Zenith Bank Plc Chairman Jim Ovia has described Godwin Emefiele as the best governor the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has ever had.
Ovia spoke at the 47th convocation of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in his acceptance speech on the conferment of Honorary Degree of Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) (Honoris Causa) on him by the university. Ovia and Emefiele are alumni of the UNN.
Ovia described Emefiele as one of the shinning lights of UNN who had continued to make the institution proud.
He said Emefiele’s achievements at the CBN had put him ahead of his peers. “As the present Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele’s performance and current results arguably puts him as the best central bank governor in the history of Nigeria. These performances are no doubt due to the excellent training he received at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka,” he said.
The Zenith Bank Chairman said Emefiele’s tenure as the Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc was marked by excellent performance and growth in profitability for the Tier-1 lender.
“I can attest that this university is indeed a training ground for capable, committed, and compassionate change agents, having witnessed firsthand, the quality of a product of this institution, in the person of Dr. Godwin Emefiele, who was the Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc., between July, 2010 and May, 2014. During which time the bank witnessed exponential growth and phenomenal profitability,” he said.
The Zenith Bank chairman said: “I am truly honored and humbled to accept this honorary doctoral degree from the great Den of the Lions – the University of Nigeria, Nsukka – on this auspicious occasion of your 47th convocation ceremony. In this regard, I sincerely thank the Vice Chancellor, the Council and the Senate of this great and noble institution for bestowing on me this Honorary Doctoral Degree of Business Administration,” he said.
He described UNN as a center of excellence and institution that has produced industrious individuals in the private as well as public sectors of this country. The UNN, he added, remains a training ground for change agents and highly successful leaders of thought.
“In my role at the helm of one of the leading financial institutions in the country, I have had the privilege of meeting several alumni of this great university. The “Lion” appears as a symbol of strength on the university banner. In reality and particularly in the corporate steeple chase, the lions have always devoured their prey and beaten their competitors to the game. I’m always lucky to be on their side,” he stated.
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