OFFERED POLITICAL SCIENCE ADMISSION? WHY YOU SHOULD NOT WAIL
I have received many emails and verbal enquiries from younger ones, expressing displeasure over their being offered Political Science by the university of their choice, instead of economics or accounting or law that they wish to study.
They believe this course is not marketable. Some believe it’s a “Dugbe” course that will not command them respect among their peers. Pol Science is one of the most derided courses in Nigeria. It is common to hear things like “I’m not surprised, he’s studying political science”, said condescendingly.
Well, good news. First Bank, Nigeria’s premier bank and one of the biggest banks, has 6 Executive Directors now.
Guess how many of them studied Political Science for first degree? 3, out of 6. That’s 50%. Yes, of the 6 highest decision makers in First Bank, 3 studied political science, from Ahmadu Bello University, University of Lagos and Obafemi Awolowo University.
They didn’t study Economics, they didn’t study Accounting. They got job…not only that, they rose to the peak of their careers.
Yes, the same political science many students are shy to say that’s what they’re studying because it’s not marketable in “chics” market.
Lesson: It is hardly by course, especially in banking and accounting. Don’t let anyone discourage you that your case is Dugbe.
Their profiles:
Mr Urum Kalu (UK) Eke,MFR
Urum Kalu (UK) Eke, MFR, was until his present appointment, Executive Director, Regional Businesses, Lagos & West, Diamond Bank Plc.
His work experience spans over 26 years in banking, auditing, consulting, taxation, process engineering, investment banking, commercial financial advisory services, and capital market operations.
UK holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Lagos and an MBA (Project Management Technology) from Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
He has attended various Executive Management Programmes in top rated business schools including Harvard, Stanford, Lagos Business School as well as IESE Spain and Oxford University
Mr. Gbenga Francis Shobo, ACA
Mr. Gbenga Francis Shobo until his appointment as Executive Director (Retail South) was General Manager in charge of Products and Channel deployment in the Bank. Prior to that, he was the Business Development Manager, Port Harcourt where his main charge was to superintend FirstBank’s business in Rivers and Bayelsa States.
Gbenga holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University. A chartered accountant, Gbenga’s outstanding career in banking spans over 20 years and he was a recipient of the Bank’s Most Outstanding Business Development Manager Award at the 2007 CEO Annual Merit Award ceremony.
Some of his other recent management positions include DGM/Business Development Manager, FirstBank Lagos Mainland; Group Head, National Corporates, FirstBank; General Manager, Corporate/Commercial Banking, FBN (Merchant Bankers) Limited; and Divisional Head, Corporate Banking Division and Institutional Banking Group respectively, at MBC International Bank Limited.
Gbenga has attended many professional development courses across the globe. He is an avid tennis and golf player.
Dauda Lawal
Dauda Lawal currently Executive Director, North was formerly Business Development Manager, Maitama Abuja, where his principal remit was growing the bank’s business in the Abuja metropolis. Prior to this, he had worked as Group Head Public Sector II with the responsibility for deposit mobilization from government ministries and parastatals.
Dauda holds both the Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Political Science from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. His banking career spans over 7 years with a civil service career of over 8 years. He joined First Bank in 2003 after having worked as Chief Protocol Officer with Embassy of Nigeria in Washington DC.
Some of his other recent management positions in FirstBank include Business Development Manager Abuja, Relationship Team Leader Abuja Area Office, and Relationship Manager Commercial Banking.
Dauda has attended many professional development courses including Financial Services at the Havard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts. He is an avid reader and author of seminal papers on national and international issues.
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Wonderful!!
The conspicuous thing I noticed is that all got their first degree in Nigerian universities. Sometimes I get downcast when I see that no Nigerian college is in the top 1,000 QS rankings.
However, with profiles like this, one gets further motivated to work hard and do well in whatever one does, like the axiom; whatever you’re doing, do it well and success would come.
By the way, could you please profile the commodity industry, the likes of Glencore, Vitol, Cargill, Mercuia, and the Nigerians making waves in them. Same way you have done justice to the Investment Banking industry.
Regards