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| Headquarters of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Tinubu Square, Lagos, before it was moved to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. |
My father has a younger brother, whose name is Simon. Uncle Sim, as I fondly call him, was a chartered accountant with of one of the most-flourishing commercial banks in Nigeria. He is now a business and financial consultant, after his retirement from the bank some years ago.
Uncle Sim has been fond of me since I was a toddler till now that I’m a fully grown adult and a mother. He still buys me gifts and presents as he used to do when I was in school. Some people even mistake him for my biological father.
Apart from buying me gifts, he always invited me to his house to spend my holidays. He was the first person to give me the opportunity of visiting Lagos and Abuja for the first time. He was also the first person to give me the opportunity of visiting the United Kingdom on holidays for the first time.
I walked up to him one day, during one of those holidays that I spent in his house, and disclosed my interest to become a banker after my education to him and he was happy about it. In response to that, he sat me down and explained to me all that I needed to become a good and successful banker.
“Banking as a profession,” he observed, “is a business of honesty and integrity. Those who practise it and who wish to practice it must always learn to be honest in the real sense of the word because their job entails working and watching over other people’s money, valuables, among others.
“Again, a good professional banker, like other professionals, need a good level of education or training at least on the job.
“I enjoin you, therefore, to be serious with your studies. After your secondary education, which you’re pursuing now, I’d advise that you go for a university education, not necessarily in banking.
“This has to be followed by the acquisition of some professional qualifications, either from the Chartered Institute of Bankers, CIBN, or the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, or both. All these, among other training, would prepare you well for your chosen career.
“I wish you the best in your studies till you achieve your goal. May God see you through. Amen.”
Story By Agatha
…to be continued
