"Read" UBA challenges students

Two schools, the African Church Model College and Sonmori Comprehensive High School, both in Ifako-Ijaiye area of Lagos State, recently played host to UBA Foundation’s, “Read Africa” initiative.

Apollos Ikpobe (Centre Right), UBA's DMD, Domestic Bank, Ijeoma Aso,(Centre left), MD, UBA Foundation, in a group photograph with the students 

 The ‘Read Africa’ initiative is a UBA Foundation project, aimed at rekindling the reading culture of African youths through the donation of African literary classics to students as well as having mentoring sessions with senior management staff from the UBA Group.  

Students at the school had the privilege of sharing a reading session with UBA Group’s Deputy Managing Director, Domestic Bank, Mr. Apollos Ikpobe, who read to the students from Chinua Achebe’s literally classic “Things Fall Apart” while telling the students that reading is foundation for future success in life. 

Ikpobe challenged the students to aspire to be great by reading at least one book every week. He also asked them to set career targets, and be ambitious.  

Citing from personal experiences growing up, Ikpobe said reading was essential for the educational development of all people, and that people with poor reading skills often suffer from unemployment and have less opportunities to advance in life.

Apollos Ikpobe (Centre Right), UBA's DMD, Domestic Bank (with the mic) reading to students

“Strong reading skills are essential to become successful in life” the UBA Deputy Managing Director told the students.  

“It is very essential for you to read because it is from reading that you get ideas and principles to move forward in life. The more you read, the more you broaden your horizon and communicate intelligently”, he added.

Also speaking at the occasion,  the CEO of UBA Foundation, Ijeoma Aso, while presenting ‘Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe to the students, said reading is the most fundamental skill a person can acquire, and encouraged the students to take advantage of the “Read Africa” project to  widen their vision and enhance their knowledge.

“Surmounting challenges come from what you have read and are exposed to and the only way to succeed is to be intellectually sound. This can only be achieved through reading.” she stated.

According to her, the ‘Read Africa’ initiative’ is pan-African project of the UBA Foundation replicated in 19 countries including Nigeria, where UBA operates.

The ‘Read Africa’, which is in its third year, has been conducted successfully in selected schools across the continent and is being anchored by Senior Executives of the bank, Corporate Communications staff and UBAF staff who go out to various schools in Africa to mentor the students and distribute select literature books to students at no cost.

The UBA Foundation, which is the corporate social responsibility of the UBA Group, carries out several initiatives in its focus areas of Education, Environment, Economic Empowerment and Special Projects (EEES) aimed at positively impacting on the society and people of Nigeria and Africa.