Vol. 1 No.100 May, 2014
37
Mazi Okechukwu Chris K. Unegbu Esq. FCIB
Okechukwu Chris Kelvin Unegbu was born on August 17, 1951 to the family of Mr. & Mrs. Unegbu of Ogbe Ahiara Mbaise. He is the Managing Director/Chief Executive officer of Maxifund Investments & Securities Limited (Dealing member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange). He holds a B.SC (Hons) Degree in Finance (2nd Class Upper Division) from University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1978) and M.SC Degree (Banking and Finance), University of Ibadan (1985). Mazi Unegbu also holds LL.B from University of Lagos (2000) and was called to bar in 2001. He also holds some professional certifications among them are ACIB from Institute of bankers London, FCIB from Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, FCS from Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers Nigeria, BL from Nigeria Law School, ChMC from Institute of Chartered Mediators & Conciliators, and FCIP from Certified Pension Institute of Nigeria. He started his working career with African Continental Bank Limited in 1972 and later worked with Nigerian Institute of Social & Economic Research (NISER), Ibadan as Consulting Assistant between 1978 and
1979. A banking icon, Mazi Unegbu joined the service of First Bank of Nigeria Plc in 1979 as Bank Officer and left the Bank in 1990 as Senior Manager. He also worked with Broad Bank as Assistant General Manager from 1990 to 1991 and later worked with Progress Bank of Nigeria Plc, where he rose to become the Chairman /Chief Executive Officer in September 1995. He was also a Director of so many organizations among them are: PBN Finance and Trust Company Limited, between 1992 to 1993, Spring Bank Plc, January 2006 – March 2007. First Securities Discount House Limited, May 2005 – August 2006. He is Founder and Director, Ogbe Community Bank of Nigeria Limited and also he was the Managing Director/Chief Executive, of Citizens International Bank Limited between May and December 2005. Mazi O.C.K.Unegbu is a visiting Lecturer in Law of Banking at the University of Lagos and also an Associate Consultant, Financial Institution Training Centre (FITC). He is a member, Board of Trustees, Risk Management Association of Nigeria and member, Audit Committee, Nigerian Bar
Association and Legal Adviser, Association of Stock-broking Houses of Nigeria. A prolific writer, Mazi Unegbu co-authored “Developments in Nigeria’s External Assets’’ in Foundations of Nigerian Financial Infrastructure, he has written more than 2 books among them are “Establishing a Discount House: Operational and Infrastructural Requirements in operating a Discount House in Nigeria”, and “Corporate Governance in Banking & Other Financial Institutions: Laws, Issues and Ethics“ and has presented numerous papers within and outside Nigeria. He also has attended various courses locally and internationally. A Past President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and VicePresident, The Certified Pension Institute of Nigeria (CPIN), Mazi Unegbu is a fellow of Certified Institute of Cost Management of Nigeria; Associate, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers; Associate, Institute of Bankers, London; Member, Institute of Directors; Member, Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) and Member, Ikoyi Club 1938. He holds executive positions in many professional organizations among them are: Risk Management Association of Nigeria. Member, Audit Committee, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Lagos Branch Committee for the prevention of the encroachment on Legal Practice by Banks and Other Financial Institutions, Legal Adviser, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria. Member of Committee, Finance and General Purposes NBA, Lagos Branch: Mazi Unegbu is a philanthropist. He pioneered the Electricity Project in Ogbe, scholarships for many students in law, banking and engineering, provided money for many community projects, awarded business start-up money for people, and provided funds and computers for schools. He is happily married to Mrs. Zita Mma Unegbu - a Deputy Registrar at WAEC with 6 children and his hobbies include Tennis, Photography and writing. In this chat with NCR he promises Imo people transparency, accountability and good governance if elected into office.
Nigerian Catholic Reporter