BY FIDELITY MHLANGA
Pan African financial institution, United Bank for Africa (UBA), founded by Nigerian billionaire Tony Elumelu with operations in 20 African countries and in the United Kingdom, the United States and France, last week celebrated 70 years of operations at a colourful ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria.
Clients, friends and well-wishers from all walks of life joined the UBA Group led by chairman Elumelu, to commemorate 70 years of legacy with the organisation, which has over the decades entrenched its footprint in the financial services industry and philanthropy.
CEO members of staff from all 23 countries of operations who excelled over the past year were rewarded in the midst of thousands of guests.
Elumelu, accompanied by his wife Awele, remarked that UBA remains a leading financial institution on the continent and hitting the 70th-year mark was a laudable achievement.
“It is a time to celebrate UBA’s rich heritage and legacy over 70 years and to tell everyone who has contributed to what UBA is today, that we appreciate all they have been doing and how they have ensured that the investments put into the bank over the past decades have paid off,” Elumelu said.
Elumelu invited all past chairmen, board members and management as well as senior staff both past and present to the stage.
“These are cherished moments for us, and we’d like to thank all of you who have made it possible for us to be where we are today,” he said.
“Thank you to everyone, our customers, stakeholders and those who have passed through UBA and worked hard to lay a solid foundation for creating a foremost institution. It is an evening worth celebrating for us all. Seventy years is a huge number, a milestone achievement.”
The group’s MD-cum-CEO, Kennedy Uzoka, spoke about the banks’ achievements over the past 70 years and commended staff for their hard work and resilience, which has contributed to UBA retaining its position as Africa’s top bank of choice.
In attendance at the epic night of activities, were royal fathers, captains of industry, political leaders, clients and friends of the bank. Some of the guests at the event were the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye, Enitan Ogunwusi; the Emir of Kano represented by the Sarkin Shanun of Kano, Alhaji Shehu Mohammed; former and present governors of Cross Rivers State, Donald Duke and Ben Ayade; governors-elect of Lagos, Ogun and Kwara states, Babajide Sanwo-olu, Dapo Abiodun and AbdulRahman AbdulRazak.
Also present were Pastor Tunde Bakare, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Otunba Gbenga Daniels, Chief Segun Osoba; Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Jim Ovia, Oba Otudeko, Nnamdi Okonkwo and Rasheed Olaoluwa, among many others.