UBA to Boost Students’ Leadership Skills though Campus Ambassador Programme

By Uchechukwu Nnaike

The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has unveiled 30 students from 10 universities across the country as UBA Brand Ambassadors for 2019 in the third edition of its Campus Ambassador Programme.
The 30 students, made up of 17 males and 13 females, were selected based on a number of carefully-defined criteria, including clear leadership and creative skills, as well as the keen ability to promote the UBA brand as campus ambassadors.

The Campus Ambassador Programme is UBA’s initiative to identify young emerging leaders from tertiary institutions across the country and give them a unique and rewarding learning experience while also grooming them to be effectual leaders in their societies and the country. The programme is also an opportunity for the bank to give back to students who remain a core component of its legacy.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, which held at the bank’s Head Office in Lagos, weekend, the Group Executive, Digital and Consumer Banking, Anant Rao explained that the UBA Campus Ambassador programme offers a unique opportunity to students of tertiary institutions in Nigeria to be part of a dynamic and forward-thinking Pan-African bank by representing the brand both within and outside the campus.
He stated that the programme is designed to be a win-win for both the students and the bank as it presents a learning experience and a rewarding pursuit for selected students, while providing them with a platform to display their leadership capabilities and diverse talents which will in turn drive further growth to the bank.

Addressing the students, he said: “We are glad because since we began this programme a few years ago, the narrative has indeed changed. We are now seen as a bank for the young and vibrant and we have been able to develop leadership skills and creativity among the youths. And so with your successful selection, I am happy to say that your learning experience has already begun. You are now expected to exhibit the core values of the bank, show the spirit of excellence, execution and enterprise in whatever you do.”
Rao added: “We believe that the youths are the future of every country so we selected the best from the universities to collaborate with them to build their leadership and creative skills so that they can be better leaders in the future, whether they choose to operate in the public sector or the private sector.”

He explained that the students were selected after an assessment to ensure that they possess the qualities that UBA prides itself in, adding, “you need to show that you have the spirit of enterprise, excellence and that you do what you say you will do, which is execution. These qualities are dear to us and to what we stand for here in UBA. And, because these people now represent the brand, they must also share this passion and be able to project the brand and what UBA stands for that is our core values.

The Head, Retail Liabilities, Tomiwa Sotiloye, explained that the students will undergo necessary training and will be expected to execute specific projects meant to add value to the environment. This he said will help them to understand all that is expected of them as brand ambassadors of the bank.

He thereafter charged them to be good leaders and positive influencers who should stand out by ensuring that the bank’s reputation soars in their respective campuses and beyond.
“We know that we have selected the best out of all those of those who applied to be part of this programme and so we expect nothing short of the best from you as you take your studies seriously, add value to your schools and the society at large and represent the UBA brand in positive light always.”