Elumelu: How I got scar on my right hand

The Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu, has disclosed how he got the scar on his right hand.

Elumelu, in a post on his social media accounts on Thursday, November 16, 2023, said the scar brings bittersweet memories to him everyday.

Narrating how he got the injury, the billionaire businessman disclosed that he was injured after jumping from a commercial bus in Lagos.

He said: “Many years ago, as a new hire at Allstates Trust Bank, I was asked by my boss to work on a credit analysis for a corporate customer. The assignment was due at 8:00 a.m. the next day; there was no option but to deliver. It meant that I had to work on a long, detailed, demanding 40-page document overnight.

“I worked late into that night, so I could finish the job. To go home, I went to Racecourse/TBS bus stop in Lagos, where I got on a ‘Molue’ – Lagos’s classic yellow transit bus. I promptly slept. When I woke, the bus had reached Jibowu, miles away from my home.

“I got off immediately, but as I jumped, I cut myself badly on my hand. I remember the blood dripping on the ground, as I made my way to the hospital to get treated. This not so pleasant memory is a reminder of my early days in the corporate world.

“This memory has stayed with me – not just the pain, the hard night, one of many hard nights or the challenges that so many young Africans have to show, but the lessons I learned – there might be difficult moments in life and business, but resilience, hard work and staying laser-focused will shape what the future will ultimately be.”

The Star

Segun Ojo