The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has constituted a full Board of Directors for Polaris Bank, Nigeria’s leading digital commercial retail Bank in a major transition that signals the remarkable achievements of the new management and the future of the Bank.

The Ten-man board is headed by Dr. Kassim Gidado as Board Chairman. Other Non-Executive Directors include: Dr. Akwa Effiong Okon, Mallam Ambursa Abubakar Umar, Mrs. Ayaba M. Ayo-Joseph, Mrs. Giwa-Amu Subulade Ibironke and Dr. Onosode Christopher
Dr Kassim Gidado, the new Board Chairman, is an academic with over 35 years of experience in the fields of Engineering, Project Management, and Strategic Development, he brings a wealth of expertise and a dynamic vision to the Bank’s Board. He has held prestigious roles, including Group Managing Director and Chief of Staff at MAG Group Limited, where he managed a diverse portfolio of companies across 35 countries. His extensive experience in public-private partnerships, and infrastructure development, among other strategic footprints, will be invaluable to the growth and development of Polaris Bank.

Over the years, he has advised overnments and captains of industry on several strategic and policy issues in procurement, infrastructure development, and security. He recently championed the development of the North-East Stabilisation and Development Master Plan (NESDMP) for the North-East Development Commission.

He produced the document that sets the Commission up in the mode for Readiness-for-Execution for the implementation of the NESDMP until the year 2030.

A community leader of repute, Dr. Gidado is the Wazirin Jam’are in Jam’are Local Government in Bauchi State. His extensive academic, public service, and professional background will provide invaluable leadership as he assumes the role of Board Chairman.

Dr. Akwa Effiong Okon who holds a doctorate in Law, has experience as a Special Assistant on Finance and later MD at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Port Harcourt and as a Non-Executive Director of FHA Mortgage Bank Limited in Abuja, where he represented the Federal Government’s interest. A Chartered Accountant, Dr. Akwa, is an accomplished professional with a rich educational background, including attending the Senior Executive Programme on Strategy, Leadership, and Transformation at the London Business School. He holds fellowships with both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN). He is also a lawyer. His notable roles include serving as the Managing Director and CEO of Akwa Savings and Loans Limited from 2007 to 2013, where he successfully implemented turn-around strategies for the mortgage finance institution owned by the Government of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

Mallam Ambursa Abubakar Umar is an expert in Enterprise Transformation and Development Finance with over 30 years of experience in the banking industry, including a distinguished tenure at the Central Bank of Nigeria.

With 12 years of consulting expertise, Mallam Ambursa is renowned for his strong risk management skills and extensive experience in product management across various areas including credit, liquidity, market risks, regulatory capital, and customer experience. His deep understanding and dedication to excellence, make him a valuable addition to Polaris Bank’s Board.

He holds a Master of Science in Banking & Finance from Bayero University, Kano, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Sokoto.

Mrs. Ayaba Ayo-Joseph has over three decades of experience in the banking industry. A member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), she brings to the Board as a Non-Executive Director a wealth of experience in Corporate Management, Business Development, and Strategy Execution.

Her track record includes serving as an Executive Director at Bank PHB, where she played a critical role and delivered transitional change between 2010 and 2011 following her appointment by the CBN. She is credited with implementing business continuity plans and driving profitability during the transition period. Her Corporate Governance and Strategic Planning footprints will ensure that Polaris Bank continues to adhere to the highest standards while pursuing sustainable growth.

She holds various professional memberships, including with the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM), the Nigerian Bar Association, and WIMBIZ (Women in Management, Business, and Public Service.

Mrs. Subulade  Giwa Amu, holds an LL.B Hons degree in Law and an MBA both from the University of Warwick, UK, and brings over 30 years of experience in financial services, real estate investment & development and business process re-engineering across the West African region to the Polaris Bank Board.

Her extensive background includes notable non executive  board positions and successful leadership roles. She is currently the  Founder & CEO of Brookstone Investments and Properties.

Prior to this, she held leadership positions in Treasury, Corporate and Commercial Banking in Ecobank Nigeria Plc and First Bank Plc. She was also  Managing Director/CEO at FBN Mortgages Limited where she spearheaded the turnaround and return to profitability of the company.

Dr. Onosode Christopher holds a doctorate in Economics and energy major from Kent University, UK. He joins the Board of Polaris Bank with over 30 years of experience in business systems analysis and design, strategy and operations, project management, and policy analysis.

Onosode’s career spans significant roles and measurable impact with multinational companies and financial institutions, including Shell Petroleum, UK, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and the Debt Management Office of Nigeria (DMO). His deep sectoral knowledge and strategic insight will contribute to the drive of Polaris Bank’s operations and strategic initiatives, moving forward.

The newly appointed non-executive directors will provide support for the executive management team led by Mr Kayode Lawal and supported by the executive management team led by Mr. Kayode Lawal, Managing Director/CEO; Mr. Chris Ofikulu; Executive Director, Retail and Commercial; Mrs. Abimbola Ozomah, Executive Director, Corporate & Investment Banking and Sharafadeen Muhammed, Executive Director, Operations.

Mr Kayode Lawal is a seasoned professional with over 3 decades of experience in the Banking industry. Prior to his appointment with Polaris Bank, he had a distinguished tenure at Sterling Bank Plc, where he held the position of Executive Director in charge of Corporate & Investment Banking.

He is committed to excellence and leadership in the banking industry which was evident throughout his career. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN).

Additionally, he has enriched his professional knowledge through executive education programs at prestigious institutions such as; Lagos Business School, University of Oxford, Columbia University Graduate School of Business, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Mr. Chris Ofikulu is the Executive Director in charge of Retail and Commercial Banking for the bank. He possesses extensive experience in the banking sector, spanning over 30 years. Prior to his appointment by the CBN on January 10, 2024, he held the position of Country CEO at UBA Ghana and Managing Director at Diamond Pension Fund Custodian Limited.

He holds a First Class Degree in Industrial Mathematics from the University of Benin and an MBA from the University of Lagos and has over the years, attended high-impact and prestigious business training at The Wharton Business School, IESE Business School, and Lagos Business School. Additionally, he has received training in Leadership and Corporate Governance from the Henley Business School and completed the Advanced Company Direction Programme at the Institute of Directors (IoD), London.

Mrs. Abimbola Ozomah is the Executive Director in charge of Corporate and Investment Banking. She brings over three decades of experience in the banking and financial services industry, with a proven track record of driving growth and innovation. Up until April this year, Mrs. Ozomah was the General Manager and Director of Global Network Banking at Citibank Nigeria, where she headed the Specialized Industries Division as a Senior Executive.
She had overall responsibility for the Bank’s high-revenue portfolio, which comprised strategic specialized industry segments for multinational corporations across oil & gas, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, technology, digital natives, and media. Her role also included managing related value chains and selecting top-tier local corporate relationships.

She holds an MBA degree from Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State.

Mr. Sharafadeen Muhammed is the Executive Director in charge of Operations of the Bank. He served as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Citibank, where he oversaw significant financial operations and strategic initiatives. With over 15 years of experience in high-level finance roles, including a notable tenure at Citibank Nigeria, he has demonstrated strong strategic insight and financial acumen. A CFA charter holder with an MBA from New York University, Sharafadeen’s career began at Citigroup as Vice President of Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis. His roles at Citibank Nigeria included Head of Strategy & Business Planning and CFO. He has also attended high-level leadership training at Ivy League institutions.

The constitution of the full board, with a stronger management team and diverse board experience and expertise, reinforces the general public’s perception of Polaris Bank’s preparedness to retain a leading position in the post-recapitalization banking industry.

The new Board is also a subtle endorsement of the silent but admirable business re-engineering being done by the Kayode Lawal-led executive management.

Mr. Kayode Lawal, MD/CEO of the Bank said the diverse expertise and experience of the new board members would further enrich on-going strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening their position as a leading digital bank
“We are thrilled to welcome these seasoned professionals to the board of Polaris Bank. Their diverse expertise and leadership qualities will be invaluable as we drive our strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening the Bank as a leading Nigeria digital Bank.

“These appointments mark a significant step in Polaris Bank’s journey towards achieving sustained growth and delivering exceptional value to our stakeholders.”

The National Examination Council, NECO, has released the results of the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examinations, SSCE, internals with 828,284 candidates, representing 60.55 per cent, scoring five credits, including Mathematics and English Language.

NECO Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Prof Dantana Wushishi made this disclosure while releasing the results before newsmen at the Council’s Headquarters in Minna, Niger State on Thursday.

Wushishi revealed that the number of candidates who made five credits and above, irrespective of English Language and Mathematics, is 1,147,597 representing 83.90 per cent.

He noted that out of the 1,376,423 candidates that registered for the examination, only 1,367,736 sat for it, of which a total of 702,112 candidates were male and 665,624 female.

According to him, “The number of candidates involved in various forms of malpractice in 2024 is 8,437 as against 12,030 in 2023 which shows a reduction of 30.1 percent.”

The registrar also stated that the number of candidates with special needs is 2,267. A breakdown of the special needs shows 1,104 have hearing impairment; 348 visual impairment; 342 albinism; 237 autism; and 236 low vision.

He further revealed that during the conduct of the 2024 SSCE, 40 schools were found to have been involved in whole school (mass) cheating in 17 states while 21 supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision, aiding and abetting, abscondment, extortion, drunkenness and negligence in 12 states.

“One school in Ekiti State was recommended for de-recognition for mass cheating in 2 core subjects and 1 science subject,” Wushishi said.

He further stated that the performance analysis by states showed Abia State leading other states in the country as 83.40 per cent of its candidates scored five credits and above, including Mathematics and English language, while Katsina State ranked bottom on the table with 2.42 percent

“The state also leads in candidates with five credits and above irrespective of Mathematics and English language 95.84 percent.

“For least performed states with five credits and above including mathematics and English language, Katsina State is bottom on the table with 42.00 percent with just 2.42 percent ahead of Kano which came second to least with 44.42 percent,” the register announced.

A pregnant woman identified as Omosede has been found a day after she was reportedly abducted in Benin City, Edo State.

A Facebook user, Chijioke Ekwulu, who confirmed the development on Thursday, September 19, said the woman is currently recuperating in a hospital.

According to him, Omosede went missing after she left home to a bank on Ekenwan Road in Benin City on Tuesday, September 17.

She was found by a Good Samaritan in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Wednesday.

“Omosede was found in Port Harcourt yesterday. She is currently recuperating in a hospital. Two days ago she left home en route to a bank on Ekenwan Road Benin city, then she was abducted. A good Samaritan saw her in Port Harcourt. I believe she will tell her story whenever she is discharged. You guys should be very careful out there, nowhere is safe. God bless you all for your prayers & retweet,” he wrote.