FROM OBSCURITY TO FAME, HOW TUNJI OGUNKANMI WROTE A STORY THAT LINGERS…. - DE-REPORTORIAL

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Wednesday, June 12, 2019

FROM OBSCURITY TO FAME, HOW TUNJI OGUNKANMI WROTE A STORY THAT LINGERS….

Tunji Ogunkanmi...

      PART 4
The world is replete with history of men who came in a jiffy and left so soon. They are usually referred to as meteors.
A meteor is like a shooting star. It sparkles, it dazzles, it brightens up, but it is also a falling star. They are also like joy, that has a slender body, that breaks so soon- “Ayo abara bin tin,” as was depicted in Ola Rotimi's epic play- “The gods are not to blame.” A meteor rises fast and disappears at the apogee (height) of its glory. Meteors are always messengers, usually in a hurry to deliver their messages and disappear.
Meteors in Yoruba pantheon, meteors are usually referred to as “Emere” and “Ogbanje” in Igboland. To these meteors, life is certainly not measured by its duration, but by its donations.
Raphael Ernest Grill Armattoe-12th of August, 1913-22nd of December, 1953.
Duro Ladipo-1931-1978, Walter Rodney-23rd March, 1942 to the 15th June, 1980 A Ghanaian doctor, author, poet and politician.
 Dr. Walter Rodney, prominent scholar, historian, political activist- 23rd march 1942 to 13 June 1980.
Pius Adebola Adesanmi 1972 to 10 March 2019.
Joseph Sanusi Gbadamosi Adegoke Adelabu- Penkelemesi a dazzling politician, meteor and iconoclast- 1915-1958
 Olusegun Awolowo, January 20 1939 to July 10 1963.
Tunji Ogunkanmi founder and promoter- Cornerstone Insurance Plc, October 5 1960 to November 5, 2000.  
Tunji Ogunkanmi-October 5 1960 to November 5 2000.
He was the promoter and founder of Cornerstone Insurance Plc. He was born in the agrarian community of Ile-Ogbo, of Osun state and the supersonic speed of his accomplishments in the insurance industry, is a great study in resilience, hard work and abundant God's grace.
Tunji had his primary education at Ile-Ogbo and his secondary education at Iwo, where he came out with distinction (Grade one) in his West African School Certificate Examination in 1978 and also, in flying colours at the higher school certificate level, giving him an express admission into the university of Lagos, where he graduated with second class upper division in Insurance in 1984.
Within 3 years of his graduate studies, he obtained the Associateship of the Chartered Institute of Insurance, London and he was admitted a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute in 1990, at the age of 30.
Shortly thereafter, in 1991, he founded Cornerstone Insurance at the age of 30 and became the company's first CEO and the youngest CEO of any Insurance Company as at that time. Without a silver spoon, he dreamt big and the dreams came through.
He fought for the actualisation of his dreams and proved that a boy born and raised in Ile-Ogbo, Osun state and whose first and real experience of Lagos, was when he gained admission to the university of Lagos, to study Insurance, could actually make it big. At the time, some of his friends were looking for paid employment he was already sitting atop an insurance company as CEO.
Within a short span of sitting atop the leadership of the cornerstone Insurance company, he was described as-" a team builder and motivator per excellence, highly innovative, pragmatic and an embodiment of knowledge; no half measures.
Within this short span too, Cornerstone had moved to his own premises, a high rise building in Obalende, Lagos.
To his staff he had said-
“Everywhere I go, people bombard me with commendations about how cornerstone has changed the narrative of the insurance industry, forgetting that not I but all of you (staff) are responsible. You are the one doing the work; I only come around, play golf and make you laugh. I thank you guys for making all these happen.”
Within these periods, he was a member of the governing Council of the Nigerian Insurance Association (NIA), where he also made his indelible mark.
On the night of Saturday, the 5th of November 2000, Tunji went out to attend a friend's birthday party and he was caught in an armed robbery attack on Falomo bridge, Lagos, that took away his life along with his friend- Deepak Mehta, the Indian Canadian Managing Director of the now defunct Equitorial Trust Bank.
His life was cut short barely a month to his 40th birthday.
Until his death, Tunji worked hard, dreamt big, was a friend to everyone around him, and was passionate about his home town- Ile-Ogbo. He took the name everywhere. Tunji led the company with his heart and also sat on the board of other great Nigerian businesses.
Tunji, may your soul rest in perfect peace.
Hon. Femi Kehinde
In Yoruba pantheon, meteors are usually referred to as “Emere” and “Ogbanje” in Igboland. To these meteors, life is certainly not measured by its duration, but by its donations.
HON. (BARR.) FEMI KEHINDE
ATTORNEY AT LAW AND FORMER MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, REPRESENTING AYEDIRE/IWO/OLA-OLUWA FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY (1999-2003) OF OSUN STATE.

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