Tears of Joy as Student, Ibrahim, receives Glo Promo House
It was indeed an overflow of joy from 20-year-old Ibrahim Ayanleke Abiodun, a first year student of the University of Ilorin, and his mother as they were announced as the latest winners of a 3-Bedroom apartment in the ongoing Glo Festival of Joy promo.
On Friday, December 16, which was the day of presentation, the event proceeding was interrupted a few times to accommodate Abiodun and his mom’s expressions of joyful tears as they received their new house keys.
The Executive Chairman of Ibeju Lekki Local Government, Engineer Abdullahi Olowa, Honourable Noherm Adams, member representing Etiosa Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, and Globacom officials, were among those who witnessed this exhilarating experience.
In his speech, the Executive Chairman of Ibeju Lekki, Engineer Abdullahi Olowa, appreciated the great strides of Globacom, stating that the company had, since inception, pioneered and sustained the noble tradition of putting subscribers first in its operations.
“It is heartwarming to note that Globacom still keeps faith with the tradition of adding wholesome value to the lives of its subscribers”, he said.
Globacom’s Regional Manager, Lagos 1, Mr Temitope Ayeni, encouraged subscribers wishing to participate in the promo to “dial the dedicated short code *611# and recharge as appropriate to stand a chance to win any of the prizes on offer. Subscribers who desire to win any of the 3-bedroom houses must make data subscription up to at least N20,000 during the promo period. The more they recharge, the higher the chances of winning”, he said.
FIVE (5) STEPS TO TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH VULTe
What would N100 million do for your business? Would you buy more equipment, acquire a bigger warehouse, move to a larger office space, hire more professionals or expand your supply chain?
Whatever the “Next Level” means for your business, you can achieve it with Polaris Bank’s SME Loan products available on VULTe digital Bank.
Get up to N100 million to take your business to the next level with the following products:
Overdraft: This is a safety net for SMEs to manage fluctuations in cash inflow or respond to emergencies. This facility allows you overdraw your account.
Term Loan: This facility offers competitive interest rate and allows you spread payment over a period of up to 24 months.
To get started, follow the 5 simple steps below:
Click on SME Loan Market Place on the VULTe app or website
Select loan type and purpose
Input amount required
Enter pin to accept provisional offer letter
Upload all necessary documents
If you are new to VULTe, download the app now on GooglePlay and IOS App Store or simply visit www.vulte.ng to get started.
VULTe is a digital Bank by Polaris Bank and available to new and existing customers.
NOVA Merchant Bank Supports Blind, Partially Sighted Kids from Pacelli School
As part of its efforts towards commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, NOVA Merchant Bank visited the Pacelli School for the Blind and Partially Sighted, Surulere, Lagos, last Thursday, donating valuable goods and materials worth millions of naira.
The International Day of Persons Living with Disabilities is a day set-aside by the United Nations to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights, well-being, and inclusion of persons living with disabilities.
Led by its Executive Director, Mrs. Funke Okoya, NOVA presented gifts and other supports to the students, as part of its NOVA UPLIFT initiative, while assuring the school’s management of its continued assistance.
Okoya who told the Pacelli management that the acronym UPLIFT stands for Uniqueness, Passion, Leadership, Integrity, Fairness, and Teamwork, represents the Bank’s core value which has the specific objective of offering “Today’s solution for Tomorrow’s sustainability,” in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 2 “Zero Hunger.”
She said, “At NOVA, we are committed towards impacting various facets of the communities where we operate. These values are success tenets and should be embraced and demonstrated daily. We believe that everyone has unique abilities, and as a Bank, we are joining the conversation of creating innovative tools that are disability inclusive to help them function optimally in any workplace.”
The School’s Counsellor, Rev. Sister Christiana Ekechukwu, who commended the team for the kind and timely gesture, said, “These gifts could not have come at a better time especially as the Christmas celebration is fast approaching. We are very grateful to NOVA Merchant Bank for their generosity.”
NOVA Merchant Bank Limited is an investment grade rated merchant bank in Nigeria that offers an integrated suite of financial solutions covering Financial Intermediation, Wholesale and Investment Banking, Asset and Securities Management, Trade Services, Cash Management, Transaction and Digital Banking.
FIRSTBANK DECEMBERISSAVYBE: IF YOUR DECEMBER IS NOT VYBING, YOU AREN’T IN DECEMBER
In Nigeria, the first day of December ushers in the advent of the festive season which runs through the month progressively till early January when businesses and official duties resume fully again. December, in the world’s most populous black nation, is characterised, with fascinating scenery, by shops, streets, offices and homes getting decorated with twinkling lights and dazzling ornaments.
The month also welcomes religious festivities of Christmas, the biggest celebration for christians globally which takes place just a week before the New Year rolls in amidst celebration unmatched by any other from the rest of the year. The season is generally enveloped by festive concerts, feasts, celebrations, carnivals, musical shows, colourful decorations and family reunions.
For almost everyone, it’s a time to merry with friends and family, attend celebratory events, give and accept gifts, enjoy entertainment and feast together. December is such a big deal in Nigeria and the people know just how to savour the moments well. Interestingly, the celebration is not limited as it cuts across all classes and shades irrespective of social status, religion, personality or age – the rich, poor, young, old, cool and radicals. It’s usually a time everyone earnestly awaits for fun, merrymaking and relaxation, mentally and physically. In fact, to get ample time for merry making, employees in Nigeria push hard in offices to get annual leave approvals for the period.
Another key, exciting hallmark of the festive season is the homecoming visits of Nigerians who have travelled abroad for greener pastures, a trend popularly called ‘Japa’ in local parlance. It’s a common belief that the Nigerian spirit is a hustling one, and no distance is too large to scare a Nigerian from a potential source of income, be it the journey from the remotest village to Lagos, or from there to the farthest corners of the world. The December period thus presents an opportunity to reunite families.
The returnees constitute an essential ‘life of the party’ as they hit the country ready to visit places, mingle and bond, to the admiration and embrace of peers and family members. It’s always a great period for the returnees and their loved ones to create great memories, spending time, going round town for great entertainment and having fun together.
Their presence also commands attention and adds colour to village and town hall meetings, community projects and social gatherings, especially wedding parties, as well as other family functions deliberately fixed around the season to court the beloved presence of the “I just got backs” who bask endlessly in the euphoria.
First Bank of Nigeria Limited as a company with the mantra of being woven into the fabrics of society has continued to demonstrate its understanding of the uniqueness and essence of the festive season with its consistent support for same through the ‘December Is a vybe’ campaign.
Unfortunately, the Nigerian economy has struggled sluggishly for some time with attendant harsh impact on individual and household finances and sliding purchasing power. This gets worsened by the galloping inflation, increasing cost of living and the sky rocketing price of premium motor spirits (PMS) locally called petrol.
Yet, the average Nigerian craves for great fun and quality entertainment during the Yuletide season. So, the December festivities come as added weight with tickets as high as N70K for A-list musical acts like Asake, Kizz Daniel, Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid and others.
To throw off the weight, the December Is a vybe campaign offers free VIP tickets from FirstBank to Nigerians for access to coveted A-list musical concerts, opera, comedy shows, stage plays, dance and other genres of entertainment throughout the festive season to assure maximum pleasure.
Folake Ani-Mumuney, FirstBank Global Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications said, the premier financial institution which has operated in Nigeria for over 125 years deliberately orchestrated the campaign to create platforms for Nigerians at home and those returning from abroad to enjoy entertainment, bond well and enjoy the best of the festive season together after a period of separation in pursuit of excellence and success.
“Through ‘December Is a vybe’, FirstBank has always brought Nigerians the best exciting, fun-filled, memorable experience in December with the sponsorship of concerts, creative arts; food Fiesta; fashion etc and it’s set again with a bang in 2022 ready to enable people relive the experience and live their dreams, ” she stated.
She noted that the 2022 edition offers fresh opportunities and platforms for yet another memorable Homecoming experience this December for Nigerians visiting from abroad; wedding celebrants; friends and family reunions. FirstBank ‘December Is a vybe’ offers the returnees a good opportunity to reunite and enjoy premium entertainment with family and friends.
She explained: “The programme has not slowed down since it kicked off. We supported Waka the Musical in 2017 which was also taken to Abuja in 2018. We gave Nigerians premium access to Davido show amongst others in 2017, Burna Boy in 2018, Future in 2019, Davido and Burna in 2021 and for 2022, we will start with VIP access to Kizz Daniel’s show, followed by many more.
The foremost banking giant has in recent years made December quite memorable. From the exciting Alternative Sound 4.0, held at Terra Culture on 5 December, 2019 to the memorable Cardi B live in Lagos by Livespot Concert on 7 December 2019 and the unforgettable “An Evening with FBNHoldings” held on 13 December, 2019 to the pleasure overload of Island Block Party at Oniru Lagos on 14 December, lucky customers and followers of the Bank’s social media handles were given free tickets to have loads of fun!
Also, in the bouquet of fun extravaganza was Teni – The Billionaire Experience musical concert held at Eko Hotel on Monday, 16 December 2019 which had many thrilled to the finest of tunes by the Billionaire crooner and other guest artistes present.
The annual Nativeland music festival at Muri Okunola Park was another fun spot which has since its inauguration in 2016, featured breathtaking performances by A-list artistes.
Youth and teenage fashionistas were not left out; as with Street Souk, they had a feel of current trends and creativity in the fashion industry. The event held on 18 December 2019. For those keen on getting the best and latest designs, wears and fabrics in fashion, the African Fashion Week Nigeria was another port of call. The event which held 20 – 21 December, 2019 attracted leading players in the fashion industry and deepened the fashion appetite and interest of participants.
Building into Christmas was Flytime Rhythm Unplugged, which started on 20 December at the Eko Hotel and Suites. The 5-day music festival had performances from leading artistes in the country. Olamide, Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, MI, Ycee, Patoranking, Mayorkun, Teni, Zlatan, Joeboy, Fireboy, B Red, Tolani, Jeff Akoh, Oluwadamilola thrilled fun lovers to the best of charts topping tunes not just in Nigeria but the continent. On the wheels of steel was DJ Neptune, DJ Consequence, DJ Obi, and DJ Cuppy.
Kizz Daniel’s Toro concert on 26 December 2019 and Tu Face’s musical show on 28 December built up to the wrap-up of the list of December events with Future, the American rap music sensational performance live in Lagos.
The Future Live in Concert held on 29 December 2019 at the Eko hotel. The 80s boy band, New Edition performance at the FlyTime Music Festival in Lagos was also electrifying with Burna Boy Live, Davido Live and many more in action!
For plays, the December Issavybe train featured sponsorships of Moremi and Oba Eshugbayi plays which focused on highlighted history of Lagos: the struggle over water tax imposed by the British on the people of Lagos and the expulsion of Oba Esugbayi, who stood against tax, to Abeokuta. The play was from the stable of Joseph Edgar of the iconic Duke of Shomolu Production.
Two lucky fans, Tina Ediale and Timilehin Anibaba, amongst others got to see their favourite star Davido Live in Concert; another winner, Azeez Animashaun couldn’t believe his luck when he got a VIP Rhythm Unplugged ticket while some got special treat watching ace actress Omotola Jalade Ekeinde as Esumirin in Moremi The Musical. Social media followers also scored invitation to parties including Island Block Party, All Black Everything; conferences Golas Grit Grind 2.0; festivals: Native Land, Palmwine Festival; and pop-up sales: Mente de Moda.”
For the 2022 campaign, FirstBank says it will start the festive season with VIP access to rave of the moment, Kizz Daniel’s show. Kizz is so loved right now and many Nigerians especially women can’t seem to get enough of his monster hit, Cough (Odoyewu). He also has many songs that will make his show a delight any day, including Buga, Lie, No Wahala, Oshe, Yeba, One Ticket, Woju, Laye, Jaho, Sofa and many others. With First Bank, December promises to be an awesome experience!
To participate, all that is required is to just follow FirstBank’s social media pages and updates on – Facebook: First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Instagram: @firstbanknigeria and from there get the tickets.
FIRSTBANK, OTHERS PARTNER WITH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT ON AFRICA’S LARGEST HIGH SCHOOL ENTREPRENEURSHIP COMPETITION
Winners of the FirstBank Sponsored National Company of the Year (NCOY) Competition Represents Nigeria in the ACOY Competition
FirstBank has partnered with JA Africa on Company of the Year (COY) Competition, Africa’s largest high school entrepreneurship competition scheduled to take place in Lagos, Nigeria from 7th to 9th December under the theme, “Fueling Changemakers.”
The JA Africa Company of the Year (COY) Competition which returns for the 12th year in a row and the first in-person meeting post-COVID, after two successful virtual competitions is JA Africa’s annual celebration of winning teams from the JA Company Program, a program which equips senior secondary school level students with the entrepreneurial skillset and mindset to solve problems in their communities by launching a business venture and unleashing their entrepreneurial spirit.
The young entrepreneurs who compete at JA Africa’s COY go through qualifying competitions at national and sub-national levels, competing against thousands of youth startups to qualify for the regional competition. This program transitions them into employment and transforms them into employers. Having emerged as national winners, they will represent their countries on the continental stage where they have the arduous task to impress a panel of international business professionals who serve as judges.
FirstBank’s sponsored winners of the 2022 Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) National Company of the Year (NCOY) Competition – Green Apex from the International School, University of Lagos – will represent Nigeria in the JA Africa Company of the Year (COY) Competition.”
“Given the increasingly complex set of global challenges facing young people around the world from unemployment to climate change and food shortage, we focus on equipping our students to be solution providers who bring about positive change within their communities while developing businesses that generate wealth,” said Simi Nwogugu, JA Africa’s CEO. “Our students have demonstrated great resilience and innovation in grappling with these challenges and I am extremely proud of all of them. I am also deeply grateful to all our sponsors who stayed with us throughout the pandemic period and contributed greatly towards making this a live event again.”
Also speaking on the forthcoming Africa Company of The Year Competition, Folake Ani-Mumuney, Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, FirstBank said; “the 2022 Junior Achievement Company of The Year competition remains another viable opportunity to promote the entrepreneurship skills, spirit and talent innate in school children, across Africa. We commend Junior Achievement Africa on the COY initiative as it serves as an avenue to expose participants to inter-cultural values and traditions that will foster the unity of the continent.
We wish all participants, particularly the Nigerian representatives – Green Apex from the International School, University of Lagos – the best as learnings from every initiative could solve critical problems facing mankind as we collectively make the world a better place.
This year, nine student startups representing Eswatini, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe will put their business acumen to the test as they present the achievements of their businesses in numerous formats to win the prestigious title of JA Company of the Year and other amazing prizes from the sponsors. The highest among the prizes at stake will be the opportunity to represent the African region at the Ralph de la Vega Global Entrepreneurship Competition which will bring together COY winners from the six regions where JA Worldwide operates to compete for awards, $15,000, educational opportunities, and more.
The 2022 JA Africa COY Competition is made possible by the generous support of Headline sponsors FedEx, Citi Foundation and PMIEF; Platinum sponsors: Bloomberg, Johnson & Johnson, Delta Air Lines and First Bank of Nigeria Limited; Gold sponsors: Tomorrow Foundation, Nascon, GB Foods and Rise, who by supporting this competition are demonstrating their commitment to job creation and youth empowerment on the African continent.
Winner of the 61st FirstBank Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship gets listed in The World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR)
Emmanuel Ojeabulu, winner of the 61stFirstBank Lagos Open Golf Championship has been listed in the WAGR.
The premier golf championship which was held from 18 – 20 November at the golf section of Ikoyi Club 1938 was keenly contested by over 190 low handicap players from several golf clubs in the country. Benin based Emmanuel Ojeabulu won the 3-day championship.
Playing three-shots off the pace going into the last 18-holes, Ojeabulu played one of the best golf of his life, maintaining steady pars for a closing 74, 3-over the course par to win the World Amateur Golf Ranking recognized event by two shots.
Ojeabulu started his game with an opening 75, a second day score of 78 and a closing 74 to replace Ilorin based Aminu Kadir, the tournament defending champion on the winners list.
Overnight leader, 20-year-old product of David Mark Golf Academy, George Paul who was tipped to win the tournament collapsed under pressure closing with an unimpressive 79 to lose by two-shots.
In the third position is Muyideen Olaitan, three-time winner of the coveted FirstBank Lagos Open trophy while Iyare Osaze was further down on the winners chart by one-shot, leaving perennial contender, Olajide Owolabi, who shot tournaments best score of 72 on day two of the competition in the fifth position.
First Bank of Nigeria Limited, sponsors of the annual Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship has pledged its commitment to the continuous sponsorship of the tournament which is one of the longest running golf tournaments in Nigeria.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 61st edition of the tournament in Lagos on Sunday, the Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan who was represented by Executive Director, Chief Risk Officer of First Bank of Nigeria Limited Mr. Olusegun Alebiosu said “This year made it 61 years of our undiluted commitment to this cause, and we are absolutely delighted with the amazing support and partnership we have enjoyed from Ikoyi Club 1938 thus contributing to building a legacy not only for golf and golfers, but sports in its entirety.
To all the amateur golfers produced at this year’s championship, these champions are an inspiration and testament that you can do the impossible and I look forward to celebrating you as winners in future championships. Remember that in the words of Ben Hogan, “The most important shot in Golf is the next one”, he added.
Satisfied with the turnout of the participants, Golf Captain, Tony Oboh thanked the sponsors for keeping the tournament going, saying FirstBank commitment should be emulated.
“It is not easy to keep a tournament like this going, I therefore congratulate FirstBank for their commitment”, Oboh said.
Since its debut, FirstBank Lagos Amateur Open Golf Championship has been the most consistent and premier amateur golf event in West Africa and has produced great champions most of who are competing in the elite professional golf cadre. Last year, the Championship threw up Ilorin based Aminu Kadir who won the landmark edition. It is expected that this year’s edition will produce another great winner.
Other FirstBank-sponsored sporting events include the Georgian Cup of Kaduna Polo Tournament, sponsored for 102 years; the Dala Tennis Hard Court in Kano Club for over 30 years; the Obasanjo Pro-Amateur Golf tournament of Abeokuta Club now in its 6th year. The Bank’s influence in the development of sport in Nigeria is under its First@Sport initiative.
ISSAN Confab: CBN to Collaborate with Stakeholders to Check Rising Cyber Attacks
From Left: Managing Partner, Technology Advisors LLP, Basil Udotai, Esq; Co-founder/Chief Visionary Officer, Digital Encode, Dr. Adewale Obadare; Director, IT Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mrs Rakiya Mohammed; President, Information Security Society of Africa – Nigeria (ISSAN) & General Manager, Ecobank, Dr. David Isiavwe; Director, Payments System Management Department, Central Bank of Nigeria; Mr. Musa Jimoh; CISO, Heritage Bank of Nigeria Ltd; Mr. Eduje Ighoakpo and 1st Vice President, ISSAN Mr. Laja Sorunke at ISSAN Annual Cybersecurity Conference in Lagos last week
The Central Bank of Nigeria has assured information security stakeholders and the general public of its collaboration to check the rising cases of cyber-attacks within the Nigeria cyberspace. Director, Payments System Management Department of the CBN, Mr. Musa Jimoh in his keynote address at the annual Information Security Society of Africa – Nigeria (ISSAN) Cybersecurity Conference in Lagos, stated that the apex bank was firmly committed to building a sustainable payments ecosystem in the country. He commended ISSAN for organizing the event, stressing that CBN will continue to collaborate with organisations that are committed to addressing the rising activities of cyber-attacks.
Also speaking, President of FinTech Association of Nigeria (FinTechNGR), Ade Bajomo said to adequately address the rising rate of cyber-attacks, organizations should embrace collaboration and information sharing on cyber breaches. According to him, keeping silence on the part of organizations that had been attacked would not help others, stressing that full disclosure, synergy and information sharing on reported cyber-attacks and how it was managed would guide other organizations to put preventive and counter measures in place. He called on organizations to constantly upgrade their technology to counter cyber-attacks, urging them to have data backup.
The Co-founder/Chief Visionary Officer of Digital Encode, Dr. Adewale Peter Obadare, while expressing his views at the panel session, made case for collaboration amongst stakeholders, noting the need to strike the balance between the investments in people, technology, and processes to fight cyber-attack and fraud. He further stated the need to build cybersecurity intelligence quotient, which will comprise of Augmented Intelligence to check what is happening on the system real time, Anticipatory Intelligence to analyse what could happen, and Assistive Intelligence to determine what needs to be done. He recommended that digitization, digitalization and digital transformation should be addressed.
In his welcome address, ISSAN President, Dr. David Isiavwe said the conference was devoted to further expose the new threats and trends in the cyber security space and also offer practical steps on what businesses and individuals need to know and do to check the rising tide of the activities of cyber-criminals. He observed that cyber attackers are getting more sophisticated globally, which is an aftermath of Covid 19 pandemic, stressing that greater awareness must be created to minimize attacks on businesses that may result in losses by various organizations.
Further, Dr. Isiavwe who is also General Manager at Ecobank made case for customer awareness as well as collaboration by all stakeholders.
Other speakers at the conference include Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Digital Jewels Limited, Mrs Adedoyin Odunfa; Founder & CEO, Mint FT Innovative, Mr. Similolu Akinnusi; Chief Information Security Officer, First Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Harrison Nnaji and Managing Partner, Technology Advisors LLP, Basil Udotai, Esq; Others are Group Head, Customer Fulfillment Center, UBA, Mr. Prince Ayewoh; Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Financial Services Limited, Mr. Stanley Jacob; Sales Director (Africa), OneSpan Europe, Mr. Nicholas Poire and Field CTO, OneSpan Europe, Mr. Dan Mcloughin.
ISSAN is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the protection of Nigeria’s cyberspace specifically and the entire cyberspace in Africa, generally.
Parthian Partners wins Inter Dealer Broker of the year, lauded for pioneering IDB model in Nigeria
Parthian Partners Limited, Nigeria’s first interdealer broker and founder of i-invest, the first fixed income investment app in Nigeria, has won the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards for the ‘Interdealer Broker of the Year 2022’ in recognition of its impact and contribution to the overall growth and stability of the fixed income market, its financial performance – credit rating affirmed Bbb+, as well as its innovativeness and growth across different product lines.
According to the organisers of BAFI, the Inter-Dealer Broker of the Year Award was initiated this year in recognition of the critical role this little-publicized corner of the fixed income market’s microstructure plays in ensuring its efficiency. “We congratulate Parthian Partners on the celebration of its tenth anniversary. Reading reports of how the journey of building the first interdealer broker in Nigeria, at a time when the regulations did not even exist, attests to the foresight and determination of the founding team and its backers. This is the type of grit to follow the path less travelled that we celebrate at the BAFI Awards,” they explained.
Commenting on the award, the Group Managing Director of Parthian Partners, Mr. Oluseye Olusoga thanked the staff of the company for their commitment to the actualisation of the company’s vision, while dedicating the award to the firm’s clients. “Since we pioneered the wholesale fixed income financial intermediary model in Nigeria 10 years ago, Parthian Partners has remained steadfast in its commitment to matching buyers and sellers, providing independent data to participants in the fixed income market, enabling confidence in transactions, creating liquidity and price discovery, as well as facilitating the unfettered flow of capital for an efficient market,” he said. He stated that the company will not rest on its laurels but will continue to provide the best services while increasing shareholder value and returns on investment.
Now in its 10th year, the BAFI Awards were created to recognise and celebrate organisations, teams and individuals that are achieving excellence in the delivery of financial services across the entire client and customer spectrum.
THE MEMORY OF PROF. IBIDAPO-OBE COMES ALIVE AS ZENITH BANK NAMES ICONIC UNILAG ALUMNI BUILDING IN HIS HONOUR
The memory of Professor Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, came alive as Zenith Bank Plc named the iconic building housing its Unilag Branch and the University of Lagos (Unilag) Alumni in his honour on Friday, November 25, 2022.
In his opening remarks at the commissioning ceremony, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc and Chairman of the Body of Banks’ CEOs in Nigeria, Mr Ebenezer Onyeagwu, lauded the Founder and Chairman of the bank, Jim Ovia, CFR, for being physically present at the commissioning of the building to honour the memory of his late friend, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, who served on the board of Zenith Bank as a Non-Executive Director, and for his passion for youth education and digital learning.
He noted the remarkable and continued commitment of Jim Ovia, CFR, to education and youth development in Nigeria, especially through the setting up of James Hope College, a co-educational institution which offers a combination of British and Nigerian curricula, and the James Hope University, which is billed to commence academic activities next year. He also extolled his philanthropy through the setting up of the Jim Ovia Foundation and Mankind United in Total Support for Education Initiative, which has awarded scholarships and produced over 1500 graduates from among indigent people who would not have had the benefit of having a university education.
Onyeagwu also recalled how the bank’s partnership with the University of Lagos began in 2001 with the donation of the first ICT centre, when the Founder and Chairman was the Group Managing Director/ CEO of the bank. According to him, “Today, Zenith Bank has built not less than 15 ICT centres in various tertiary institutions and cities all over the country. And I just want to say that no single institution or individual has been able to accomplish what we have done in that respect. And this is a demonstration of the passion our Founder and Chairman has, not just for education, but also for digital learning and computer literacy. This is in addition to several other support to the university, including the institution of Academic Excellence Awards in 2001, where the best graduating students from selected departments – Banking & Finance, Business Administration, Economics and Accounting, receive awards with financial rewards (currently NGN500,000) and employment opportunity, and the donation of 3,500 tablets to enable indigent students of the university to learn online effectively in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic”. Onyeagwu noted that the building is a strong statement of Zenith Bank’s sustainability initiatives as a signatory to several global sustainability frameworks including the United Nations Principles for Responsible Banking, as it incorporates many of the elements that make a facility environmentally friendly and sustainable.
Speaking at the commissioning of the iconic building, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel noted the huge contributions of Zenith Bank and, in particular, Jim Ovia, CFR, a man he described as a father, to the development of Nigeria. In his words,” when you see things being done consistently in the right way, there is always a man pointing in that direction. A lot of people ask me how come you are doing so much in public service; I say I come from a background where my mentor told me that you don’t report efforts, you don’t give excuses, but you report results. So no matter the situation, even in the midst of an economic recession, in the midst of Covid, you should not stop development and performance. As far as you are from the Zenith family, you are expected to have that creativity and ideas that can make you produce results. In Zenith, we say only the paranoid survive. So I really want to appreciate what I am seeing here today”. Whilst thanking the alumni association and the school authority for their collaborative efforts towards achieving capacity development, which he described as the bane of Nigerian society, he expressed his delight and honour to commission a building named after the revered Late Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, who touched and impacted so many people while he was alive.
In his address, the National President of Unilag Alumni Association, Dr. John Momoh, thanked the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank as well as the management of the bank for the magnificent building and Mrs. Sola Ibidapo-Obe for accepting the association’s request to name the building after her husband as a lasting legacy in his honour. He encouraged everyone to take good care of and maintain the building to serve the university community for years to come.
In her remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, acknowledged the invaluable contributions of Zenith Bank to the development of the school, promising to work with the Alumni association to ensure that the facility serves not only the Alumni but also the entire students populace. She thanked the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, CFR, for donating 3,500 tablets to the university, which ensured that students who could not afford laptops for e-learning during the covid-19 pandemic were not left behind.
In her remarks, the wife of the Late Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, Mrs. Sola Ibidapo-Obe, thanked the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, CFR, for immortalising her late husband with such a great edifice named after him. Recalling how close he was to her late husband, Mrs Ibidapo-Obe said: “You are my husband’s friend. Dr. Jim Ovia has demonstrated the love that does not die in his friendship with my beloved husband. When he fell ill, Dr. Jim Ovia was there from day one till the last moment. I could feel the way he felt. From then, I knew that he was a genuine friend. He tried his best to ensure my husband survived, but he did not”.
The iconic building, which sits on a total site area of 950m2, was constructed by a team of world-class builders who had the mandate of delivering the best quality possible. The iconic structure is a smart building that incorporates many of the elements that make a facility environmentally friendly and sustainable, including a grid-tie solar system that sustains power load on solar and not on a generator or national grid, an inverter-driven VRF air conditioning system and motion sensor lighting to enhance energy efficiency, perforated aluminium composite panels for natural lighting and ventilation, free Wi-Fi system to provide internet access for students, fire management systems, including fire hydrant, smoke detector, and fire alarm system, and a LED screen installed on the building for the dissemination of information. The iconic building will house the Unilag Branch of Zenith Bank Plc and the operations of Unilag Alumni. Of the total 1,665m2 of floor area designated for office use in the four-storey building, 585m2 will be used by Unilag Alumni.
Jigawa Flood: Abdul Samad Rabiu to the Rescue Again
Leading African Industrialist, philanthropist and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, through his ASR Africa Initiative, has donated a 200million Naira to the Jigawa State Flood Disaster Committee to provide emergency relief efforts for those affected by the recent flooding across the state. This donation by ASR Africa will be channelled towards support for internally displaced persons, provision of food items, medicine, and rebuilding communities destroyed by the recent floods.
Speaking on the donation, Abdul Samad Rabiu, said that the adverse impact of climate change remains a clear and present danger to human security and development in the global south. “Nigeria, and Africa, contribute less than 6% of global emissions yet bear the biggest brunt of the negative impact of climate change. The recent flooding in Jigawa and elsewhere across Nigeria, and Africa are a pointer to that. Whilst we must continue to advocate for a better deal at all levels for countries most affected by climate change, we have a responsibility towards our people to mitigate the impact of the recent floods on them and their livelihood.”
Rabiu went further to state that the 200million Naira donation to Jigawa state will be channelled properly to intended recipients and monitored within the ASR Africa mutual accountability framework to ensure judicious use.
The Governor of Jigawa State, Muhammed Badaru, expressed appreciation for the donation, and urged the committee to be equitable and just in the distribution of the palliatives and cash.
Over the past three years, the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative’s fund for Social Development and Renewal, and the BUA Foundation, have actively intervened in various humanitarian activities within Nigeria and Africa from COVID-19-related support to health, education, social development, and security interventions.
