The Chartered Institute of bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) on Saturday inaugurated Mr Ken Opara as the 22nd President/Chairman of Council to manage its affairs from 2022 to 2024.
Opara promised to transform and move the institute to greater heights, and that he would ensure the institute’s primary business shaped the future of financial intermediation.
Opara, who was sworn in by Justice A. Olateru-Olagbegi, at the Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, unveiled his strategic pillars/agenda tagged, “FUTURE.”
He said the institute would focus on six key strategic pillars: Financial innovation and transformation, Dealing with industry Uncertainties, Trade and finance collaboration.
Others are: Unveiling pathways for membership growth, Reengineering and Rebranding the industry’s business model around Gen Z and Ethical conduct and governance.
Opara noted that with globalisation, the future was largely defined by technology, innovation, efficiency, functional optimisation and fast changing lifestyle.
He stressed that the youthful segment of the society was more characterised by these changes, adding that there was the need to drive initiatives that would attract them.
“Nigeria has one of the highest youth populations in the world out of which 62.26 per cent are within the age of 24 years or younger.
“This demography is aspirational, inquisitive, exploring, innovative, internet-savvy, outspoken, confident, cherishes independence, abhors rigidity as opposed to flexibility, spontaneous and they engage in self-love and expression.
“It becomes, therefore, imperative that practitioners should wake up to the smell of this coffee and weave strategy, operations and practice around the youth,” he said.
Opara further said while concerns around safety, control, stability and processes were quite germane, ignoring the existence of this phenomenon whose time had come would be at the peril of any operator.
The CIBN president pledged that CIBN under his administration would play a pivotal role between the practitioners and the regulators while ensuring adherence to sound corporate governance and ethical behaviour.
The newly inaugurated chairman also assured that he would complete and commission the remaining key projects of his predecessor, adding that he would be doing additional legacy projects.
The institute’s immediate past president, Dr Bayo Olugbemi, thanked the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Dr Rabiu Olowo, and other stakeholders for the support given him during his tenure.
“Today, as I pass on the baton to Dr Ken Opara, whom I have known for many years as a seasoned banking professional, I am absolutely convinced that he would take the institute to greater heights.
“We are now in a new era characterised by digital transformation and other technological advancements post covid.
“As we progress in this new era, I believe that Dr Opara and his team would expertly navigate this new terrain finding more ingenious ways to add value,” Olugbemi said.
Other newly elected officers are: Pius Olanrewaju, 1st Vice President; Oladele Alabi, 2nd Vice President and Mojisola Bakare-Asieru, National Treasurer.
Others in the Governing Council are: Victor Aguwah, Olayinka Odutola, Mary Aina and Segun Oshadare.
(NAN)
