Children’s Day: Wema Bank CEO Donates 1-day Salary To Winner Of 1-day MD/CEO Initiative

Moruf Oseni, MD/CEO of Wema Bank, Nigeria’s oldest indigenous bank, most innovative and pioneer of Africa’s first-fully digital bank, ALAT, has donated his one-day salary for May 27, to Chiderije Mbah, a 12-year-old child who emerged winner in the Wema Bank 1-day MD/CEO initiative for Children’s Day celebration.

The Wema Bank 1-day MD/CEO initiative was launched by the Bank on May 21, 2025, calling 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.

Among dozens of entries received, 12-year-old Chiderije Mbah’s entry sparked outstanding recommendations for his embodiment of the role of MD/CEO, leading to his emergence as winner and an exclusive opportunity to become Wema Bank’s MD/CEO for Children’s Day.

From his grand reception at the Bank’s 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.

Crowning it all off, Oseni, pulled an impressive surprise, giving 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.

Officially handing over the symbols of office to Chiderije, Oseni shed light on the Bank’s motivation for annually commemorating Children’s Day in such a grand and intentional manner.

According to him, “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.

“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 Chiderije will 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, Chiderije will 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.

Expressing gratitude for the thoughtful gesture, Chiderije Mbah promised to make Wema Bank proud, adding that, “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!”

Since its inception in 1945, Wema Bank has earned a remarkable reputation for its intentional approach to empowering lives at all ages, in all demographics and across all generations. Beyond Children’s Day, the Bank’s top child-focused solutions, which are the Royal Kiddies Account for children ages 0-12 and the ALAT Xplore App for teens ages 13-17, continue to enable parents to build a stable future for their children, while empowering children with the financial resources and practical literacy skills they need to become financially responsible.