LESSONS FROM THE BANK DRAMA!

I was driving home that day Friday the 14th of August 2009, when I heard on the radio the sad news of the banks chiefs who had been unceremoniously removed, it came like a bolt of lightning to me and I am still reeling from the great shock especially because of the personalities involved especially Dr Erastus Akingbola nd the great amazon of banking Mrs Cecilia Ibru!

I kept muttering to myself and wondering what had happened and why they were treated so after spending many years working to build a brand that has come to become not just household names but super brands that was beginning to command international recognition.

Already a lot of speculations and comments are flying regarding the bank tsunami and I there say that I hear reliably that most of the banks are down with one fever or the other, so why examine just five and dismiss their chiefs and boards?

The Central Bank Governor only just took up the mantle of leadership why act so hastily because at the end of the day the whole exercise he will only help to destabilize the frail and unwell Nigerian Economy.

We all know there is a global melt down and every area and facet of business has been negatively affected, even in America, where banks were failing everyday, the government chose to bail out a lot of the ailing companies rather than sack the helmsman of these big companies.

I just really feel pained by the whole banking saga and my heart goes to the five chiefs involved; now my reason for writing this piece is not about the reasons for the removal of these bank chiefs but rather the lessons to learn from the whole event!For me life is always about learning for to grow, and prosper you must continue to learn, we are to learn from other’s missed steps, from nature, from our different environments a, from our worlds, from ourselves, and from Our God and Maker.

Like I said this is a personal sentiment because I do not have the facts and figures on hand so, I cannot write as an authority about what happened?, detailing who is right and who is wrong?
I am only looking deeply and closely about the human angle and only trying to reiterate the wisdom of God from the situation.

These are some of the lessons that I have seen from the banking saga.

Lesson No. 1

Nothing lasts forever. Life is about changes and change is the only constant thing in life.

Lesson No. 2.

No man is indispensable, everyone will have their time and their say, so while you are at the top of your game and the greatest in your field, remember to do good to all as much as you can because life can twist and turn and you never know what will happen next, who would have thought that ,five top bank chiefs will lose their jobs in one day! That is a national tsunami!

Lesson No. 3

Things do not always appear as them seem and they do not always seem as they appear.

Lesson No. 4

Life always give to each man his day of trouble, so you must be prepared for tests, trials and some temptations and some dose of tribulation, so be PRAYERFUL, PURPOSEFUL and PREPARED always!

Lesson No. 5

Act fast! Do not keep procrastinating and post phoning, opportunity can be here today and gone tomorrow.

Lesson No. 6

Your office, your position, your status and even wealth all can disappear in a flash so learn to diversify and not just put all your eggs in one basket. Also life might take all you have in terms of material and financial wealth, but it cannot take your knowledge, neither can it take away your memorable experiences.

Lesson No. 7

Do not just focus on work! Work! Work! Learn to build great and wonderful relationships on your way to the top, because you might need these people on your way down, as a leader don’t be high handed and unapproachable only concerned about the bottom line and the the naira and kobo only, people matter, they can make or mar you.

Lesson No. 8.

Tsunamis don’t only come in the form of earthquakes, you can also suffer emotional trauma that can be rightly described as a tsunami. Some situations can happen that affect every area and facet of our lives and we must be grounded in God and fortified by Him so that our crisis can be seen as an opportunity to try again and to do better next time.

Lesson No. 9

Not all that glitters is gold! Do not choose a career based on just the financials alone. Most bankers will be uneasy, fretful and worry, with the present examinations that the CBN is carrying out because most banks in order to be viable and profitable so that they are not axed will begin to cut off those that are weak and unproductive on their jobs and they will go all out to recruit the best hands In the country.Some years ago a lot of young Nigerians would die just to be a banker, today the tide has changed and the story is different, which is why I have always been an advocate of following of hearts, fulfilling our God given purposes and living out our passions as our jobs rather than choose jobs that seemingly looks like the in thing to do and be? We must shun materialism and crass living which stems from a love of money that has bedeviled our leaders and our youths of today. The average Nigerian wants to be rich overnight, wants to drive a hummer jeep and wear a Gucci watch and live in banana island? The love of money is the root of all evil, if you love money and you get greedy then you will be prepared to go to any length to get money and live a lie for a life.

Lesson No. 10.

Great men come and great men go, the TRUTH lives forever, even facts can be tampered with and altered, but you can do nothing about the Truth. It remains what it always was the truth!

Lesson No. 11

Better a rough and horrible start and a wonderful and great end than a great beginning and a horrible and terrible end.

Lesson No. 12.

Life is dynamic. Change is inevitable. Life is transient. People change. Places change. GOD ALONE should be relied upon, trusted and worshipped.

I want us to ponder on these questions as we come to the end of this piece,

1. What do we hold dear? What do we treasure?

2. What will we die for?

3. What will we live for?

4. Are we only concerned about the bottom line?

5. Are we only moved by the numbers?

6. What about tomorrow?

7. What about our legacy?

8. What about posterity?

9. What about our children?

10. What about the place called there?

11. What about your real self, the true you that only you know and understand?

12. What about the finished work of Christ on the Cross of Calvary?

Dr. Myles Munroe an international speaker, author and prophet did prophecy that in this year 2009! Everything that can be shaken will be shaken, and true to his word, everything is been shaken, and only the grounded and strong will survive these times!

My admonition is that we;

1.Rebuild our lives, by rebuilding our foundations, it is okay to point the finger, but in us all is a seed of bad, that if not cut off can ruin our lives, it is time to amend our ways, a lot of us wear the toga of righteousness but our righteousness is pseudo, if judgment, can come so suddenly from the duo of President Yar A dua and the CBN Chief, how much more gory and scary will the judgment of God be? God is good! God is merciful. God is faithful. God is also just and will one day judge us all for all our doings. Lets live with the benefit of insight for hindsight and let us clean up our lives and be a good representative of our GOD, our Maker! When we are good as a people our nation becomes good too, because a nation is really just it’s people!

2.Let us that call on the name of God depart from iniquity and shun everything that is evil, diabolical and ungodly, let us instead imbibe, the virtues of hardwork, honesty, integrity, dedication, and commitment to worthy causes!

3.Let us realize that life is a learning center and a training ground, the banking tsunami that has hit our polity and our Nation is a great food for thought!

What do you think?

Copyright @ VICTORIA FADEYI AUGUST 18, 2009!