2023 Awards Panelists

2023 Panelists

The 2023 Awards Panelists (Panel of Judges) were constituted in line with the requirements of the Almond Insurance Industry Awards Framework. The Panelists work based on the predetermined Selection Process. Meet the 2023 Awards Panelists.

MS Prisca SOARES

Chairman, Panel of Judges

Ms Prisca Soares has served the Insurance industry in various capacities at home and abroad, and has served on the Boards of Directors of various companies.

Obinna CHILEKEZI

Secretary, Panel of Judges

Obinna Chilekezi is a multi-skilled professional. He writes on insurance and has appeared on both radio and television talking insurance.

Dr Olajide S. FADUN

Member, Panel of Judges

Dr Olajide Solomon Fadun is a risk management and Insurance specialist. He has doctorate (Ph.D) in Risk Management, Insurance and Financial Services at the Glasgow Caledonian University, United Kingdom.

Funmi O. OMOKHODION (Mrs)

Member, Panel of Judges

Mrs. Funmi O. Omokhodion is a versatile and dedicated professional in Technical Operations and Risk Management with over 30 years' experience in the Reinsurance arm of the insurance industry.

Dr Olajide Solomon Fadun is a risk management specialist and consultant, with both local and international experience. He is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (ACAMS); Specialist Member of the Institute of Risk Management (SIRM), Chartered Insurance Practitioner, London (ACII), Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (FCIIN), Associate of Insurance and Actuarial Society of Glasgow, UK (AIASG); and Associate of British Academy Management (ABAM).

Dr Fadun has a doctorate (PhD) in Risk Management, Insurance and Financial Services at Glasgow Caledonian University, UK; MSc Social Research (Business & Management) at Glasgow Caledonian University, UK; BSc Business Studies & Management at the University of St Mark & St John, Plymouth UK; ICT Baseline Qualification (Certificate of Competence) from Glasgow Caledonian University, UK; MSc Economics at Enugu State University of Science & Technology, Enugu Nigeria; MBA Insurance & Risk Management at Enugu State University of Science & Technology, Enugu Nigeria; and Higher National Diploma (HND) Insurance at Lagos State Polytechnic, Lagos Nigeria.

Dr Fadun is very resourceful and highly analytical. He possesses a very good writing, oral communication, and interpersonal skills. Dr Fadun has over twenty years professional qualification experiences in financial services industry in the Nigeria insurance industry, the United Kingdom (UK), Netherland, and United States Financial services sectors. He is also a versatile researcher who has published in both local and international peer reviewed journals. Dr Fadun is a recognised books and journal reviewer at Emerald Group Publishing Limited (UK) and Palgrave MacMillan Limited (UK).

Dr Fadun is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Actuarial Science and Insurance, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Lagos, Lagos Nigeria. Dr Fadun is a Council Member and Africa Regional Consultant (Insurance and Risk Management) of Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG) New York. He is also a Faculty Faculty and Doctoral Thesis Supervisor at University of Liverpool Online, UK; Faculty and Postgraduate Dissertation Supervisor at University of Portsmouth Online, UK; University of Roehampton Online London; Faculty and Doctoral thesis supervisor in UNICAF Universities (including UNICAF Universities – Malawi, Zambia, Uganda; University of South Wales – USW; University of Nicosia – UNIC; Marymount California University – MCU; and University of St Mark & St John – MARJON); Adjunct Lecturer, Mountain Top University; and Adjunct lecturer and Doctoral thesis Supervisor at the Lead City University, Ibadan Nigeria. Dr Fadun is happily married. He loves travelling, adventure, impacting knowledge, and meeting people.

Mr. Obashola Oladipo ALO

Member, Panel of Judges

Mr Obashola Alo is the Group Head Financial Risks/Insurance of Dangote Group.

Mr. Rasaaq Obomeile SALAMI

Member, Panel of Judges

Mr. Rasaaq Obomeile Salami is the Head, Corporate Communications and Market Development at the National Insurance Commission NAICOM, the apex insurance industry regulatory authority in Nigeria.

He is a thorough-bred professional with vast knowledge and experience in communications, media relations, public relations/stakeholders management, brand management & marketing, procurement, market development, regulation and hands-on management of human and material resources spanning over two decades uninterrupted.

During these years, Mr. Salami had traversed both the media and insurance sectors in Nigeria leaving indelible marks along the way. He started his journalism career at the old Daily Times Newspaper where he worked briefly before joining the now defunct African Concord magazine. He attained the pinnacle of his journalism career when he became the Deputy Editor and Head of Abuja Bureau at Policy Magazine in 2001.

Prior his engagement at NAICOM in 2009, Mr. Salami was the Head of Advertising and Marketing Department of Businessday Newspaper, Abuja having left Daily Independent Newspaper in the same capacity in 2007.

Since joining NAICOM, he has remained a key player in the supervisory and regulatory activities not only at the Commission but, in the entire financial services sector both within and outside the country. He is currently the chairman of the Financial Market Development SubCommittee of the Financial Services Regulatory Coordinating Committee (FSRCC) – a body comprising the CBN; FIRS; NAICOM; PenCom; NDIC; SEC; CAC; FRC; NGX, Federal Ministry of Finance and others.

He is a standing member of the planning committee of the Insurance Industry Consultative Council, IICC; member of the Publicity and Communication Sub-Committee of the Insurers Committee and, was a member of the Organising Committee of the 2021 Africa Insurance Organization, AIO Conference held in Lagos, Nigeria.

He was part of the planning process for the formation of the West Africa Insurance Supervisors’ Association (WAISA) – a body comprising Heads of Insurance Regulatory Authorities in the West African sub-region.

It is instructive to note that as Head of the CFI’s Directorate, Mr. Salami supervised and coordinated activities of critical departments in the Commission between 2017 and 2020. These departments include – Information Technology; Procurement, Market Development, Corporate Affairs, SERVICOM and Financial Inclusion. He supervised the process that birthed a number of Microinsurance and Takaful companies and as well, the NAICOM Portal into the Nigerian insurance sector.

As spokesperson of NAICOM, Mr. Salami did bring his experience to bear on the job and ensured a complete transformation of the system notably, in the area of information dissemination and management. It is to his credit that the Commission has maintained an excellent relationship with the media.

Mr. Salami is a graduate of Mass Communication and holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Administration, CIA; Member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR and Member of the Advertising Practioners Council of Nigeria, APCON. He is happily married with children.

2023 Panelists