By Eric Elezuo
In continuation of the first class activities lined up to celebrate its 125 years milestone in the banking industry, Nigeria premier financial institution, FirstBank Nigeria Limited, has hosted an economy reviving lecture.
The pot pourri of events, which kicked off March 1, with flag hoisting, successfully continued with a splendid lecture, delivered by one of the industry’s best and Turkish-born American Economist, Professor Daron Acemoglu, who also is the author of the bestseller, “Why Nations Fail” at the prestigious Convention Centre of the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, and a gala nite much later at the same venue.
In his analytical lecture titled “Institutional Impact on Economic Growth and Improved Living Standard” shortly after the Group Chairman, FBN Holdings Plc, Dr Oba Otudeko CFR, has emotionally delivered a welcome address, which exalted the ”extremely remarkable” achievements of FirstBank in 125 years, Prof Acemoglu presented a trend which suggests that “constant development of education and health” will see to the growth of African democracies.
With clear cut demographic figures through analytical power point presentation, Acemoglu held his audience spellbound, centring his conviction on his High Quality Growth Prospect in an Emerging World through which he profered adequate technical inputs for growth. Some of them include: employment growth, wage growth for all and health and education for all.
Acemoglu’s well grounded lecture, which explicitly proved the One Lecture, Huge Impact narrative, was immediately followed by a plenary session on Global Interdependency as Catalyst for Africa’s Ascedency, moderated by renowned Economist and Associate Professor, Lagos Business School, Dr. Doyin Salami.
The members of the highly professional panel were Professor Daron Acemoglu, Nigeria’s Honorable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed; Ghan
a’s Honorable Minister for Budget and Planning, Mr. George Gyan-Baffour; Managing Director/CEO, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority; Mr. Uche Orji and Country Managing Director, International Finance Corporation, Mrs. Eme Essien.
In their various good will messages, Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari and the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, who were ably represented by Mrs. Zainab Ahmed and the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, respectively, lauded the board, management and staff of FirstBank for a job well done in the last 125 years and counting.
The well attended programme had in attendance former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor and Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who is an integral part of the FirstBank family; Dr. Oba Otudeko, Chairman, FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, Mrs Ibukun Awosika, MD/CEO, FirstBank, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan; Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN; Representatives of the Olu of Warri, Mr. U. K. Eke among many other notable guests.
In his vote of thanks, the CEO, FirstBank, Dr. Adeduntan, thanked everyone who has found time to celebrate with the organization, promising that they will continue to up the game and set new standards for the benefit of its clients and the society in general.
He noted that FirstBank remains the only financial institution that can be found in the nook and cranny of the country with over 750 branches, stressing they will continue to serve in perpertuity, innovation and lead the path to disrupting standards and setting new ones.
“We will be here for our stakeholders for another 125 years,” he concluded.
