The Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan has reiterated the need for young Nigerian graduates to be digitally savvy, imbibe uncommon integrity, deep insights, accountability and excellence to be able to compete in the new world order. Akinwuntan who gave this charge while delivering a commencement speech at the historic first virtual graduation ceremony for 2019/2020 Lynx set of Babcock University, Ilishan, Ogun State noted that in this fast-paced and covid-19 impacted world, only those who are responsive to change and able to learn, unlearn and relearn that will survive.
According to him, “Our world faces many opportunities and challenges ranging from spiritual, economic, political, social to technological. Concepts, identities, institutions and their definitions are being challenged daily. You must therefore bring into our unfolding world, uncommon integrity, deep insights, accountability, excellence, servant leadership, creativity and a never-give-up spirit that truly creates a new, better world. Also you must be digitally savvy to compete effectively notwithstanding what you studied here”.
Further, Mr Akinwuntan tasked the graduands that would be establishing business in today’s environment to be digitally savvy and focus on industries that offer services and products that have massive day-to-day use such as agriculture, telecoms, food and beverages, technology, banking and finance, urging them to also pay attention to businesses that will enable them to scale or grow without much additional capital such as Uber, Netflix, Tiktok. “The basic values of punctuality, respect, humility, diligence, integrity have become rare in the business environment. Do not take these for granted. Keep them and you will be better for it.”
He also gave a word of advice to those of them who would be seeking employment, urging them to have the DNA of an employer. “It may come across as a paradox, but an employer DNA seeks to add value while an employee DNA seeks to collect salaries. Note the huge difference.”
While congratulating the graduands, he told them to ready imbibe integrity and play by the right rules always, to make positive difference in any sphere, adding that “God has granted you a moral compass and a conscience that speaks loudly when you are doing the wrong thing. In other words, remember the child of whom you are. You must therefore always act with integrity if you are to be the positive difference.” “You must draw from your formation, inner-self and live by your values, vision and passion. Your attitude and perspective to changing realities is critical to achieving excellence, success and enduring impact.”
