| Urhobo Historical Society |
Chief
(Mrs.) Cecelia Ibru is a
bankers’ banker. With the height she has taken Oceanic Bank Plc to, she
deserves all the awards and encomiums she’s getting. Adeola Agorointerviewed
her recently and she saw in her an epitome of beauty, good motherhood
and an
astute businesswoman.
When,
some 62 years ago,
precisely, March 22, 1946, a set of twins - Cecilia and Lucy - was born
into
the household of Chief Edward Sido of Otota, in DeltaState, little did
anyone
know that one of the twins was going to emerge one of the movers and
shakers of
the country. Perhaps, except for the fact that she came as a set of
twins,
there was little or no indication that Cecilia Ibru whose maiden name
is Sido,
would rule the banking world. Today however, that is the reality.
Cecilia Ibru
is top on the list of the movers and shakers in the country. Infact,
she has
had to her credit a number of laurels to show for her excellence in the
banking
sector.
Known all over the world today, she
is the Chief Executive Officer of Oceanic Bank Plc. where she calls the
shots.
An encounter with her revealed that despite the height she has attained
in
life, she remains very simple. Ready to tell the story of her life from
the
beginning to date, she no doubt comes across as one who is deeply in
love with
her creator, God Almighty. And from all indications, she gives glory to
that
Him for all the successes she has recorded in life. And she has someone
else to
thank - Olorogun Michael Ibru - her husband, whom she describes as the
best
husband in the world.
"My
father, Chief Edward Sido
of Otota was the Otota of Udu Kingdom of Delta State. He passed on two
years
ago. He was one of the people you call ‘learned’. My dad was a
barrister and
solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He was a very handsome
gentleman. My
mum, Chief (Mrs) Victoria Sido has always been an enlightened and
astute
businesswoman. I look more like my father in appearance. I took the
fair skin
from him. But those close to us have always said that though I’m a
replica of
my father, I took after my mum in many other ways. I think I took after
my
mum’s humane and agile nature. She was known as an enterprising woman
and I
watched her working to make us, her many children, comfortable and
educated. My
grandfather whom we used to call Papa Alaja was also very enterprising.
So, I
must have inherited that from him too. I was the eldest of nine
children. I
have a twin sister though, but she came after me and I like reminding
her that
even though we were born on the same day, I came hours before her
making me the
senior. We thank God all of us are successful professionals in
different
spheres of endeavours.
"Let
me say God made me come
from a happy family. I feel blessed to have come from a noble
background. We
were taught that money is not everything. You have to be able to prove
to the
world that deep inside you, there is love for mankind… the people you
meet. We
live in a world where love is expensive. If you have it in you, share a
bit of
it. It is a world replete with deprivation of all sorts. Compassion and
generosity are integrated with God. I love people a great deal and I
think this
is one of the first things I learnt as a child. I was a happy person
growing
up. You couldn’t be around our household without having one thing or
the other making
you laugh. I told myself even before I could think about what I would
become in
life, that I must grow up to be a woman of virtue. My faith in God has
been
there from the start and that really helped shape my life to what it is
today".
Banking seems to run in the veins of
Chief (Mrs.) Ibru. She has taken the bank from the shadows to a giant
amongst
its likes in the Nigerian. With branches fast spreading all over the
country
and numerous awards following, one would want to know what prepared her
for the
roles she’s playing today. Did she study banking as a course?
"I
was born during the time
when the missionaries took you and moulded you into ladies. I had one
of the
best forms of education at Saint Margaret’s Grammar School, Ilesha,
from 1960
to 1965. From there, I proceeded to University Tutorial College, London
from
1967 to 1968 where I obtained a Higher School Certificate. On the
successful
completion of my secondary education I secured admission to study
Sociology at
the London University. I graduated in 1971 with B.Sc (Honours) degree
and
thereafter proceeded to the North East London University for a Masters
of
Philosophy from 1975 to 1977. I also obtained a Certificate of
Eligibility from
the Council of Legal Education, London. I started working with Ibru
Organisation, a chain of manufacturing and financial conglomerate owned
by my
husband, Olorogun Michael Ibru, where I broadened and deepened my
knowledge in
people and materials management. I worked with the Ibru Organisation as
a
project director from 1978 to 1980. I became the Executive Director,
Finance
and Administration of Oceanic Bank from 1993 to1996. It was really
challenging.
I mean, I had the home front to look after and I had to prove myself as
a
career woman".
Well, it couldn’t have been that
difficult then since it is a family business. Aren’t wives of
successful men
only figure heads in the company, urged to resume in the morning and
close by
noon at least to relieve boredom? Chief (Mrs.) Ibru laughed and
disagreed over
this.
"You’re
wrong there. I’ve
always believed in ideals and setting standards. You’re known by what
you do
and not what you say. I don’t think I would have enjoyed just passing
time as a
figurehead. Thankfully, it wasn’t even like that for me. If it had been
like
that, I doubt if I would have been where I am today. I vigorously
applied my
managerial vitality and business improvement ideas to drive change in
many
fronts. When I became the Managing Director of Oceanic Bank in 1997, I
knew I
worked for it…I deserved it. I made sure that I consistently
demonstrated
extraordinary level of competence by articulating vision, values and
strategies
for the bank in order to optimise returns on shareholders equity. I
thank God
that since assuming office as Managing Director/Chief Executive
Officer, the
bank has witnessed tremendous growth on all financial indices".
Need one say that then that she
deserves all the encomiums poured on her? She has been described as a
woman who
has lived a good life and a modern day amazon who embodies ennobling
virtues of
uncommon diligence and high sense of integrity. One’s head would no
doubt swell
with pride with these descriptions. How does she feel?
"I
thank God for He has given
me all the promotions, strength, power, joy and breakthroughs. God has
been the
one nurturing me with His wisdom. Like in everybody’s life, there have
been
burdens and yokes. But God in His mercy has destroyed them all because
I am
fearfully and wonderfully made. My darling husband, Olorogun Michael
Ibru, has
also always been an inspiration for me. He has been a pillar and
confidant. God
has been good and He has been the one working His divine purpose in me.
When
you have God, everything is good and your light shines for others to
see. One
thing I’ve leant about life is that whatever you are, it is only
possible
through God. When I work and people say encouraging things, I go back
to thank
God and I say, "I thank you for keeping your promises in my life."
If banking gives Mrs. Ibru joy, then
her thought of the wonderful family she has gives her more elation.
Despite the
entire job she has to fill up into every waking day of hers, she still
has the
time to play wife to her husband, mother to her children and
grandmother to her
grandchildren and mother to quite a lot of other children too.
"I
have seven children: Oboden,
Mamemo, Osio, Obaro, Vivi, Tejiro and Rode. They’re all doing very well
in
their different endeavours. I must say that raising a large family is
never the
easiest thing to do but with God on one’s side, we have been able to
take them
to where they are today. I always tell other mothers that you don’t
leave
raising children to chance, you are the one who invited these children
to the
world, you must be able to guide them on the right path. I made sure I
persisted until my children saw my point that they have to make their
own marks
in life. I could remember them feeling I was too hard when they were
much
younger, but today, they thank me for being firm with them. It wasn’t
wickedness, it was just a way of nurturing them. On my 60th birthday,
they said many things
that made me really happy as a mother. I could remember them saying
things
like, ‘thank you mum for being the torch in the black of the freezing
night,
keeping us warm and enabling us to see. Thank you for making you our
mummy’. As
I said, it wasn’t easy at all. There I was raising seven children in
London.
There were many other people staying with us. My husband’s brothers,
cousins
and mine too. We also had some occasional friends coming around to
stay. I could
have chosen to behave otherwise, but in all things, I choose the
positive ways.
My husband is the best husband in the world. He has given me so much
support
and encouragement than most men would give to their wives. He’s fond of
saying
that my name matches my action. From the first encounter we had, he
said he saw
a complete person with God’s guided hand and that he was immediately
overwhelmed by my virtues. He thanks God for our children whom he calls
the
best children in the world. And as his wife, he counts himself the
luckiest man
in the world".
Cecilia Ibru is a good example of
what joy you get when you make other people happy. She believes very
much in a
communal life and she has made her own life a living example.
"If
your immediate family is
not happy, no matter how much happiness you’re building around you, it
cannot
be complete. If you’re way up there and those behind you are still
crawling to
make a living, then your successes are nothing. I try to be that pillar
of
strength to the family and since we don’t have parents anymore, I try
to fulfil
my duties to our parents by giving them a hand. Even when our parents
were
alive, I had begun to look after my younger ones. My twin sister and I
sit down
from time to time to see what it is we can do to make the lives of
everyone
happy. We encourage in times of uncertainly and despair. I urge and
encourage
them to move on. I’m seriously dedicated to family values. I show to
them that
nothing in life comes easy. Yes, there will be people to give you a
helping
hand, but you have to be hardworking too. You have to also let them
know that
if you don’t involve God in every decision or action you take, it might
not be
worth anything, no matter how much effort you put into things. It’s
good to be
diligent and focused in all you do; that is when you can be a source of
inspiration to all those who watch you either as a boss, a parent or a
role
model".
Many people look at their lives and
wish they had done something differently. What would Mrs. Ibru wish she
could change
about her life if she had the chance to do so?
She
smiled and said, "I’m a
very positive and happy person. If you ask me that question over and
over
again, I will have the same answer and that is that God has been good
to me and
he has made everything concerning me perfect. God has ordained every
step I
take. I could remember when I was so young and I decided to get
married, there
were fears that my innate abilities and intelligence would be swept
under the
carpet of an early marriage. Today, God has proved to everyone that His
plans
for one’s life will never go unaccomplished. Through the grace of God
and the
support of my darling husband, I’ve been able to reach heights in the
banking
industry, which I didn’t know I could attain. I’m grateful to God and I
will
continue to be. Change anything? No".