Dr Walton Ekundayoh Gilpin who is considered to be one the country’s foremost motivational speakers, also a preacher and career development expert, has on the 4th March 2022 inspired a gathering of Fourah Bay College students to “Stay ahead of the Curve” if they are to become productive and successful in life.
He gave that admonition while delivering a Public Lecture organized by the FBC Students Union in collaboration with the Rokel Commercial Bank of which he is Managing Director.
Whilst the Topic, “Become Women leaders By Creating Your Tomorrow” could be a bold reference to the University’s first-ever female Students Union President, the philosophical underpinning of the RCBANK’s CEO message to the students of Sierra Leone’s oldest university exudes clear guidelines for success after university. To this end, Gilpin began by articulating the barriers women face in the social, cultural and economic strata of society. He espoused on the role of women in economic development and barriers in the corporate world – drawing a clear distinction between the usual rhetoric about gender empowerment and the realities that exist within countries in Sub Sahara Africa.
To better illustrate the widening disparity on female empowerment, the Rokel Bank MD referenced the Global Economic Index to present data that showed a grim picture of women’s participation in formal and informal business and professional activities. This, he said, can be tackled through a number of sound polices but without ignoring the fact that individual success begins with the individual regardless of gender.
The erudite Rokel Commercial Bank Managing Director took the students through a litany of life’s lessons, stating that whilst education is a necessary condition, it is not always a sufficient condition to success. Therefore, two key parameters; Attitude and Aptitude must be combined to determine one’s altitude in life. Other attributes like perseverance, hard work, purposefulness and the ability to determine people who positively impact your life, according to Gilpin are essential components success. Apparently, his message was so stimulating and thought provoking that the speaker became overwhelmed by student’s questions and contributions that the need for a repeat of that public lecture became apparent to both the Rokel Commercial Bank and the FBC Student Union Government.
The event was climaxed by the marketing of the Bank’s products and services and the students who wished joining the bank already know there’s an outlet at their doorstep. The Bank since last year, has opened a fully functional outlet at Fourah Bay College.
