The maiden edition of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Lagos Area Committee(LAC) quiz competition was meant to raise insurance awareness among secondary school students in Lagos and Nigeria in general.
The managing director, Fin Insurance Ltd., Bashir Binji, who stated this during the ‘Catch Them Young’ quiz competition sponsored by his insurer, at the NCRIB secretariat in Yaba, Lagos at the weekend, noted that, “this competition is borne out of a desire between Fin Insurance Ltd. and NCRIB so that we can create awareness among young adults, whom we consider the future of our industry, about insurance as a service and also the career opportunities it offers the students.”
The competition saw Aje Senior Comprehensive High School, Sabo, Yaba, emerged the winner of the contest among nine participating public senior secondary schools offering insurance in Lagos State.
The school defeated two other finalists, namely; Ijaye-Ojokoro Senior High School and Araromi Senior Secondary School, in a fiercely contested competition.
The other schools include; Ransome Kuti Memorial Senior Grammar School, Iganmu Senior High School, Eletu Odibo Senior High School, Okota Senior Grammar School, Apapa Senior High School, and Aiyetoro Senior Grammar School.
The contest, themed “Catch Them Young,” was sponsored by Fin Insurance Ltd. as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative aimed at boosting insurance awareness among secondary school students in the country.
Commending the participating schools, Binji, lauded the participants for their courage, efforts, and hard work.
While congratulating the students, he stressed that this was an excellent opportunity to gain knowledge and expertise in the field of insurance, which offers numerous benefits, adding that, “Many of us stumbled upon this industry by chance but are now content with our decision as it has proven to be a fruitful career path. The insurance sector holds significant influence over major businesses and even provides loans to governments, making it a highly lucrative area for potential growth. Thus, I strongly encourage each one of you to consider exploring the possibilities that lie within this industry and pursue a career in insurance.”
The president of NCRIB, Mr. Babatunde Oguntade, had earlier expressed gratitude towards the organisers of the institutional programme for their innovative approach to reinventing it and for the masterstroke, saying, “this programme has allowed us to reach nine schools in just one moment, which we may not be able to get to through individual visits even in two years.
“And for the participating students, I commend you for your involvement because you represent the future of our country, Nigeria as insurance is a crucial component of our economy, and without it, when major industries collapse, the economy of the country will too. So, I appreciate your interest in insurance.”
While urging the practitioners to take on a mentoring role for a child within their surroundings who shows potential in becoming an insurance practitioner, he noted that, “while we were growing up, our aspirations often centred around professions such as medicine, law, and engineering. However, as someone who has pursued a career as an insurance broker, I can attest to the value of this field without any reservations.”
The chairman, Lagos Area Committee(LAC) of NCRIB, Mr. Ademola Olutusin, expressed his delight in introducing this quiz competition, as it marks the first time it is implementing such an initiative.
“Upon our initial arrival, we recognised the need to enhance our school visits and career talks by incorporating a means of engaging students at a younger age. This led to the conception of an insurance-based quiz competition for Lagosian students, a decision that fills us with immense satisfaction,” he said.
Expressing her gratitude, a jubilant Adelabu Zainab, who represented Aje Comprehensive Senior High School, exclaimed that, “It is my utmost pleasure to emerge victorious in the inaugural edition of this quiz competition. I acknowledge that it was not by my own might but through divine intervention. This contest holds significant importance for me and my school due to the extensive preparations that were undertaken.”
Co-curriculum, Ministry of Education, Lagos State, Mrs. Akinfolurin praised NCRIB and Fin Insurance for sponsoring a well-planned competition that aligns with Lagos State’s sustainable growth plan. To her, “I am sure you are all impressed with the students’ performances.To me, this is a programme well planned, a programme that has been going on for some time, so I appreciate the organisers for this.”