By Bisi Bamishe
ThisDay Newspapers insurance orrespondent, Mrs Ebere Nwoji, has won the maiden Award of Excellence in insurance sector analysis and features writing in Nigeria.
National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) conferred the award on Nwoji today during the Commission’s annual training programme for Journalists held at Oriental Hotel, Lagos.
According to the Commissioner for lnsurance Mr Sunday Thomas, Nwoji’s critical analysis of issues and trends in insurance sector earned her the award.
Thomas added that her feature articles have not only helped to educate the public on value and relevance of insurance, but also enlightened members of the public on policies, developments and challenges in the nation’s insurance sector.
He also said Nwoji’s writings on insurance issues also assisted to deepen insurance penetration and kept the practitioners on their toes to embrace modifications in line with international best practices.
While applauding Nwoji for her efforts and dedication to ensure fairness and balance reporting through research as reflected in her writings, Thomas announced the decision of NAICOM to institute the award as an annual event.
He urged journalists covering insurance sector to emulate the exemplary disposition of Nwoji in educating the public on insurance matters.
Descibing the award as an indication that hard work does not go unnoticed, Thomas said: “Sincerely I have no idea that an award like this was being put together by my colleagues in the Commission. This is coming as a surprise to me because I had no prior knowledge of this at all. However, for my colleagues to come up with this award, shows that hard work pays.
”The winner was just committed doing what she loves doing, but people were somewhere taking notice of her write-ups. And today, she is being awarded for all the hard work. I therefore congratulate her on this feat”, he said.
Announcing the maiden award winner, the Deputy director .and head corporate communications and Market Development of NAICOM, Rasaaq Salami, said that through Nwoji’s consistency in well researched analytical writings, she educates the Nigerian masses on insurance by analysing sensitive and critical issues in the insurance sector.
Salami added that the Commission gave the awad in recognition of her uncommon and extra effort in critically following and analysing developments in insurance sector.
Speaking on the rationale for introducing the award, Salami said that the award was introduced to encourage journalists to contribute in creating awareness on the benefits of insurance through their write-ups.
He stated, “The workings of the insurance industry is still strange to majority of Nigerians. Accordingly, this award that we just introduced for insurance journalists is to encourage journalists to contribute their quota in deepening insurance penetration through educational articles that teaches the public about the rudiments of insurance and how they can benefit from it.
