancement being faced by all professions around the world. The theme paper will be delivered by no other person than an erudite speaker who has the pedigree and penchant for Future development, Mr. Ogbo Awoke Ogbo, a certified executive Coach and Managing Director, Giantthoughts International Limited.  With his rich pedigree in business coaching and enterpreneural development, I have no doubt that Mr. Ogbo will do justice to the theme.

Similarly, Mr. Olawale Francis, a foremost Governing Council Member & Facilitator, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, (ICSAN) will be moderating the second session of this retreat, sub themed: Strategic Syndicate Session on Corporate Governance. This session will deal with challenges that we could individually face in the area of Corporate Governance and how we could handle them

I would like to personally invite you all to the traditional ‘Gala Night’ tonight which has been packaged for your delightful pleasure. I must not also forget to mention that this Retreat will be rounded off with a novelty match tomorrow where I will be leading a team of first eleven team against our opponents. The Novelty match has become the icing on the cake of the yearly CEOs’ Retreat. We also hope to have other sporting activities that would be memorable. Surely, I am determined to demonstrate some exceptional skills that will daze the Deputy President’s team. I have done this in the past, and all things being equal, I will lead my team to do it again tomorrow.

Once again, we greatly appreciate the sponsor of this event, AIICO Insurance Plc and promise that the company’s reputation as one of the most Brokers Friendly Companies would be difficult to beat for a long time to come.

I wish you a fruitful deliberation.

SHOLA TINUBU, ACII, FCIB

PRESIDENT/CHAIRMAN, GOVERNING BOARD