125 years anniversary: First Bank embarks on 125km relay walk to greatness

Temitope Adebayo

First Bank of Nigeria Limited and other corporate entities in the FBNHoldings group, over the weekend collectively had a 125km Relay Walk to celebrate the Bank’s 125 years of unbroken business operations in commemoration of its 125 years anniversary.

The 125km Relay Walk which carried out at different locations across Nigeria and other countries where the Bank operates is among the many activities lined-up to celebrate the Bank’s impact and contribution to the growth and development of Nigeria over the years.

Speaking with our correspondent at the Ikorodu Road Team for the Relay Walk, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, FBN Insurance Brokers Ltd, Mr. Val Ojunah said,

“The real significance of the relay is to remember that over the 125 years, people started it and handed it over to younger people, it’s been going from generation to generation, so essence of this relay work as you are seeing, current day leader hand over to the millennial going forward.”

Speaking further, he said: “It means sustainability, commitment to the future; it means service excellent, it means the name first bank as it stands today will live forever.

Commenting on the number of the staff member that participated, the FBN Insurance boss said, “We actually had 280 people, men and women, family and customer alike joining us for this morning walk, very exciting moment.

Explaining why the group embarked on a Relay Walk and not a marathon, he said,

“Marathon is obviously the big short lift, the essence of relay is to remember and working as a team, actually the essence is the teamwork, handling over from one team to the other going forward, so is not an individual effort, is a group effort.

According to Dr Adesola Adeduntan, the Chief Executive Officer, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, “the 125km Relay Walk is a representation of the collaborative effort of not just FirstBank but all entities in our holding company, FBNHoldings,

that have in the last 125 years impacted lives and contributed to the growth and development of our host communities and countries where we do businesses.

At FirstBank, we are proud of the strides made across these locations where we operate as without the effort of all staff – past and present – as well as our customers and stakeholders, there would be no FirstBank.

The 125km is a mark of our incredible journey of delivering impeccable financial services to our customers as we leave no stone upturned to remain an icon of admiration in today’s financial services industry in Africa.”

Speaking on the significance of the ‘Relay Walk”, Adeduntan explains that the Relay Walk is a collaborative effort to achieve a symbolic 125km.

He added“It is also a representation of the FirstBank brand in the last 125 years; our people, the teamwork, partnership and the collective spirit which has shown that as a team, together we can do and achieve more.

It is neither a marathon, nor a sprint, but a surefooted, steady walk we have taken in the last 125 years.”