The celebration which went on concurrently across all of its
subsidiaries in Africa as well as in the United Kingdom, France, United States
of America and the United Arab Emirates, had the underlying theme: Education
Fit for the 21st Century.
To mark the event, staff members were dressed in colourful
African attire displaying the cultural diversity of the employees of United
Bank for Africa.
There were dance troupes in various offices across the
continent organised by UBA subsidiaries, where staff, clients and the public
were entertained with African drums and cultural dancers as well as choice
African fruits and snacks.
A major highlight of the event was the selection of best
dressed staff across various categories, representing the diverse African
culture. As voted by the staff, Chisom Augustine, emerged the winner of the
Best Indigenous concept while Sarah Richter clinched the fan’s choice for Best
Indigenous Concept (Rest of the World). Temitayo Abayomi won the jury’s choice
as best dressed Nigerian staff. Several other winners also emerged across
various cadre.
They bank rewarded each of the winners with various cash
prizes at a glamorous closing ceremony which was held at its Head office and
replicated across other branches and subsidiaries.
UBA’s Group Head, Human Resources, Modupe Akindele, who
addressed staff during the closing ceremony at the UBA Head Office in Lagos,
commended staff members for their hard-work over the years, and noted that the
annual event had become a lifestyle for the bank.
She said, “We at UBA celebrate Africa Day with the rest of
Africa. We are Africa, United by one Bank. Today is a day to remind ourselves
that we have all it takes in Africa, be it fashion, talent, and creativity. The
message is about being African and being proud of our heritage. We want to
showcase who we are and what we have.”
Continuing, she said, “For us at UBA, identifying with Africa and indeed Africa Day is synonymous with who we are as a bank. It presents us the opportunity to remind ourselves, the world and indeed Africa that we owe ourselves the duty of making Africa the continent of our dreams.”
UBA celebrates Africa Day annually in line with the official
celebration by African nations, reiterating its long-held belief that the
future belongs to the continent. Africa Day is an annual event, commemorating
the birth of the African union on May 25, 1963. It is dedicated to celebrating
the diversity of the African continent, and to highlight the cultural and
economic potential that exists on the continent.
The bank leverages on the occasion to rekindle the African
spirit that drives the UBA group’s vision to be a dominant financial services
provider on the continent and its emergence as a recognizable economic power.
United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in
the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide
and serving over 35 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African
countries and in the United kingdom, the United States of America, France and
the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional
banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge
technology.