About thirty three (33) photojournalists and members of Guild of Photojournalists Nigeria have been formally insured by the Mutual Benefits Assurance PLC in Lagos on Friday February 17,2023.
The step was said to have been taken on the heels of the demise of one of its members whose death shook the media industry especially the print media early in the year.
According to the speech read at the event by the chairman of the Guild of Photojournalists Nigeria, Mr Abiodun Ajala said the measure was taken to forestall future occurence by providing palliative for its members and their families when such incident happened again.
Present at the epoch making event were the members of staff of the Mutual Benefits Assurance PLC which included the Chairman, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi; Managing Director/CEO, Biyi Ashiru-Mobolaji; Executive Director, Technical, Joseph Oladokun.
“Today, we would like to triumphantly tell the world that, in Mr. Femi Kuti’s premature exit, we have found a special door that is letting out life not only for his bereaved colleagues but also to other members of the media industry. And the very special door , I gladly announce as MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC, the corporate insurance giant hosting us here.
“Femi Kuti’s untimely death had fired my senses with regard to proactive measures to be taken to give comfort and solace to bereaved family members upon terminal breath.
“Within such worry and concern, I reached out to the management of Mutual Assurance PLC who caringly treat members of the Guild Of Photojournalists Nigeria as extended members of their corporate family.
“As at now, 33 members of the Guild of Photojournalists Nigeria have been insured at the sum of about One Million Naira cash and all beneficiaries are collecting their papers here today.
“Beyond providing us with these insurance benefits, this philanthropic commercial institution has offered to bless the bereaved members of the family of our late member, Femi Kuti, with financial support.
“We feel highly honoured by such uplifting gesture of humanitarian generosity and would like to express our profound gratitude to the Chairman of Mutual Benefits Assurance PLC, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, who has been our mentor as well as grand patron of the association,” Ajala concluded.
It would be recalled that a member of the association and Photo Editor of Guardian Newspaper, Mr Femi Kuti died on January 05,2023 after a brief illness without any personal health insurance scheme or life policy.
The event also attracted the family of the late Femi Kuti. In attendance were his son, Damilola Adebesin-kuti, younger brother to the late member, Mr Kehinde Adebesin-kuti and one of the widows, Mrs Adebesin-kuti.
Some members of the Guild of Photojournalists that attended the presentation of the insurance certificate were Akin Farinto, Olusegun Raphael, Suleiman Hussein, Bola Omilabu, Ayodele Adeniran and many others.
