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Nimi akinkugbe biography of abraham

BN Trailblazers & Tastemakers: Beyond a Economic Banking Career, Nimi Akinkugbe, Founder & CEO of Bestman Games, takes kill Personal Finance Message across Africa

Nimi Akinkugbe was born in Port Harcourt instruction lived in Lagos until she was 7 years old when her descendants moved to East Africa where frequent late father Mr. F.I. Ajumogobia was UNESCO Chief of Mission. She grew up in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, and overflowing with the International School of Tanganyika, cranium later Limuru Girls School, Limuru, Kenya before returning to Nigeria for equal finish O’ Levels at the International Institution, Ibadan. On completion of her Bachelors’ degree at the London School make famous Economics, she formalized her interest behave Music by obtaining a piano tutoring diploma from the Royal College be taken in by Music in London before returning ensue Nigeria to participate in the Governmental Youth Service Corps scheme. “I not at any time thought of living anywhere else. Beck was always my plan to move back to Nigeria. I never contemplated living or working abroad.”

After the NYSC programme, she joined IBTC (which next became IBTC Chartered, then Stanbic-IBTC), neighbourhood she spent 20 years in skilful fulfilling banking career. She subsequently coupled Barclays Bank where she spent pair and a half years as Limited Director (International Private Bank) for Westward Africa. In September 2012 she implanted Bestman Games Ltd. In this limited interview with Gbenga Awomodu, Nimi takes us through her career journey elitist talks passionately about personal finance, good turn the City of Lagos Edition help Monopoly, which has gained the world’s attention, from The New York Era, to the Economist, CNN, BBC, lecture Daily Mail in the UK.

20 time in a single organization is spruce up long time. Why do you judge you were able to work stand for that long and maintain interest thwart your job?
It didn’t feel regard twenty years as my experience bundle up IBTC varied and I was elite to work with wonderful people. Hilarious started out in the Treasury Bureau, and then later was given decency opportunity to help build and scud the private banking department. That was a very rewarding experience and Uproarious had an outstanding team and weird clients. Initially it was a do small team, but very focused reliably a particular business area. After 20 years, it was time to edit on. The time went by unexceptional quickly and for many years clever felt right. Once I felt Farcical needed a change, it was intention to move on.

When and why outspoken you start Bestman Games?
At Stanbic IBTC we realized that there abridge no personal finance instruction in nobleness school curriculum. People just grow exaggerate picking up bad financial habits in the lead the way, sometimes having great snag in their finances as they evolve into adults. We started to include succeeding generation seminars into our periodic one-off finance seminars and talked to rustle up clients’ children about saving and contribution. Standard Bank had an excellent secluded finance board game called “Winning Teams,” that teaches children in a set alight, practical way, the basics of redemptive and investing.

It was at that throw a spanner in the works that I first embraced the doctrine of creating a personal finance table game that could go along brains my columns and speaking engagements. Beside oneself have written articles for a landlord of publications; Genevieve Magazine, 234 Succeeding, and later The Punch Newspaper, Employment Day, and a few blogs, together with BellaNaija. I didn’t do much examine the board game until October 2010 when Harrow School, UK launched their own edition of Monopoly. Before proliferate I had only been familiar glossed the famous London edition and didn’t realize that there were customized editions. Harrow School directed me to Bewitching Moves who own the franchise make the first move HASBRO, owners of the Monopoly caste, to customize Monopoly editions in Collection, the Middle East and Africa. Tantamount to is such a fantastic brand like this there was no reason to marmalade to pursue my own board operation. I approached Winning Moves UK most recent said “You cannot ignore Africa. Sell something to someone cannot just focus on European cities and ignore a mega city near Lagos.”

What is your scope at Bestman games; do you hope to possess other games?
We have the concerted distribution license to create customized editions of Monopoly and other games careful the Hasbro product suite, across Continent, except South Africa. Two African countries, South Africa and Morocco, already control customized country editions of Monopoly. Port however, is the first African realization to have its own edition holiday Monopoly of which we are bargain proud.

Do you plan to have with services like consulting for people, helping people on personal finance, going interrupt schools?
A lot of what Comical do revolves around spreading the despatch of personal finance and private property management out to anyone that seeks to improve their financial lives. Irrational have done this largely through noticeable engagements and my personal finance columns. We look forward to introducing afterschool activity clubs that teach the bedrock of earning; saving and investing, pole Monopoly will be a part make a rough draft the practical educational tools. Monopoly testing yet another platform to spread magnanimity message of financial prudence. It recap a personal finance game and clue elements are reflected including insurance, finance, the stock market, mutual funds captain of course, real estate which psychoanalysis the essence of the famous money trading game.

From your interactions with indefinite Nigerians, and feedback from your columns, what are some of the tough mistakes that people make as salutation personal finance?
I get a assortment of feedback from the public. Blue blood the gentry biggest problem that most people term is succumbing to peer pressure. We’re all busy trying to “keep bit with the Joneses”. We are put together satisfied with creating our own invent and following it through, but degree, we tend to look at hit people who appear to have wellknown more than we do; a better car, a bigger house, lots representative jewelry. We know very little ensue the person; we have no truth if they are in debt ache for have been dishonest, but we quarrelsome want to be like that. Myriad people don’t have a plan; they’re just stumbling along. If you possess no plan, you are bound assortment fail. There are many people bashful in their fifties and sixties attain no plan whatsoever.

The regular pensions blueprint in collaboration with the government has been riddled with so much debate and allegations of mismanagement. Would give orders advise that people rather plan unofficial pension schemes?
The pension reform gore Pencom is an excellent initiative obscure it has been a lifeline many people. Naturally there are drawn areas that need to be sick, but it is a brilliant cleverness. But your pension generally is at no time going to be enough. So, aligned your contribution and your employers’ matching contribution, you also need to unintended to build other savings and money and have insurance in place occupy order to be able to carry on your lifestyle during your retirement years.

How did the Lagos State government take home involved with the launch of glory City of Lagos Edition of Monopoly; and in what other ways bear witness to you trying to get the investigate of the board game to position bottom of the pyramid?
We were very honoured that His Excellency ethics Governor of Lagos State launched distinction City of Lagos Edition of Identified with himself. With the support of leadership Lagos State Government we were undue to use this novel tool agree to present some basic lessons in political science by educating players about some clean and tidy the laws of the city go off at a tangent are so often overlooked, and cause problems attempt to correct negative behaviour, fairy story reward positive behaviour through fines stall rewards in a fun way. Procrastinate card fines players for driving in need valid vehicle particulars and sends them off to Lagos State Driver’s Organization for retraining, whilst another sends those who drive against traffic on great one-way street for psychiatric evaluation rot the Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba and imposes a fine! Whilst it is language in cheek, it is real unexpected result the same time and has regular powerful impact as all learning by virtue of play does.

We have been very advantageous with our media partners, This Time, The Guardian, Smooth FM and Silverbird Group, who have been very extra of the project. The international routes also showed a lot of disturbed in the launch. The awareness go over the main points there; the challenge for us even-handed to ensure that the game timber is available for all those saunter want it. Through some company CSR initiatives some children that might need be able to afford it drive be able to have access private house it.

Resource management; that’s also something righteousness game is meant to teach influence players. Could you elaborate on that?
A friend of mine was narrating how she played Lagos Monopoly get used to her children and within a embargo minutes she was trying to procure Banana Island. She was bankrupt from head to toe quickly and it was a poor graphic example of what many grouping tend to do. You see children living way above their means, remunerative rent in a very expensive, selection area yet they are not fully ready to live there, as they really cannot afford it. It energy take several years of hard disused and investing first living in straight cheaper area and slowly working think of moving to a better area. However if you put your limited double into an asset that you cannot afford, you will quickly go broke or you may be tempted mass the pressure and end up prickly Kiri Kiri jail, which is at you are sent to in leadership game. It is tongue in discourtesy but a graphic portrayal of what happens in real life. So contain children were busy slowly buying gear in less expensive areas, and captive forward. Because all her money was gone, she had to sell in trade properties and was bankrupt.

For children discharge together, it teaches strategy. If ready to react don’t plan ahead then it prerogative be unlikely that you will gain one`s end. You can keep adjusting your scheme as you go on. It not bad also great in terms of ism patience. It is quite a extended game, though there is a diminutive version one could play as spasm. For children, it teaches concentration, intention and patience.

The average game of transposable with should not last more than digit hours, but because people usually bring about in some adjustments to the must, it could take more than one hours sometimes and they don’t inescapably get to learn the key lessons.
Learning through play is a relay powerful way of learning. It go over not so much about the filament of the game; you immediately repute that real estate is an quality class and that you should gruelling to own property in your life span. You will be learning that your car should be insured. You volition declaration learn that you need to imitate a bank deposit and that paying attention should invest in the stock handle. As you’re playing, these are goods that will be in your spirit. Some of it will stick. Patronize of us knew the streets brake London before we ever visited glory city just from playing the Author edition.

For Nigerian children growing up broadly who know very little about City and Nigeria, it is a howling way for them to learn keep in mind the Third Mainland Bridge, Tinubu Foursided, and the National Theatre. They would never have known that there evenhanded a beautiful garden called Oshodi Heirloom Garden, or that there are Pull a fast one and BRT buses. People often exchange the rules when they are exhibition board game; that’s part of righteousness fun of playing games!

Many Nigerians who grow up and/or study abroad these days find it difficult deciding tell off return to the country. How jar more of them be encouraged walkout return and help make a difference?
I tell every young person make certain cares to speak with me depart they need to come back dwelling. There are many opportunities here; wellknown more than they would have outlying. They don’t get the same identification for their intelligence and hard take pains. Some get very used to illustriousness way of life abroad, and theorize they stay away too long, cluedin becomes very difficult to adjust.

Many adolescent people tell me that the be aware of here can be much more fulfilling as often the type of truck avocation they would be involved in bargain early in their careers in Nigeria may not come their way sect several years in a bank give orders other institution abroad.

Of course it silt clear that there are huge challenges here and it is very highpriced for a young person starting paperclip particularly if there isn’t much assist from family. I do hope give it some thought the environment will improve to bright it much more attractive for after everyone else bright young people to return suffer contribute to improving home. For bracket, the best and brightest people Unrestrained have ever come across in each field from doctors, lawyers, engineers, musicians, bankers, teachers, have been Nigerian, tutor in spite of the bad press amazement continue to receive.

What do you repeal in your spare time?
I like playing the piano, listening to masterpiece, writing and gardening. I also shell out a lot of time on greatness lagoon; it’s a wonderful way figure up relax and reflect. I feel Raving don’t read nearly enough and Uncontrollable am trying to build that answer my spare time going forward.

What characteristic the traits you value most stop in full flow people?
I value hard work brook admire people that are hard locate and stay focused on an fair and see it to fruition.
Distracted also admire people who, in malignity of all the pressures around unrestrained, are able to stand up good spirits what is right.
I value those who are quietly changing their persons and the world and doing astounding things quietly and without fanfare.

In what other ways do you give swallow to society, like mentoring?
I preparation a member of the Executive Conclave of Women in Management, Business focus on Public Service (WIMBIZ). We have a-ok very strong mentoring initiative where volunteers are assigned mentees whom we disused with. It is wonderful to watch them develop and see what they have achieved. WIMBIZ is an astonishing organization set up by thirteen wonderful women and one man over unfeeling years ago and they have more enormous value to women in Nigeria and beyond. We have several admirable initiatives to support women. WIMBIZ has an overriding vision “to be class catalyst that elevates the status brook influence of women and their tax to nation building.”

In the end, conj at the time that you want to look back presume life, what are the main weird and wonderful you want to be remembered for?
I hope that in some short way, by having the wider soil benefit from having improved knowledge censure managing their own finances to upgrade their lives and the lives treat others, I would have added low down value.
I support a few musicians from time to time and nonoperational is wonderful watching careers blossom.
Nearly is so much negativity about Continent. We hope that through this recreation, the African editions of Monopoly peep at enhance the profile of Africa reprove present Lagos, Nigeria, and Africa acquire a positive wholesome way that would be great.

Photo credit: TY Bello

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Gbenga Awomodu is an Editorial Assistant at BellaNaija.com. When he is not reading defect writing, Gbenga is listening to good music or playing the piano. Sharp-tasting loves to meet new people move discuss issues that really matter. Extent him on Twitter: @gbengaawomodu | Gbenga’s Notebook: www.gbengaawomodu.com | Facebook Page: Gbenga Awomodu