@POLITICSNGR

The Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, in a new video, has recounted fond memories of arriving Lagos as a university graduate and leveraging on the numerous opportunities offered by the Centre of Excellence to establish Zenith bank, which has grown to become one of Africa’s biggest global financial institutions.

Describing his experience in Lagos as “very interesting”, Ovia recounted the story of a city that has provided business and entertainment opportunities in equal measure, enabling upwardly mobile young men and women to pursue their dreams, innovate, transform and achieve beyond their imaginations.

He said, “Lagos has been a very interesting experience for most people who’d come to Lagos over a number of years… people like us – members of my age group and peer group – that had the opportunity to come to Lagos and work, and also transform a number of things.


Ovia added, “As far back as in the early ‘70s, I used to work at Barclays Bank, the good old days of Barclays Bank, which transformed to become Union Bank.

“I used to be a clerical officer at the Ikeja (Oba Akran Avenue) branch and it was very interesting how we used to take the LMTS buses – you remember the LMTS buses of those days. Yes, truly, truly so. We grew up under this kind of situation where things were well-organised and things are still very well-organized today. That was when Lagos used to bubble, but not anywhere near as it is today.”


He recalled that most university graduates in the early ‘70s thought of Lagos as the land where every dream was realisable, and one could have fun while achieving the dream, whatever it was.

“After university education, we thought Lagos was the only place where you could come and work, and also enjoy social life,” he noted. “So, we continued in the Lagos that we’d known because we called ourselves Lagos boys. (I) did my NYSC at Union Bank at 131 Broad Street. Remember Broad Street is the equivalent of Wall Street of New York. And we all know (what) Wall Street had become over a number of years – all the most multinationals as well as the large financial institutions were at Wall Street at that point in time.

Then from after the NYSC, I started working for First National Bank of Chicago. We used to call it IMB – International Merchant Bank. And from then on, because Lagos provides very interesting opportunities, we all had opportunities to combine resources and have what we call Zenith Bank, at Ajose Adeogun (Victoria Island).

We built it, maintained it, lit it up and today it is one of the most lit-up streets in Nigeria.

According to him, the urge to beautify and add to the allure of Lagos led the bank to provide, on a yearly basis, one-of-a-kind Christmas decorations and lights around its headquarters in Ajose Adeogun Street for the viewing pleasure of children on vacation.

“We do that every year for the fun of it as a way of saying thank you to Lagos,” he said, “As we could see at the penthouse of the Civic Centre Towers, we can overlook how beautiful Lagos is, overlooking the Falomo Bridge and the beautiful Lagoon, the Number 5 Cowry, and all the beautiful structures above. Of course, the ever busy Lekki Concession Road, which is also the continuation of Ozumba Mbadiwe Street.

He recounted how every young men and women of the time considered a regular visit to Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s African Shrine in Ikeja as an essential ingredient of Lagos life.

“We remember in those good old days, Fela Ransome-Kuti, the Afrobeat King. We all used to go to Fela Ransome-Kuti’s and relax. And of course such music as Shakara Oloje was our favourite. Fela was just number one then. We couldn’t go anywhere else then but Fela’s African Shrine. We remember the African Shrine and that was a lot of fun for us.”

According to him, one could never truly claim to live in Lagos without visiting the Bar Beach, on the Lagos Atlantic coastline.

“And of course Bar Beach. We used to go to Bar Beach in those good old days. Going to Bar Beach was like fun. You go there to watch the water, the waves,” he said.

“What else is there to do in Lagos? Quite a number of things, a number of activities: Lagos is always very welcoming, very relaxing.

“Other than the hustle, bustle, business activities and the profit you make, there are many places where you can spend those profits also.”


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7o2CeN04XE

https://politicsngr.com/zenith-bank-chairman-tells-incredible-lagos-success-story/

Interesting... Watch out for my story soon

We should have more of this on this platform. Such would wake up the giant in you.

Big man


But his love for light skin babes

Mam wey sabi beta food

Thank you Jim! You are such an inspiration to many Nigerians, including me

Is it true he wees through a tube?

I will be happy if it were not so

It is well.

Ok, av heard you, but today lagos? SHAKUSHAKU has taken over

Inspiring, but currently the state has been designed to collect more from you than it gives.

and now there are no jobs for the growing population, if the government can only invest massively in electricity, Nigeria would have changed a long time ago.. imagine having 24 hours light.. trust me, the level of unemployment will reduce

Cock grows from an egg

These men needs to write books that will help to prospective entrepreneurs

It s painful that it's so hard to get up the ladder in Nigeria of today especially if you have no tie with influential and the elite of the day. My dad told us how things were really working in Nigeria in the 70's like Oga Jim just said. Even people who schooled abroad came back Nigeria immediately after their education because the country was so hopeful and organized.

Compared to what we have today. Nigeria no longer work for the young generation. Our youth end up as yahoo boys, prostitutes, financial ritualist, political thugs.... It's so painful that the people that are wrecking the country now are those tge country worked for in the 70's.

Oga Jim, thanks for sharing, Sir.

Hustle hustle hustle hard.


Lagos is truly a Land of massive opportunities.


I have obviously benefitted positively from its numerous opportunities.

However, some of the major challenges are accommodation, traffic, congestion and high rate of air pollution. The atmosphere is hazardous.

Sometimes I just wish I was grown in the early 70’s when life was pretty easy and virtually owning a university degree makes you successful.

This is the kind of story we want to hear,not Alakija that instead of telling you the truth about her wealth she will be saying 'na god','grace'.

My success story loading, you guys should watch out for meee

Lies

Outstanding... ive heard the story b4 he used to be a clerk then resigned and made other progressions and started zenith 1st branch quite small b4 expanding

Pinoralia:
It s painful that it's so hard to get up the ladder in Nigeria of today especially if you have no tie with influential and the elite of the day. My dad told us how things were really working in Nigeria in the 70's like Oga Jim just said. Even people who schooled abroad came back Nigeria immediately after their education because the country was so hopeful and organized.

Compared to what we have today. Nigeria no longer work for the young generation. Our youth end up as yahoo boys, prostitutes, financial ritualist, political thugs.... It's so painful that the people that are wrecking the country now are those tge country worked for in the 70's.

Oga Jim, thanks for sharing, Sir.

The reason is simple; aboki took over the nation and between 1967 to 1999 turned it to AbokiLand. The country is only now trying to recover those lost years. It can only truely recover if we take away power from aboki

“We do that every year for the fun of it as a way of saying thank you to Lagos,”

It is obvious that people who achieve great success in life often have a different way of thinking.

He said thank you Lagos, while losers whose only possessions are their Chinese made mobile phones are on nairaland claiming they built Lagos. Irony of life.

Ok

iamswizz:
and now there are no jobs for the growing population, if the government can only invest massively in electricity, Nigeria would have changed a long time ago.. imagine having 24 hours light.. trust me, the level of unemployment will reduce

..."no job!"...thats the wrong mentality that turns people into criminals anywhere in the world

The right mindset to succeed anywhere in the world including Lagos is :

--- don't wait for opportunities but create ur own opportunities . How?....loook for something that people need and create a market by providing that need. It's never an easy journey but with a good vision and perseverance u will always triumph if u make efforts to understand ur market.

--- another reason that no one has to wait for opportunities is that with amount of information on the internet and social media u can basically build an empire by just lying on ur bed in ur room. E.g. look at Seun of nairaland and Linda ikeji.

Just believe in urself and do something positive and u will always win

GeoOla25:
Sometimes I just wish was grown in the early 70’s when life was pretty easy and virtually a owning a university degree makes you successful.

don't wish just be grateful for life

Are you telling me that Jim Ovia did not come to Lagos from his village in Delta with awesome wealth?

So he came to Lagos to develop himself financially, and not that he came with his village wealth to develop Lagos?


Kenekings and his fellow clansmen need to see this Lagos wonder. Always lamenting that their brothers should return home to invest as though the money they have now in Lagos was brought from the village. Meanwhile, they root themselves in Lagos, afraid to return to the barren lend they forsook, yet are clamouring for others to return.

Jim Ovia has made his wealth in Lagos and he has paid his tax and dues to Lagos. Those who are in the village and are not happy with his progress should come force him back to his village.

Sadly, there is no bar beach anymore.

Throwback:
Are you telling me that Jim Ovia did not come to Lagos from his village in Delta with awesome wealth?

So he came to Lagos to develop himself financially, and not that he came with his village wealth to develop Lagos?


Kenekings and his fellow clansmen need to see this Lagos wonder. Always lamenting that their brothers should return home to invest as though the money they have now in Lagos was brought from the village. Meanwhile, they root themselves in Lagos, afraid to return to the barren lend they forsook, yet are clamouring for others to return.

Jim Ovia has made his wealth in Lagos and he has paid his tax and dues to Lagos. Those who are in the village and are not happy with his progress should come force him back to his village.

Leave those "Igbo Amaka" fools who only appear on Nairaland.

Lagos is the land of "opportunities" to beat. It can be overrated a lot, though.

I'm not Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa, but Lagos has that reputation. PortHarcourt, Kano and Abuja follows.

It's what every tribe in Nigeria knows. They only pretend to be stupid sometimes

mrsage:
Interesting... Watch out for my story soon

And mine oo its success all d way

Skepticus:


Leave those "Igbo Amaka" fools who only appear on Nairaland.

Lagos is the land of "opportunities" to beat. It can be overrates a lot, though.

It's what every tribe in Nigeria knows. They only pretend to be stupid sometimes

Because u want to insult we Igbos dats y u said " it can be overrates" instead of it can be overrated. U try

All These Nigerian Billionaires nowdays;

..First Paddy Adenuga carry chevron story give us, come dey chase @realbriamyles upandan for IG..

..Otedola sef follow join IG too dey form Ote$ with the money.

..Alakija con give us small oil well throwback testimony for twitter but nigerians wise up for am.

..Elumelu still dey dia dey carry first for who post picture pass with flavour and co with each blessed day.

..Now! Ovia wey all dis years dey form most coded billionaire in africa wan come dey share him "If-only-you-know-what-i-suffered-when-i-enter-lagos" super story.

Oga, Please keep your money and your super story to yourself, We are not really interested.

cnonyechi:


Because u want to insult we Igbos dats y u said " it can be overrates" instead of it can be overrated. U try

What are you saying?

Criticize my spelling error, which isn't special than trying to lump your tribal bias into it.

Igbos are great people. You are just stupid.