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| Yinka Lijadu |
A few weeks ago, the former Managing
Director of Nicon Insurance Corporation, Mr. Yinka Lijadu (MON) clocked 80.
But there was no celebration to herald the entance of the Insurance icon into the
octogenarian club. Lijadu
was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital. He had his primary education at
Christ Cathedral and Saint Peters Schools and his secondary education at CMS
Grammar School and Kings College, all in Lagos. He later won a scholarship in
1960 to study Insurance at the Holborn College of Law, Languages and Commerce,
bagging Associateship of the Chartered Insurance Institute with specialisation
in fire insurance in 1963.
Lijadu
began his career in insurance with the Accounts department of the Royal
Exchange Assurance Plc (REAN) in 1955 before going for further studies and on
graduation he was promoted to the position of Executive Assistant in the fire
department from where he was seconded to re-organise the regional offices of
the firm at Accra in Ghana and Freetown in Sierra Leone. Lijadu
was the pioneer Fire Manager at inception of Nicon Insurance Corporation in 1970.
He was elevated to Assistant General Manager in 1972 and Deputy General Manager
in 1975. In 1989 he was made Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of
the corporation and retired in 2003. Under his
leadership, the corporation established 24 branches and 8 area offices in
addition to a contact office in London. It also established two subsidiaries
including Niger Insurance Plc and National Properties Limited as well as
managed the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Agency on behalf of the Federal
Government.
On the
professional front, Lijadu served on various committees of the Chartered
Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) since 1965 and he was Chairman of the
Examination Committee of institute for over 15 years and a former Chairman of
the Editorial Board and former Chairman of the Nigerian Insurance Industry's
Image Committee.
Lijadu is
an Associate of the Institute of Arbitrators, Visiting Lecturer, West African
Insurance Institute (WAII), Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) and
Chartered Insurance Institute of London and Nigeria. He is Member, Board of
Governors and Electors, International Insurance Society (USA) and the Nigerian
Institute of Safety Professionals. Lijadu is
the first indigenous Chairman of the Nigerian Insurers' Association (NIA). At
various times he chaired the Implementation Committee on Agricultural Insurance
and Advisory Committee on the establishment of Health Insurance in Nigeria,
Insurance Technical Services. He represented Nigerian government at the United
Nations Conference of Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the United Nations
Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Economic Commission for Africa
(ECA) and at preparatory meetings towards the establishment of the African
Reinsurance Corporation.
Lijadu is a past President of CIIN and the Fire Protection Association of Nigeria, Chairman
of the Fire Protection Association of Nigerian (FRAN). He was Treasurer and
President of the West African Insurance Companies Association (WAICA),
Executive Member, Afri-Asian Insurers and Reinsurers (AAIR). He was
Chairman, Inland Consultants Limited, Abuja International Hotels Limited, Nicon
Hotels Limited, Standard Trust Assurance Plc, Fire Surveyors Limited, Y and Y
Investments Limited and Dalson Publications Limited. He is Director, Niger
Insurance Plc, National properties Limited, Daily Times Nigeria Limited, Cappa
& D'Alberto Company, Associated Electronics Company, NAL Merchant Bank
Limited, Studio Press Limited and Nigerian Aluminium Extrusions Company
Limited.
Lijadu is
happily married to Nta, one of Nigeria’s most adored society matriarchs. He was
honoured with Membership of the Order of Nigeria (MON) by the Federal
government and CII, London gave him a gold medal for excellence. He is Chief
Executive Officer of Insurance Technical Services Limited and until recently,
President of the Institute of Loss Adjusters of Nigeria (ILAN).
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