Insurance guru Remi Olowude on Saturday joined the growing list of Nigerian felled by cancer. The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Company died of prostrate cancer in a hospital in the USA.

Head, Corporate Communications Department, IGI, Steve Iloh, said late yesterday in an sms: “All I can confirm to you at the moment is that our Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Remi Olowude, has passed on. Further details will be contained in the statement to be issued shortly by his family and the Management of the IGI Group, which he founded. Many thanks for your condolences.”

An economist, chartered insurer and an international investor, Olowude started IGI Plc in 1992 after leaving NICON Insurance Plc. He has a very rich inter-disciplinary background with formal education in Economics both at the University of Lagos (1970-73) and the University of Santa Clara, California, United States (1976). He was also an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute of London.

A self-motivated achiever, Olowude has deployed his multi-disciplinary background, professionalism and vision to build a conglomerate with interests in various sectors of the Nigerian economy spanning financial services, telecommunications, oil and gas, mortgage banking and aviation.

The late Oluwude, who hailed from Ejigbo in Osun State, was described yesterday by Governor Rauf Aregbesola as “an invaluable asset in the insurance sector.”

In a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, Aregbesola described Olowude’s death as a big blow to the insurance world, the State of Osun and Nigeria.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola also commiserated with the wife, family and insurance professionals on the Olowude’s passage.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello, Governor Fashola described the passage of Olowude as a great loss to the insurance industry and the entrepreneurship world.

According to him Olowude contributed in no small measure to the development of the country’s insurance sector and the creation of economic opportunities for the teeming skilled workforce in the industry.

Olowude, who had 28 years cognate experience in insurance management, had completed the coursework for the award of a doctorate degree from the University of Santa Clara, California, U.S.

•Photo shows late Remi Olowude.

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