HE KNELT OR STOOPED TO CONQUER! SO WHAT?

It is vile expression for people to say that young man, the banker who was alleged to have knelt down for Fayose begging, given the pictures which went viral last week, ought to be ashamed of himself and according to many, mainly the male folks “he has fallen the hands of men”.

   

Hmm! Hypocrisy runs wild in our society and one wonders when it’s going to end, that’s if it would ever end. People talk a lot of gibberish stuff when making comments on issues relating to others and it is so easy for them to make very ‘uncalled for’ as well as unrealistic “if I was the one, I would do blah blah blah” this or that just because they are not the ones in whatever that situation may be at the time.

And so the man knelt down? Yes. Why? Because he was trying to save his job. Simple.

Again, a lot of other people had the guts to say, why didn’t he just resign instead of stooping so low? And my question for such people is “how many of you have had the guts to resign from that underpaying job, abusive job and what have you? I can imagine a lot of them recoiling back in their shells right now because of being hit by reality questions.

I am more disappointed in those women who have posted more hateful statements in the order of the aforementioned men. And I feel pity, to say the least for such women. What do most of them know safe for driving around in cars, parties, visiting spas and gyms courtesy of the hard earned money from their spouses?

If only a good number of such women are aware of the kinds of things their ‘precious’ husbands go through on a lot of their so called ‘executive position’ jobs just to make keep the home front together, then I bet you, many of these women would have a rethink on what they say whenever they hear about a man who knelt down in public for his benefactor.

I’m so sticking with that guy any day, but it hurts to see his picture going viral and whoever took and uploaded such, should have his/her knees ready because like they say, “it rains everywhere” meaning we all get our shot at things in life, one way or the other.

As a former banker and from every angle, bankers, especially of the new generation banks, kiss asses all the time *excuse my French*.

As a banker you are subjected to a lot of ‘begging’ and even ‘worshipping’ of customers who most of the times enjoy such pampering and ‘ego’ massaging, just to keep your job.  And sincerely speaking, the banks don’t give a ‘hoot’ about how you get the huge deposits or big customers as long as you get it in the long run. That’s all that counts. It’s the sad truth and reality, so deal with it.

I have on several occasions witnessed senior colleagues and even friends in many of these new generation banks do all sorts of ‘ego massaging’ in many ways such as kneeling down, rolling on the floor, going on stupid errands, buying of unaffordable gifts and many more just to please some of these clients or else get threatened with “I will move my account to another branch” or “I will close my account and move to another bank” and I assure you, no banker wants to hear such threats because they know it could have serious ripple effects which could eventually result in the loss of their jobs if care is not taken.

So what does the poor banker do? Of course he/she has to keep licking the boots of the ‘always right’ and ‘difficult-to-please’ customers and then when they get tired of such ‘ego massaging’, a lot of them resign and sadly because there are few job opportunities out there, many of them if care is not taken, give up on life out of frustration or, should I say ‘depression’?

And so, my heart goes out to that young man who was pictured kneeling down begging. And to all those who think they would have done otherwise, pray, just pray you never find yourself in such circumstance.

I know many people would be wondering why the said pictures are not here. Yes it was deliberate because I feel it has gone viral enough.

And to all the men who go through so much to put food on the tables of the ‘good, the bad and the ugly’ wives, I say a big “WELL DONE”.

Retired Bankers Vs Real Tired Bankers

My friends were having a discussion the other day. At first I wasn’t interested in the topic until the word “retired” was mentioned and I quickly recalled a scenario which transpired a few years back between a trio of bank marketers and a potential client/depositor.

The said bank marketers had gone to this businessman who supposedly had a huge account with another bank that was of course making a great turnover in return.

When these marketers approached the man in his office, he took a good look at them without uttering a word for a while and then, like an afterthought, asked them their mission - as if he didn't know it already.

The first of the trio, a young man who appeared to  lead  the pack of two females went  thus; “Sir, we are marketers from so-and-so bank, we were wondering how we could be of any help to your great organization”.

While the young man spoke the potential client who was listening keenly had this smirk on his face which he eventually turned into a scornful laugh after a few minutes.

As soon as the potential client started  laughing, the young man stopped talking and with an embarrassed look on his face, turned towards his colleagues with an expression which said “Did I just do or say anything funny”?

While the young man was pondering on that, the potential client looked at the trio seated in front of him and said “Hey! Forgive my manners. I forgot to offer you drinks and, looking at you, you sure do need the offer." Ignoring their protests declining his offer, the man turned  towards a fridge behind him) and brought out three bottles of malt drinks which he placed of his visitor.

All the marketers did was mutter a /hushed “thank you” even though they made no move to touch the bottles.

The potential client sat back in his chair, cleared his throat and began, “You know what, I remember when this business started just a few years ago. I approached your bank for a loan, and you know what your bank said to me?"

The marketers shook their heads in the negative.

"Of course not,|" the man continued."Well, they told me that they don’t assist new businesses  and that even this same business that all your colleagues have been coming from different branches to solicit for account opening now, did not look promising to them at the time so could not put a dime in it”.

The marketers exchanged surprised looks - though that didn't fool the man one bit. They knew for a fact that it was the bank’s policy not to give loans to new or fresh businesses.

The man ignored their pretended surprise and continued, “So I went to another bank with the same proposal your bank had rejected and without much hassle, I got a loan, even more than what I requested from your bank after I was convinced by my then account officer to go for more than what I initially had in mind.  It is that money which was used to grow my business that has transformed into this huge business that you all are running after now."

“We, we ...” this time one of the ladies spoke “...understand your plight, sir, and  apologise on behalf of the bank for making you go through all that. But we would still like to know how we can…"

“Point of correction” the potential client cut in “I do not have a plight. It is you marketers who are in some kind of plight at the moment because I am way up beyond that now by the grace of God. And lest I forget, I'm not bitter anymore because at the end of the day, it was a good thing your bank turned me

down, otherwise I wouldn't have gone to my present bank and most importantly met my then account officer who today is a friend and like a brother in my family."

After a brief silence, the second lady, trying so hard to be as seductive as possible, said, "so since you are no longer angry with the bank, we still need to know how we can be of any help."

While she spoke, a man who looked in his early forties walked into the office and the potential client's face  immediately lit up with a smile and an outstretched hand for a handshake towards the man and said "speaking of which, this is the man-of-the-moment, Eugene my then account officer who's now retired from the bank and doing this same business of mine."

 After exchanging pleasantries with the others, the man sat down on a single settee at one end of the large office away from the rest and said "I learnt from the best you know." Turning while laughing towards the marketers, he added jokingly "don't believe anything he says o! If he says I am the-man-of-the-moment, he is the-MAN-OF-ALL-MOMENTS" and humbly picked up a magazine from the stack of papers on a table by the settee.

Well, my 'dears' I do not have any need for a new bank now as I'm fine with my present bank and most importantly you don't expect me to leave a bank that helped me for yours, would you? I give nearly every one of your bank marketers drinks whenever they show up here  because I sympathise with them because I know how hard you work knowing full well that up until now as we speak, your bank still does not help new business thereby making marketing difficult for you thereafter turn you all into 'REAL TIRED' bankers until you eventually take the bull by the horns and quietly Retire like my man over there who did not wait to become 'really tired' before retiring" pointing towards the man on the settee now reading a magazine. 

And so, it ended a case of RETIRED versus REAL TIRED bankers.

Here is my cup filled with so much love for all those 'REAL TIRED' bankers who are yet to 'RETIRE'.

Wishing YOU ALL THE BEST!