Why we did what we did, former First Bank board chairman reacts to CBN sacking

One of the sacked board members of First bank OF Nigeria, Mrs Ibukun Awosika, has taken to social media to react to the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) sacking.

Ripples Nigeria had reported on Thursday, that CBN removed the Boards of Directors of First Bank of Nigeria Limited and the FBN Holdings Plc for making appointments without approval and bad loans.

Mrs Ibukun Awosika, who is now the immediate past Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Ltd, took to her instagram account to defend the decision taken by the dissolved board.

According to her, the boards acted in the best interest of the bank and to further solidify the growth made over the years.

Her full statement here:

“In October 2010, I was appointed to join the board of First Bank of Nigeria.

A few months later, I was appointed to chair the board of its startup FBN Life Insurance Limited (a joint venture with Sanlam of South Africa). As its pioneer Chairman, I had the privilege of working with a strong management team led by Val Ojumah.

Together with the rest of our team, we built a company that became profitable in twenty-four months and continues to be so.

In early 2013, I was moved from FBN Life Insurance Ltd, to assume the chairmanship of FBN Capital working with a brilliant team led by Kayode Akinkugbe as the Managing Director.

We worked hard to build the institution, bought Kakawa Discount House which I was again asked by the Group to Chair. We eventually merged the companies to create the FBN quest Merchant Bank Group, which I chaired until my appointment as Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria on January 1st 2016.

For over five years, I have worked with a dedicated team of board and management, with the support of Central Bank of Nigeria to rebuild and restructure the institution for its future. This included cleaning up non-performing loans, establishing good operational governance systems and processes, building controls and an effective and robust risk management system.

I am confident we have brought First Bank of Nigeria to a place where it is more than able to deliver utmost value to its stakeholders and the nation at large.

As a board, we acted in what we clearly believed to be in the best interest of the bank and we had great plans and aspirations for where the bank could go in its future, building on all the work that has already been done in the last five plus years.

Without a shadow of doubt, I will unequivocally state that I have always acted in honour and integrity with the utmost interest of the institution, all our stakeholders and the Nation.”