The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman, has stated that the banking industry offers purpose to those who work in it, News About Nigeria reports.
He said this while speaking at the 2024 Stream 1 graduate induction and prize giving day of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN held in Lagos, themed ‘Ethics and Professionalism: A Prerequisite for Building Sustainable Career and Institution’, on Saturday.
He noted that no professional banker who is not a bank owner or owner manager can attain the status of being a billionaire, noting that the bank does not make people billionaires but rather offers purpose and a higher level of service.
He, therefore, urged the newly-inducted members of CIBN, to hold the institution in the highest possible esteem, adding that the only thing that is traded in banking is trust, and without trust, there is no banking.
“By virtue of being a professional in employee status, that is not the road map to ‘billionaireship’ unless you are a thief and you are not. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be bothered becoming certified, taking your professional career so seriously, if all you are interested in is to make money.
“If you are looking for a purpose, banking will offer you a purpose. And there is a lot that banking can offer you if you are looking for a higher level of service. But if you are looking for wealth and to ride private jets, your ambition has already denied you the ability to be ethical,” he said.
Speaking also, the President and Chairman of the Council of the CIBN, Ken Opara, highlighted the need for ethics and professionalism, listing some of the initiatives of the institute to drive them.
According to him, in recent years, the financial services industry has faced numerous challenges and controversies that have underscored the critical need for a renewed focus on ethics and professionalism.
He maintained that by fostering a culture of ethical conduct and continuous learning, the integrity of the banking profession can be upheld.
CIBN inducted 485 graduates, comprising 18 from the CBMBA route, four from the MSc/ACIB route, 33 from the collaboration with Lagos Business School on the Chartered Bankers route, 281 from the regular examination route, and 149 candidates as Microfinance Certified Bankers.
