The United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) once again demonstrated its commitment to excellence in customer service, by staff who have strived to implement the Bank’s core values of Enterprise, Excellence and Execution.
Eko Hotel Expo Centre, Lagos, Nigeria, the United Bank for Africa gathered customers, captains of industry, dignitaries from politics and diplomacy, staff and Board members from its 19 African country network, to witness the 2017 UBA CEO Awards.
The prestigious annual event was first established in 2008 to celebrate outstanding performance within the UBA Pan-African family, showcasing excellence, significant innovation and service in key areas of the Group’s business.
UBA’s industry-leading recent promotion of 3000 staff members illustrated the Bank’s appreciation of their contributions and their service delivery to customers. Amongst a distinguished audience, the Bank and senior management on Saturday night again celebrated its staff at the CEO Awards Ceremony, in UBA’s inimitable style – bringing together Lions and Lionesses from across Nigeria and Africa.
Over 10 Awards were given. Of each award category, the GMD, Kennedy Uzoka said: “We recognise and appreciate that there are so many staff members who have demonstrated aspects of each of our core values, but we have had to single out the very best. We celebrate our Lions and Lionesses who used their ingenuity and creativity, as well as their industry experience and passion, to work tirelessly to deliver excellent service to our customers and to continue to achieve exceptional results within the Group.”
There were winners who had excelled in innovation and execution across Africa. There were also those who were rewarded for their entrepreneurial abilities. The CEO of UBA Ghana, Mrs Abiola Bawuah was chosen in the special award category of “Business Leader who defied all odds and opened up new opportunities for the Bank”. Mrs Bawuah was described by the GMD as ‘a relentless CEO who breaks barriers, extends the horizon and motivates, inspires and encourages others.’
The Award which stole the show went to Ibrahim Ogbanagbo, the UBA security staff at the UBA Oba Akran branch in Lagos, who found $10,000 cash belonging to a customer and returned it to the customer. Ogbanagbo talked about how the $10,000 could have changed his life and how he could have taken it, but how his upbringing, as well as UBA’s value and focus on Integrity would never have allowed him to do so. He was given the Excellence Award for his display of honesty and integrity.
The Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu went on stage to congratulate Ogbonagbo personally. Elumelu said that Ogbanagbo exemplified someone who is committed to the hallmarks of Excellence in the execution of his duties.
“This is an example to us all. How anyone, no matter their position in our Group can distinguish themselves and set an example. Today, we stand here to celebrate a junior UBA staff member, who returned money that was misplaced and who through this action, gained much more than he could ever have imagined. As a leading pan-African bank, this is what we stand for and we commend Ibrahim Ogbonagbo for living the principle of integrity.”