Vice President Osinbajo, Saraki, Others Unveil Ayorinde’s Book On Banking

Vice President, Osinbajo

By LOVETH AZODO, Lagos

Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, will on Monday, lead top government functionaries and private sector operators to unveil a book , “Banking Reform in Nigeria: The law, The Prospects and The Challenges.”

The book written by an eminent scholar, lawyer, chartered banker and influential member of House of Representatives, Hon. Dr. ‘Bode Ayorinde, is meant to chart the way to revamp the banking sector, in an ongoing national quest for sustainable economic development.

Other guests expected to grace the event and brainstorm include the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Also expected are senior government officials including the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr.  Godwin Emefiele; the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen; Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and other Ministers; the Governor of Ondo state, Arakunri Oluwarotimi Akeredolu who is Special Guest of Honour at the event.

The book, “Banking Reform in Nigeria – The Laws, The Prospects and The Challenges” traces the historical development of banking business in Nigeria and critically examines all the laws relating to banking since inception.

Posited to be an invaluable  guide to the transformation of the banking industry, the book goes further to chronicle all attempts to reform and rebrand the banking industry in the past, including the most pronounced consolidation exercise of 2004/2005 that shook the industry to its foundations.

The book further examined the issue of bank capital requirement, distress management in banks and professionalism in banking business.

The high point of the book is the critical examination of legal and institutional framework for regulation and supervision of banks in 23 other countries and it concludes with an admonition for an urgent reform of the Nigeria banking industry.

It offers some suggestions that would make the banking industry conform to the world’s best practices and in line with the policies of the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The author of the book, Hon. Dr. ‘Bode Ayorinde is a seasoned scholar, with specialization in International Banking and Finance Law. He is currently the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State of Nigeria and has been in this position since the foundation of the University.

Hon. Dr. Ayorinde has played a major role in the House Committee on Banking and Currency. He served as the Chairman of the House Ad-Hoc Committee on Economic Recession. He is also the Deputy Chairman of House Committee on Rules and Business.

Hon. Dr. Bode Ayorinde is also a member of several House Committees including Banking and Currency, Finance, Tertiary Education and Services, Anti- Corruption, Justice, FCT Judiciary and FERMA.

Hon Ayorinde was the Convener of the highly successful Legislative Economic Summit held in Abuja last November, an event that facilitated policy makers, members of parliament at both Federal and State levels and stakeholders at large to interface and proffer lasting solutions to the socio–economic challenges facing Nigeria as a nation.

Hon. Ayorinde opines that the banking sector has a pivotal role to play and calls for a comprehensive reform of the banking industry in Nigeria.

In his words, “What becomes of a nation’s economic growth and development, security and welfare of her people , to a great extent is directly correlated and connected to the level of development of her banking industry. “