United Bank for Africa (UBA)
Elegbede Abiodun
The bank’s graduate training programme is designed to tutor future leaders through a rigorous process.
United Bank for Africa (UBA) has graduated 720 young professionals under its Graduate Management Accelerated Programme (GMAP), demanding them to embrace discipline, resilience and excellence, as they transition into the workforce.
The charge was made yesterday at the combined graduation ceremony of Cohorts 19 and 20 of the GMAP. Cohort 19 comprised 306 participants, including representatives from other African countries, while Cohort 20 had 414 Nigerians, bringing the total number of graduates to 720.
The UBA Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, charged young Nigerians to embrace hard work, discipline and resilience as critical pillars for success, despite prevailing economic challenges.
He noted that while fatigue and repeated failure may tempt individuals to give up, perseverance remains key.
“There are times you are tired physically and mentally, and times you try several times without success, but the natural thing to do is to give up. I say no, don’t,” Elumelu said.
He emphasised that Nigeria’s demographic advantage presents opportunities, with over 60 per cent of the population under 30.
According to him, being selected for opportunities already places beneficiaries at the right place and time.
Elumelu stressed that discipline, the ability to stay committed to set goals alongside resilience and relentless effort, are essential in shaping one’s destiny and overcoming unemployment challenges.
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of UBA, Oliver Alawuba, described the programme as a strategic pipeline for developing the next generation of African leaders.
He noted that with over 3,900 alumni from previous cohorts and hundreds currently in training, the initiative reflects the bank’s long-term commitment to building capacity across the continent.
The Group Head of Human Resources at UBA, Modupe Akindele, said the bank’s graduate training programme is designed to groom future leaders through a rigorous and transparent selection process.
