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From a dream pitched in a short video to sitting in the highest office of one of Nigeria’s most innovative banks, Chiderije Mbah’s journey as One-Day MD/CEO is more than a feel-good story; it is a symbol of what happens when institutions invest in the future, today.Sunday Ehigiator writes

In a world where longevity influences success and sustainability steers the course of the future, it becomes imperative that the leaders of today empower the leaders of tomorrow. Today’s children become tomorrow’s leaders, and the legacies we build today will only thrive if we empower the children to carry on the torch.Such is the vision that has fueled Wema Bank’s drive for nurturing the youth since 1945, empowering them with the resources they need to build the right future and providing guidance for them as they journey towards adulthood. From creating the Royal Kiddies Account for children ages 0-12 to launching the ALAT Xplore App for teenagers ages 13-17, and its various youth-focused initiatives, Wema Bank has been intentional in empowering young Nigerians to thrive. One of the most thoughtful of such initiatives pioneered by Wema Bank, is the Wema Bank One-Day MD/CEO initiative, launched as a “Children’s Special” in line with the Bank’s 80^th anniversary celebration.

Commemorating the 2025 global celebration of Children’s Day, Wema Bank, on 22^nd May 2025, launched the One-Day Wema Bank MD/CEO initiative, a special campaign curated by the Bank to celebrate children as the leaders of tomorrow. This campaign, a first-of-its-kind in the Nigerian banking industry, provided an exclusive opportunity for a child to become the Managing Director/CEO of Nigeria’s oldest indigenous bank, Wema Bank, just for May 27, 2025.

First-of-its-kind

The One-Day Wema Bank MD/CEO initiative, a first-of-its-kind in the Nigerian banking industry, called on Nigerian children to showcase their potential for leadership and career success in the banking industry, by uploading video submissions where they share their ideal role in the bank and why they deserve to win. The children rose eagerly to the occasion, donning Wema Bank’s brand colours with pride and captivating viewers with heartwarming presentations that were nothing short of inspiring. Dozens of entries later, the numbers spoke. 12-year-old ChiderijeMbah emerged winner, receiving outstanding commendations for his embodiment of the role of MD/CEO. Thus began the journey to his exclusive experience as Wema Bank’s one-day MD/CEO.

As the world commemorated Children’s Day on May 27, Chiderije looked forward to one of the greatest responsibilities a 12-year-old could ever envisage, being the MD/CEO of an 80-year-old bank—for a day. As the rains mimicked the proverbial “showers of blessings”. Chiderije began his stint as Wema Bank’s one-day MD/CEO. From his grand reception at the Wema Bank Head Office Facility in Lagos to one-on-one meetings with top executives of the Bank, Nigerians across the world applauded in awe as Wema Bank set an unrivalled precedence by walking the talk in empowering children to be the leaders of tomorrow.

Chiderije’s bold debut was followed by a deeply symbolic moment: the official handover of the MD/CEO insignia from Wema Bank’s substantive Managing Director and CEO, Mr. Moruf Oseni, who commended the young leader’s courage and foresight. In a surprise move that left everyone in awe, Mr. Oseni gave out his one-day salary for May 27 to the 1-day Wema Bank MD/CEO, Chiderije Mbah, encouraging him to keep up the great work and work hard towards truly becoming an MD/CEO in the near future. Mr. Moruf Oseni further shed light on the Bank’s motivation for annually commemorating Children’s Day in such a grand and intentional manner.

According to Mr. Oseni, “As a Bank, our mission is to empower lives through innovation, and this is a mission we are committed to seeing through from cradle to grave, as encapsulated in our creed, ‘With You, All The Way’. This is why Children’s Day is so important to us. Every great man, woman or even institution, was once a child, so to forge the leaders of tomorrow, we need to begin today. Today, we are reminded of the theme of our 80^th anniversary celebration, ’80 years of impact, a future of possibilities’. Our impact over the past 80 years has been indelible, but now we look ahead to a future of possibilities, and what is a future of possibilities without the children? 8 decades from now, it is these children that will carry on the legacy we have built today. This is why this initiative is so important”.

“We can all agree that Wema Bank has been walking the talk over the past 8 decades, thinking out of the box, and creating innovative ways to empower children for the right future.But today, in commemoration of Children’s Day 2025, we are taking things a step further and giving the leaders of tomorrow a platform to lead today. As Chiderijewill be carrying out my duties for today, it is only right that he earns my one-day salary today. The Wema way is ‘work hard, reward hard’, and as MD/CEO for today, Chiderijewill experience it first-hand. It is our hope that this will inspire not just him, but every other child to put in the good work and make us proud. Happy Children’s Day, from Wema Bank”, Oseni concluded.

Thoughtful gesture

Expressing his profound gratitude for the thoughtful gesture, ChiderijeMbah promised to make Wema Bank proud, adding “Thank you very much Sir, for trusting me with this great opportunity, and for always looking out for the children. I am proud to be a part of the Wema Bank family, the bank that not only supports our parents in raising us the right way but also empowers us with the tools and guidance that we need to become financially smart as we grow older. Today has shown me that the sky is just the starting point for every child, and I am excited to spread the word to other children. I look forward to learning from you, the experts, and getting more insights into what it means to be a leader, especially for an organisation like Wema Bank, that has stood strong for 80 years.Thank you again for giving me your time and trusting me with this important responsibility. I will make Wema Bank proud!”

Chiderije’s first act as MD/CEO was to announce four new special rewards aimed at empowering Nigeria’s youth and in his words, “help more children and teenagers save, learn, and grow their dreams through Wema Bank”. The exciting rewards for children and teenagers include free ALAT Xplore Personalized Debit Cards for all teenagers between May 27 to June 30, 2025, N2,000 cashback for every new Royal Kiddies Account (ages 0–12) opened from May 27 to June 30, an extra 1% interest rate on all balances in existing and new Royal Kiddies and ALAT Xplore accounts between May 27 to June 30, and free 1GB of data for teens who register on the ALAT Xplore app from May 27 to June 30.

As Children’s Day came to an end, a sense of pride and fulfillment filled the hearts of thousands; from the Mbah family whose 12-year-old son got to sit at the helm of Wema Bank’s affairs for a day to other parents across the world who saw the possibilities their children could achieve with dedication, the children inspired to dream beyond limits and among others, the Bank that believed in the potential of a 12-year-old to lead an 80-year-old institution. The tales of Wema Bank’s one-day MD/CEO initiative reverberated for days into weeks, as Chijeride’s story was beautifully transformed, forever. Life would go on, but his experience as Wema Bank’s one-day MD/CEO would remain permanently etched in his mind and journey.

Returning to school

Chiderije Mbah, the bright 12-year-old who won hearts nationwide as Wema Bank’s One-Day Managing Director/CEO, returned to school on Monday, June 16, 2025, to a grand welcome brimming with smiles and applauses from students and teachers alike. The JSS 3 student aiming for School Head Boy had lived the dream of many at the tender age of 12, reminding everyone that true leadership begins from childhood. Given the honour of addressing the school, Chiderije shared insights from his experience as Wema Bank’s one-day MD/CEO, beaming with smiles as he recounted the events of the day and the lessons learnt.

“Being the One-Day MD/CEO of Wema Bank has changed how I see the future. It has taught me responsibility and the value of big dreams. I met lots of important people, learnt how much work goes into running an organisation as powerful as Wema Bank, and I saw how dedicated the people were to making the dream work and how delicate the role of leadership is. Coming back to school now makes me want to study even harder so I can do more amazing things in life and hopefully become MD/CEO, not just for one day but for many more years”, Chiderije said.

TheSchool’s Principal,Mr. Irhiemi Emmanuel, highlighted how Chiderije’s feat has inspired the entire school, proving that with the right values, children can achieve anything. “Our school is proud to have one of our own show such maturity and excellence at a young age. We hope his story reminds every child here that leadership is possible when you combine discipline and ambition”, Mr. Emmanuel said.

As classmates openly admired and commended Chiderije’s confidence, his class teacher, Mr. AkinkunmiAkinniyi, added, “Chiderije has always been brilliant and curious, but it’s obvious that this experience has given him new confidence. He’s always been outspoken and driven and I hope this experience makes him even more determined to focus on his studies so that one day he can truly be an MD/CEO. I believe he can do it”.

The One-Day MD/CEO initiative is part of Wema Bank’s broader suite of youth-focused solutions which include the Royal Kiddies Account for children aged 0–12 and the ALAT Xplore App for teenagers aged 13–17; both of which help parents instill smart financial habits in their children from an early age while empowering young users with tools for saving, budgeting, and learning.

Chiderije’s journey is a beautiful reminder that the future belongs to those who believe in it early and Wema Bank remains committed to walking that journey alongside every young Nigerian. Founded in 1945 and currently celebrating 80 years of impact, Wema Bank has consistently demonstrated its people-first values by engaging with Nigerians at every life stage. The Wema at 80 Children’s Day Special has drawn widespread praise for its authenticity, creativity, and commitment to building future leaders—not just in words, but in action.

QUOTE

“As Children’s Day came to an end, a sense of pride and fulfillment filled the hearts of thousands; from the Mbah family whose 12-year-old son got to sit at the helm of Wema Bank’s affairs for a day to other parents across the world who saw the possibilities their children could achieve with dedication, the children inspired to dream beyond limits and among others, the Bank that believed in the potential of a 12-year-old to lead an 80-year-old institution. The tales of Wema Bank’s one-day MD/CEO initiative reverberated for days into weeks, as Chijeride’s story was beautifully transformed, forever. Life would go on, but his experience as Wema Bank’s one-day MD/CEO would remain permanently etched in his mind and journey.”