OPINION: Adesoji OMOSEBI
I will start my tribute to eulogize my mentor, Mr Reginald Ihejiahi (MFR) with a song from Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey which says, “If God lifts you up to a higher pedestal, don’t destroy the seat, man has today but God owns tomorrow.”
Reginald Ihejiahi was the former Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of Fidelity Bank Plc from 2004 to 2014. The period he presided over the bank was eventful.
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He came in after the retirement of a gentleman and godly Nebolisa Arah at a time of Consolidation in the banking industry in early 2004.
I will not delve into the evolution of Fidelity Bank from the time Reginald took over because that has been dealt with by one of our ex-Management Staff, Mr Emma Esinnah in his write-up titled; “Reginald Ihejiahi at 60 – Tribute to a “Human Being” published on This Day Newspaper of April 12, 2019.
There was a revolution in 2004 spearheaded by the CBN Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo for all the banks to raise their capital base to N25 billion. As at this time, Fidelity Bank capital was N3.5 billion with less than 20 branches. By the time Reginald was leaving, the bank’s capital base rose astronomically to over N150 billion with over 200 branches to his credit.
As of 2004, I was still a contract staff but you can hardly differentiate staff from a contract staff. We are all happy with ourselves as a family with Talent, Ambition and Character (TAC). Every Fidelity staff must be TAC compliance.
I had personal encounters with Reginald in 2004 at the peak of the bank consolidation struggles, when we were all helpless looking unto God for divine help and thereafter.
My first encounter, I went to MFM Prayer City for a prayer session, my instinct asked me to pray with my MD/CEO, I was afraid to call him. How can a ‘Bloody FUSL’ as we used to call ourselves then call the Managing Director? A week of fasting and prayer was declared for every staff for the survival of the bank. Eventually, I summoned the courage to call him, after I have introduced myself, I said: “can we pray together Sir?” His response encouraged me, I prayed while he was saying ‘Amen’ at the other end. The prayers all the staff prayed in one accord coupled with hard work then worked mysteriously to make Fidelity survived the storm.
The second encounter was when I was writing my First Degree Project in LASU, I sent a mail to him that I would like to have a chat with him as part of my project.
My chat with him centred on a topic that relates to advertising and marketing of Fidelity Bank products. He told me pointedly that he can only grant me only 30 minutes for the interview.
Up till now, I don’t really know what gave me the boldness to speak with my MD/CEO when I was invited to the Head Office, Fidelity Place, Kofo Abayomi, Victoria Island, Lagos.
With confidence, I entered into his palatial office. I was heading to where he usually received visitors, he called me to his table to have the interview.
He attended to me like a father. When we were into the interview, he told me so many things that made me wonder if actually, I was in front of my MD/CEO. With a full sense of humility, he answered some question I later regarded as stupid questions. We digressed into personal issues, he counselled me thoroughly until I had no more question to ask.
One thing that really surprised me during the course of the interview; one of the Executive Directors entered into his office, he politely told him that he has a visitor, “please give me some time I have a visitor.” I looked at myself if actually, I was the one Rejinald was referring to. I ended up speaking with my Mentor for almost 1 hour and 30 minutes in an interview that was supposed to last for only 30 minutes.
I remembered I told him, “thank you, sir, you did not only make my day you made my year!”
Since then if I want to take any step, I must always seek his advise, he has never ever felt reluctant to offer his counsel. A father indeed!
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My third encounter, gone are the days when Fidelity Bank implemented its promotion twice a year. The first promotion list was released without my name. I was bitter despite the recommendation I got for promotion from my supervisor. I lodged my complaints, though I have finished my BSc program my certificate was not ready. I told him my plight, he said the supplementary promotion will still come before the end of the year.
I was denied the promotion because I was not a degree holder, although I trained most of the Youth Corps who later became my seniors. No favouritism, no sentiment with Reginald, you must go through the normal process but he is compassionate and had a human face to any issues.
The only opportunity available for me is to get my certificate ready before the supplementary promotion is released. I tried all I could to convince my HOD in LASU without any headway. I was only able to get TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
With a faint faith, I forwarded it to my MD who forwarded it to the Human Resources immediately. I became a star in HR with phone calls.
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To cut the long story short, the supplementary promotion was released. Alas! to my greatest surprise, I was converted with promotion, Reginald Ihejiahi converted 43 contract staff (Bloody FUSL) at a go. A few years later he did another mass conversion for all contract staffs with Lower Credits (2:2).
In his time, he did not only promoted the drivers, but he also gave all retiree drivers their retirement benefits with a car to continue their second stage in life.
He encouraged us to further our studies, to read books, to go through Online Courses organised for all staff by Fidelity Bank Management with a foreign professional body (Banker’s Academy) in which one would be awarded a certificate on completion of studies. I have many certificates to my credit from the Banker’s Academy.
What! a man that knows how to motivate staff to do the ‘impossible’! The motivation of staff got to a level that when we wanted to migrate from Globus to Finacle Software we would work till 12 midnight without knowing it because there was compensation in place. The most impossible feat Reginald achieved was to move Fidelity Bank capital base from N3.5 billion to over N29 billion between 2004 and 2005.
Lest I forget, it was in the midst of this he remembered the legacy staff who weathered the storm to make Fidelity Bank survived being wound up. How they did it, I still did not understand, he compensated every staff according to their levels with a substantial amount that I used mine to buy my first car.
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No scandal was recorded in his 10-year tenure as the MD/CEO of Fidelity Bank. Reginald is God fearing, Godly, humble, principled, disciplined, a man of his words, a man with a ‘lion heart’, a man of integrity. In his time, no member of staff went to court for any form of litigation against the bank.
Reginald would rather give a promotion to any of his good staff who tendered their resignation letters instead of losing him to other banks.
His educational background, his exposures, his tenacity, the success he achieved made Fidelity Bank what it is today.
One would not be farther from the truth if he is appointed by the Presidency as the new Central Bank Governor after Godwin Emeifele might have concluded his tenure.
I wish Mr Reginald Ihejiahi happiest birthday with sound health, long life and prosperity. The remaining days of his life shall be full of peace, joy and happiness from his generation to generations.
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Fidelity Alumni Celebrates an ICON Reginald Ihejiahi (MFR) @ 60:
“This is to wish you 60th birthday and many happy returns. Thank you, sir, for moulding and mentoring some of us into what we are today. Only God can reward you for the invaluable, impactful legacy you have contributed to make the world a better place for all the lives and family you have touched. May the Good Lord continue to bless you healthily and wealthily. Long life, prosperity and joy will continue to follow you IJN. Amen. Happy Birthday, Sir!”
AIK ALENKHE
Editor’s Note: SOJ WORLDWIDE dedicates this write-up to the MD/CEO of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr Reginald Ihejiahi (MFR) and to all Fidelity staff especially the legacy staff for their love, team spirit, tenacity, character, uniqueness etc. I love you all!
www.sojworld.com (c) April 17, 2019
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