Amidst pomp and pageantry, the outgoing Managing Director/CEO of Sterling Bank, Mr. Yemi Adeola, was celebrated by staff, family, friends and well-wishers on the occasion of his 59th birthday at the imposing Sterling Towers edifice on the Marina.

The high octane surprise birthday celebration totally caught the cerebral and amiable Chief Executive Officer unawares. It was indeed a befitting valedictory birthday celebration for the gentleman highly regarded within the Sterling Bank family as a role model, inspirational leader, friend, father figure and big boss.

His office was decorated overnight to ensure that nothing goes wrong as Mr. Adeola is a consistent early bird, leading by example when it comes to punctuality.

The bank also leveraged its first of the type in the banking industry internal radio station, Radio One, to celebrate the banking guru.

Adeola was pleasantly surprised on his way to his office by the heartfelt shout-outs from family, friends and all cadre of the bank’s employee.

It was a show of love for Adeola all the way from the front desk on the ground floor to his 16th Floor office which became a Mecca of sorts for excited employees.

Indeed, it was a remarkable day to remember in the life of the ex-Lecturer turned Banker who has steered the wheel of progress of one of Nigeria’s finest Banking Institutions, Sterling Bank for about 10 years as the wishes and accolades kept pouring in from far and wide.

His ‘backbone’ wife who was actively involved in the surprise party plan, turned up in his office at about the same time with the Nigerian Footballing Legend, Jay jay Okocha, to wish the astute banking icon a very happy birthday. Adeola surely had a birthday to remember.

The ‘Big Boss’ was surprised at the show of love. In his words, “You guys really surprised me, I was not even meant to be at work today as I was scheduled to travel out of Lagos, but my family insisted I do not.”

If there is any lesson for all to learn from Adeola’s tenure at Sterling Bank, it is the fact that there are decent men in the murky waters of the Nigerian banking industry.

Unlike the cut throat politics that characterise boardrooms, Adeola was the rallying point for both management and board of the bank such that his attempt to retire about eight years into his tenure was flatly rejected in 2016.

Though not due for retirement, the cool, calm and exemplary Adeola eventually had his way and has proceeded on early retirement ahead of the expiration of his ten year tenure in 2019. We can only wish one of the few good men we know the best of success in his future endeavours.