Page 25 - Q1 2021

FROM

FULL-TIME BANKER

TO FULL-TIME MOM

By Oyinkansola Adeboye

At the start of a career, you hope that you a proud lioness and mother to two of the
ace your first six months of probation and if most beautiful twins ever. About 5 years
you are lucky, you make it through the first ago, I officially transitioned from being a full-
year. Yet, it is very uncertain how long one time banker to becoming a full-time mother
spends in a workplace. However, when you and the experience has been amazing so
work with an organisation that offers you far.
access to the same opportunities as any of
your colleagues regardless of your gender, I was born in Lagos on July 11, 1973. The
age, religion, race or ethnicity, time seems to 1st of 5 siblings, I grew up in Kaduna
fly like the twinkle of an eye. and attended Airforce Primary and Air
Force Secondary Schools Kaduna, which
For Funmi Akanbi, a lioness who worked probably explains my disciplined approach
with the UBA tribe for over 15 years and almost military precision in doing
before resigning to take on a new role, things.
there seemed to be no stopping her. She
grew from a young shy 26-year-old to a I have a Second-Class Upper degree
formidable senior management staff. in Agricultural Science from Ogun
State University (now Olabisi Obasanjo
Almost five years after handing in her lapel University) and an MBA from London
pin, Funmi’s time with the tribe still stays Metropolitan University, UK.
fresh in her memory.
How long did you work at the United
In the spirit of celebrating women’s month, Bank for Africa?
we had a sit down with her where she
talked about her journey from career to I had a career that spanned 17 years
motherhood. with UBA. In between I was on a leave of
absence for roughly 2 years, so technically I
Hi Funmi, tell us about yourself worked 15 years with the Bank.

My name is Funmi Akanbi (nee Oluyimika),

Jan - Mar 2021 | The Lion King | 25