First Bank of Nigeria Limited has reiterated its commitment to the cause of widows, assuring that it would continue to support and empower them to become financially independent.
Nigeria’s oldest bank gave the assurance on Saturday through its Group Executive, International Banking, Mrs. Bashirat Odunewu, at an empowerment programme for widows held to commemorate this year’s International Widows Day at the palace of the Elegushi of Ikateland, Lagos, Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi on Saturday, June 23, 2018.
Odunewu explained that the initiative, in partnership with the International Women’s Society (IWS), was one of the activities of First Bank’s 2018 Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Week themed ‘Touching Lives; You First’.
She added that the bank would always partner with critical stakeholders to ensure that widows were able to take care of themselves and family after their husband’s demise.
“At FirstBank, we are passionate about supporting every segment of the society so our stakeholders live a meaningful life by empowering them with the right resources they need, not by giving them token; N100, N200, but by supporting them to become wealth creators. Therefore, we will continue to empower the widows with initiatives that will make them generate income and take care of themselves and their children,” Odunewu stated.
Odunewu, who further disclosed that the bank has a number of products to empower widows, urged them not to squander the financial support they were given.
On the partnership with the IWS to empower the widows, she said it was “in line with FirstBank’s financial inclusion and financial literacy approach which promotes accessible and affordable financial products and services to disadvantaged groups with the goal of bringing these marginalised populations into the mainstream economy, improving their chances for resilient livelihoods and financial stability.”
Also speaking, Wealth Advisor, FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited, a member of the FBNHoldings Group, Mrs. Emmanuella Ekhaghuere, said the institution is happy to give back to the widows and make them financially literate.
In his remarks, Oba Elegushi hailed FirstBank for the empowerment and also announced his personal support for the widows.
Over 500 widows across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones were beneficiaries of FirstBank’s empowerment programme, a key component of the 2018 Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Week of the bank which is being commemorated in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.
