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A fast growing Telegram Platform, #bankersspeakup has been formed few days ago to protest alleged inhuman treatment from the management of the banks in Nigeria.
The Convener of the group, Adesola Orisamoluwa said he has spent close to 20 years experience in banking industry, he enjoined aggrieved bank staff to come together to fight the injustice in the system by sharing their experiences.
“I am the convener of #bankersspeakup. I have close to 20 years leadership level sales experience in several banks and other sectors.” – Orimolowa said.
Orisamoluwa narrated his nasty experience in one of the leading banks in Nigeria, United Bank for Africa, UBA.
Adesola Orisamoluwa
@adeoris
I truly want to express my appreciation for providing bankers a platform to share their experiences. The inhumane treatment in the banking sector is appalling, and the step you’re taking now will bring much-needed change.
My Story:
I joined UBA on February 15, 2017, four months after my NYSC, as a full-time, permanent staff member not on a contract arrangement. I earned 63,000 Naira as an HND certificate holder. Living in Egbeda and commuting daily to Victoria Island, Oyin Jolayemi precisely, was challenging. Still, my colleagues and I, facing similar struggles, motivated each other to return to school for a BSc degree. However, even after obtaining our BScs, none of us were converted to the standard career path.
UBA has two career paths for full-time staff: PL 1 and PL 2. BSc holders progress from ET to ABO to BO, and so on, while HND holders go from BTOP to BT, BA, AO1, AO2, DO1, DO2, O1, O2 and so on before eventually reaching Manager.
However, no one had ever actually advanced from the HND path to the Manager level. Worse, it takes 7-10 years to earn a single promotion within the HND path. I spent seven years to reach the AO1 level, earning less than an ET. While an ET earns 380,000 Naira, an AO1, who has invested 7-15 years training ETs, earns only 219,000 Naira. Whenever this issue was raised, we were told either the chairman did not approve or that we should leave if we were uncomfortable.
Last year, Modupe joined as Head of HR, and she deserves recognition for organizing a town hall meeting where I personally spoke about the HND career path. To my surprise, she wasn’t even aware of this differentiation, so I took the time to explain it. The ED of Operations, who prioritized contract staffing for cost savings, was also present. Following the meeting, I sent Modupe a follow-up email. Although she didn’t respond, I noticed she began taking steps to address the issue. Recently, UBA sent a notice about converting HND staff to the standard career path. However, it raises concerns as the communication lacked an effective date, and affected staff have not received formal confirmation. Allegedly, the plan is to convert all BA – AO1 staff to ET, despite many in this group having spent 7–15 years at their current grade.
For many of us, reaching that point has meant sacrificing personal lives; most of us couldn’t afford to marry even though we’re over 35 years old. Personally, my experience at UBA has been very challenging.
Part of My Journey:
In January 2018, just days before my confirmation, I was called by the forensic team to the Head Office. When I arrived, they had a police officer from Ikoyi Police Station present to arrest me, claiming I’d committed fraud. They said my phone’s IMEI matched one used in the alleged fraud. I had no idea what was happening. It was a Friday, and I needed someone to bail me out to avoid sleeping at the station. However, anyone I called refused to help, as the police demanded 20,000 Naira for bail. Finally, I reached out to a lawyer friend I met during NYSC, who managed to bail me out.
On the following Monday, as I was heading home from work, my supervisor called to inform me that I was suspended indefinitely and should not return to work. At this point, I still had no understanding of the allegations. For three months, I heard nothing from the bank, my supervisor, or my group head. I began writing emails to the then-GMD Kennedy Uzoka, Chairman Tony Elumelu, and my HRBP. Finally, my HRBP forwarded the email to the Work Ethics team, and I was invited to a panel.
Only at the panel did I finally learn what was going on. The accusation was that I had enrolled a customer on the mobile banking app using my phone and transferred 112,000 Naira, using about 6,000 Naira for airtime top-up. I asked which account the money was transferred to or which mobile number the airtime was purchased for, but they couldn’t answer. Then, one of them, Abdur-Rasheed, mentioned that the customer had confirmed that he had used the money himself and that it wasn’t fraud. They knew this but still decided to suspend me for three months without communication.
After the meeting, they asked me to go home, saying they’d get back to me. I waited another month, totaling four months of silence. So, I sent another email. Finally, my group head, who had never contacted me previously, called and told me I had been cleared and could resume. It was shocking to see the accusation in my suspension letter, which my supervisor printed for me (I still have a copy of it and the alleged phone).
Despite everything, I was determined to pursue my BSc with my 63,000 Naira salary (later increased to 103,000 Naira). I secured a loan, completed my studies at LASU, and graduated, yet was still not converted to the standard career path.
I finally left UBA last month for an opportunity where I was offered an ABO position. UBA has yet to apologize for the wrongful arrest, and I am actively looking for a proper platform to share my story so the world can hear.
You are free to publish this if you want. Thanks and God bless.”
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