By Favour Nnabugwu

Leadway Assurance Company has signed Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with  150 universities and academic institutions across the globe, even as the insurance company donated N2.5 million to University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

Leadway Assurance which is in alliance with the 150 varsities spread across United States of America, Europe, Asia and Africa,  is a private company with 42 shareholders, 14 of which are corporate investors, and two Trust Corporations.

The company’s Zonal Director (Southern Area), Mr Clement Atere, said that the company will support learning institutions within and outside Africa.

It was on that premise that the insurance company donated N2.5 million to UI, extolling the virtues of the university and its pursuit of excellence both historically and in the present.

Atere explained that the donation was made towards the building of the proposed International Conference Centre at the university.

The donation, according to the insurance company, is in line with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) focus which gives priority to infrastructural risk management, risk education/information, the environment, health and security.

This development is taking place few months after the underwriting outfit donated N1 million to the same university following the Ibadan flood disaster that engulfed part of the school’s blocks and many areas of Ibadan in 2011.

It would be recalled that Oyo State Government after the disaster three months ago, had said about N4.3 billion would be needed to fix infrastructural collapse in the state including roads, bridges, culverts and buildings, which were destroyed by the heavy downpour.

Atere also emphasised the company’s passion for human capital development and for contributing to infrastructure development to strengthen the educational sector in Nigeria. He further stated that the company’s donation was in line with its resolve to contribute positively to the environment within which it operates.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Isaac Adewole, who received the donation on behalf of the university’s fund-raising committee members, expressed gratitude to Leadway Assurance for supporting the university in maintaining its position as an institution of excellence and as Nigeria’s oldest and foremost university.

He informed the meeting that the project still needed about N400 million to fully complete and would be unrivalled in this part of the world when it is eventually completed.

The proposed University of Ibadan International Conference Centre is estimated to cost N1 billion. When completed, the centre, according to its promoters, will add value to the University of Ibadan as global player in the provision of sound scholarship particularly post-graduate education. It will also promote academics and cultural collaboration between Ibadan and several universities within and outside the country.

Leadway Assurance Company Limited was founded in 1970.  The company’s remarkable success has been possible because of its sound professional and business standards backed by the uncompromising level of integrity of its directors.