CIBN establishes learning legacy centre at Ibadan Polytechnic

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) on Monday established a learning legacy centre at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, being one of its six linked institutions across the country’s six geo-political zones.

Dr Bayo Olugbemi, CIBN President, at a hybrid groundbreaking ceremony held in Ibadan, said the ceremony titled, “ The CIBN Bankers Hall’’ A Legacy Project bequeathed to The Polytechnic, Ibadan, would strengthen and deepen banking and finance education in the institution.

“The groundbreaking ceremony of the CIBN Legacy Project that we are gathered to witness this morning, is indeed a landmark event that will go down in the annals of our highly revered Institute and that of The Polytechnic Ibadan.

“The great sage Nelson Mandela once asserted that “Education is the most powerful weapon with which you can change the world” and we at The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria share this opinion.

The CIBN president said that the Institute had in 1998 introduced a novel scheme called the Linkage Programme in collaboration with tertiary institutions.

“The objective of the programme is to strengthen and deepen banking and finance education by infusing professional element into the teaching-learning process with a view to addressing the gap between town and gown as it relates to banking profession.

“ The linkage programme which currently has 68 tertiary institutions on board, commenced at The Polytechnic Ibadan on June 21, 2012, with the execution of the collaboration Agreement and the relationship has been mutually beneficial.

“To further deepen the collaboration, it has been the desire of our Institute to institute a learning legacy project in the Linked institutions across the country.
“As such, this year, the Governing Council of our great Institute resolved to institute legacy projects in six institutions across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria.

“ After a rigorous and painstaking evidence-based appraisal exercise, I am pleased to announce that The Polytechnic Ibadan, came out on top as the best Linkage Institution in Nigeria and the best in South-West Nigeria,’’ Olugbemi said.

Furthermore, the CIBN president said that the legacy project bequeathed to the institution was a 160 seater lecture theatre that would be fully furnished and equipped with ultra-modern gadgets.

He said that the edifice which would be known and called “The CIBN Bankers Hall’’ would serve as the melting pot for the training and development of future ready bankers.

He added that the project would be the institute’s modest contribution to promote banking and finance education and support the economy through capacity building.

Dr Oyefemi Oyetunji, Dean, Faculty of Financial Management Studies (FFMS), The Polytechnic, Ibadan, appreciated God and recognized personalities who were instrumental to making the dream come true.

“I want to state that the CIBN Bankers Hall, the groundbreaking ceremony, of which we are all here for this morning can rightly be described as `a Dream come true.

“It is a dream come true for all staff and students of the department of banking and finance, all staff and students of the other departments in FFMS and indeed the management staff and students of the institution in general.

“While appreciating the Almighty God for the positive development, we also need to recognize and appreciate some important personalities whom God has used to make our dream come true,’’ he said.

The Rector, Polytechnic Ibadan, Kazeem Adebiyi, also appreciated the kind gesture from CIBN and requested that vehicles and others support be provided for the banking and finance students to aid their development

Photo caption:
L-R Prof. Kazeem Adebiyi, Rector, Polytechnic, Ibadan, Prof. Kunle Akinyemi, Chairman Governing Council, the Polytechnic, Ibadan, Dr Bayo Olugbemi, CIBN President , Dr Seye Awojobi, CIBN Registrar, at the groundbreaking ceremony of the CIBN Legacy Project in Ibadan