Friend Of 38yrs Tells Kind Of Person New FBN Holdings’ GMD Wale Oyedeji Is

A friend of 38 years has provided insight into the character and person of Wale Oyedeji, the new Group Managing Director at FBN Holdings.

Oyedeji resumed at the financial services group, which recently switched its name to FirstHoldco, on November 13, 2024.

One of his old friends, Wale Adeniranye, in celebrating his resumption at the holding company with Nigeria’s oldest commercial bank as its flagship subsidiary, shared details that speak to what to expect from the new group managing director.

“WO is a man of many parts. He is intellectually sound, emotionally intelligent, and socially aware,” Adeniranye wrote, referring to the bank chief who left his position as the Chief Executive Officer at NOVA Commercial Bank to take up his new appointment.

Oyedeji’s joining FBN Holdings has been applauded as a strong reflection of industry confidence in the leadership of NOVA, which recently transitioned from a merchant bank to a commercial bank on the wings of galloping successes.

“Wale has an abundance mentality. I recall that he wrote a letter to me during our National Youth Service programme sometime in 1991. By the way, WO served in an audit firm in Lagos, and I served in Egbado College, Ilaro, Ogun State. In the letter, Wale gave a detailed account of developments in the job market in Lagos. On the strength of WO’s letter, I was motivated to move to Lagos as soon as possible and got employed in one of the banks or consulting firms,” Adeniranye testified to Oyedeji’s extraordinary attention to detail and his remarkable understanding of the business landscape in the early days of his career. These qualities helped him master corporate banking, treasury, commercial banking, and general management over the course of his 30 years of experience.

The new FBN Holdings GMD was at one time the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank UK (2008 to 2011) and also served as Executive Director for the Corporate Banking Group and a member of the Board of Guaranty Trust Bank, where he forged a reputation as an industry factor.

“Wale’s key strength is that he gets things done. If WO says he’s going to do something, rest assured that he will do it. He does not give excuses. The flip side of this admirable quality is that Wale gets easily irritated by excuse-givers,” Adeniranye further revealed about the bank chief, who is also a former Independent Non-Executive Director at Stanbic IBTC Bank.

The friend, who traced the beginning of their friendship to 38 years ago at the University of Ibadan, maintained that “Our friendship kicked off from the word go and waxed stronger after we completed our first degree programme in the same department in 1990.”

He made these revelations in a social media narrative with the header “Celebrating My Friend and Brother.”

He rounded up with a direct message, combined with a prayer, to his bosom friend that reads:

“Òré (friend), on your 50th birthday a few years back, I wrote, ‘You are at an inflection point; get ready for a significant rise.’ That time is here. You are at the cusp of a second ascent. God prepared you for this season. Go ahead and conquer territories! You will not be conquered. God has gone ahead of you to make every crooked path straight and every rough road smooth.

There is no glory without accompanying burdens and pains. Fear not because God will lighten your burdens and soothe your pains. You will not be put to shame in Jesus’ Name!

‘Olúwa kò ní f’ìkan gbàkan l’ówó ẹ, ní orúko Jésù.’ (God will not sacrifice one good to give you another, in Jesus’ name.)”

Oyedeji is expected to lead FirstHoldco’s new 5-year strategic plan, with stronger corporate governance and sustained focus as key points.

Adeniranye shared the photos of past years.