An Abuja-based journalist and media consultant,Mr Danusa Ocholi has felicitated with Mr Davis Iyasere on his recent elevation as the Chief Executive of the Governing Council of the West African Insurance Companies Association (WAICA).
WAICA recently appointed Mr Iyasere as the new Secretary General/ Chief Executive Officer of the subregional body. This followed the retirement of the incumbent Secretary General/ CEO, Mr. William Coker.
With this appointment, Iyasere becomes the first Nigerian to occupy the exalted position in WAICA’s 50 years of existence.
Prior to his appointment, Mr. Iyasere was the Deputy Director in charge of Corporate Communications, Human Resource, and Administration at the Nigerian Insurers Association where he had a career spanning almost two decades. Whilst in the services of the Association, he was noted for his dedication to duty, and commitment to the ideals of the Association.He joined the Association as Corporate Affairs Manager in 2004 and rose through the ranks to his current position by a dint of hard work, strength of character, pursuit of excellence, humility, and strong intellectual capacity.
Mr. Iyasere started his career as a freelance sports journalist with Vanguard Newspapers and later with National Times Newspaper before he joined the Guardian newspapers as a sub editor in year 2000. He later joined Sporting Champion, then Nigeria’s highest selling weekly sports newspaper from where he joined the Nigerian Insurers Association as corporate affairs manager in 2004.It was at the Sporting Champion that fate brought Mr Iyasere in contact with Mr Ocholi who was the editor of the mass circulating newspaper.Mr Ocholi described Iyasere as “a crack reporter who knew his onions and his nose for news and investigative stories was legendary. While Mr Iyasere could be relied upon to deliver, the maturity was which he handled his assignments was with thoroughness and meticulousness of a Jewish Rabbi.. Above all was his humility and love for fellow beings.”
Mr Iyasere had his secondary education at Comprehensive high school Igbodo, in IkaNorth East local government area of Delta state and was the Senior Prefect during his time. He later proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos for a professional diploma in Journalism. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Arts from University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom state with a second-class upper division and was the president of the Faculty of Arts Students Association (FASA).
His unquenchable quest for knowledge led him to pursue aMaster’s degree in communication studies from Lagos State University. Not satisfied, he proceeded to university of Lagos where he obtained a second master’s degree in industrial and labour relations. Mr Iyasere is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in public relations in Babcock university, Ilishan, Ogun State.
He is widely travelled and belongs to many professional bodies and associations. They include:Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Advertising Practitioners Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Chartered institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), USA, and Association of Corporate Governance Professionals of Nigeria.
Concluding Mr Ocholi prayed that God Almighty will give him wisdom and the strength to excel in his new endeavour, in Jesus name.
