Supo Falana’s life revolves round three things; his family, his insurance profession, and his calling as a pastor. For many years he has had to manage those three areas successfully.
He is quick to tell you that he came to insurance by divine direction. “I had wanted to do accounting at the Polytechnic Ibadan but I was offered Insurance. I was actually planning to turn the admission down and wait till I get admission to do accounting but the spirit of God spoke to me to take it up”
Since he decided to obey God, he has consistently seen the hands of God in the profession. Right from his days in the polytechnic and while doing his Masters in Business Administration programme he always came top of his class. He was the best graduating student during his set at the Lagos State Polytechnic where he did his HND. He had distinction in his field and also had the best result in the entire school for that year and also had the best result during his MBA programme at the Ondo State University .
Now an Assistant General Manager of Goldlink Insurance Plc, Olulana believes many Christians do not really understand what insurance is all about. “Many don’t know about insurance. When they hear life insurance for instance they get scared and believe you are wishing them dead. But that is not the issue. Everybody will die whether we like it or not. But when someone takes the life insurance policy he is only taking a protection against financial loss to his beneficiary when he is no more.”
While agreeing that all Christians are insured by the blood of Jesus and His grace has been sufficient he says, “God has given us wisdom to protect ourselves and to live life with wisdom. God is the ultimate protector but we should also protect ourselves against loss.”
He explained further that insurance and faith are two different things. When you think of insurance you are thinking of financial protection against loss. It is a kind of investment. God has given us wisdom to invest. There are different ways by which God meets our needs Jesus carried out healing using different means. But we have to be open to him to work in us.
Putting your money into insurance does not indicate that you don’t have faith. It is only making us of an opportunity through which God can bless you. It could be through money that you have invested in insurance that God could use to turn your story around. It could also be through some other means. So Christians must be open to God when it comes to insurance business and any business for that matter in as much that such business does not lead to sin and it doesn’t negate what God is telling us to do.
Falana explained further that the reason there is crime in the country is because many people are not taking advantage of insurance policies. “A worker is afraid of life after retirement and thereby steals to secure his future but if he has taken an insurance policy he would not resort to stealing. Insurance reduces risk”
While noting that the disposable income of the average Nigerian is low, he posits, “I still believe there is need for more awareness about insurance so that people can be beneficiaries of the fallout of the policies.
The insurance practitioner who specializes in underwriting describes the business as tricky in the sense that some policy holders engage in fraudulent practices. “We engage private investigators to carry our investigation on any case of loss that is reported to forestall incidences of being defrauded because there are occasions where people make false claims. As a matter of fact it is a common occurrence in the industry. So with a combination of the police, private investigators and our own research the loss to fraud is minimized.
As General Overseer of Grace of God Apostolic Church, Falana has since had to oscillate around the home, the church and the office. And he does this assignment very well. He reasons, “Once God gives you something to do He will back you up. Pastoring is my major call area. But what I do is that I ensure that these three areas of life do not suffer. When I’m in the office I know I’m in the office.
“I don’t allow church work to interfere with office work and when I’m in the church I know I’m in the church. I do not allow office work to disturb church work and when I’m at home I know I’m at home. I shut my mind out of the office and some of the church engagement. The challenge has been striking a balance and God has been helping me. Never should a pastor sacrifice his home for any other thing. The career and the calling into ministry should also not suffer. That is why the grace of God comes in and where the Holy Ghost should be given His place.”
