The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has donated a 160-seater lecture theatre to the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ogun State for the training and development of future bankers.

Speaking at the virtual groundbreaking ceremony of the institute’s legacy projects in Ago-Iwoye on Friday, the CIBN President, Dr Ken Opara, said the building would be known as ‘The CIBN Bankers Hall’.

Opara said the project was the institute’s modest contribution to the development of banking and finance education in the country and support for the economy.

He said the CIBN had resolved to establish a learning legacy project in all linked institutions across the country for effective collaboration.

Opara said the linkage programme was designed to deepen banking and finance education by infusing professional elements into the teaching-learning process.

He said the programme was also to address the gap between the industry and the academia in terms of quality of graduates produced from higher institutions.

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“This groundbreaking ceremony is symbolic as it marks our endorsement and acknowledgement of your contribution to educational development and the economy in the past 40 years.

“It is our considered opinion that any student from your institution who has gone through the linkage programme and passed the banking professional examinations conducted by CIBN, will be competent, fit for the industry.

“I must also mention that in recognition of the changing business landscape in the banking industry, the institute developed and launched its new syllabus for banking professional examinations in 2021.

“The new syllabus has been fortified with contents that are contemporary and addresses emerging issues in the world of banking and finance,” he said.

Opara called on all stakeholders both the government and the Organised Private Sector (OPS) to join forces to reposition the educational system in the country.

According to him, education remains the bedrock of any meaningful development.

The Vice-Chancellor of OOU, Prof Ayodeji Agboola, commended the CIBN for the project.

Agboola assured the institute that the theatre would be put to good use to achieve its objective.

The Star