Seldom do stars flicker and flame out moments after securing a corner of the firmament from which they can shine brightest. But former Keystone MD Obeahon Ohiwerei is no ordinary star nor does he abide by the common rules of common men. Mere months after rescuing Keystone from terminal decline due to cancerous finances and nursing it through remission and back to full health, Obeahon shocked the entire world by handing in his resignation.
Of course, that is no longer news. The news is that those who thought he stepped down in order to assume a top job in a competing financial institution are still waiting for their expectations to materialize. In fact, since he relinquished his post, Obeahon has all but disappeared into the ether, leading industry watchers to wonder whatever could have happened to the dude who began his banking career with Guaranty Trust Bank back in 1991.
But however well he’d have wanted to hide, some of his fans have finally fished him out. Those wondering about the whereabouts of the man who took home the Best Banking CEO Award 2018 at the prestigious European Global Banking & Finance Awards in London last year no longer have to wonder. Sources disclosed the 52-year old banker is now in Canada on a brief sabbatical. He’s taking a respite from the rigours of the banking scene. They assured that once he has fully recharged his batteries he will be back in a new capacity very soon.
Many of those asking his whereabouts cannot just forget the lavish all-white party he threw on his last birthday. They are hoping he returns to the scene so they can enjoy more of such spectacular events. Those fortunate to attend that exclusive shindig recall that it was not an event worthy of those with narrow pockets. Every single socialite and celebrity A-lister that graced the occasion came loaded to the hilt. They were garbled resplendently in various hues of white and cream augmented with costly ornaments that would send coin-counting accountants to an early grave.
Meanwhile, as Obeahon relaxes and strategies in Canada ahead of a presumed return, the praise for the work he did at Keystone continues unabated. On his watch, Keystone Bank became the industry leader in innovation as Obeahon superbly led it from the verge of ruin to become a technology and service-driven commercial bank offering convenient and reliable solutions to its customers.
