You have saved the company from ruins. You have delivered growth in the division. You have transformed that business, meeting and breaking all the milestones and KPIs. That underperforming branch is back because your strategy is working. Yet, no one has appreciated you. Yes, no one cares, and you are not happy.

Do not lose hope: learn from David, the stone-thrower who became a king.

⁵⁷ And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

⁵⁸ And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite

1 Samuel 17: 45-58

By the time David killed Goliath, he had played for Saul, in the palace, during the king’s occasional spells. David has done other things even as a young man – killing a beast that wanted to attack his father’s animals, and worthy enough to “lead” his nation in a battle. Yet, no one knew about him. In short, no one knew his name. The king had sent his armor which David was supposed to use to fight Goliath, and yet no one knew his name.

What do you need to do to be recognized? Go with your “head of Goliath”.

The captain of the army, Abner, also did not know David: “And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell”. Notice that Abner was open for David to fight for Israel but never even bothered to know about him. He delivered the armor from Saul to David, perhaps, as typical, the person will die, with the armor. So, it was not even necessary to know the latest person that would wear this one to fight Goliath. David was expected to be killed, and there was no need to waste time over him!

Understand that David has been winning small “battles”,  and no one has ever recognized him. Even his father, Jesse, never appreciated the young man. Your son had played for the king, but at home, he was nobody. So, David needed a new strategy if he ever wants his acknowledgements to be recognized: go with evidence.

To stop the repeated lack of recognition from happening after his biggest fight, he returned with the head of Goliath (he could have left it in the field). Yes, he came back to meet the king with the head of Goliath, Yes, he came with evidence as he returned from the branch to meet the CEO in the headquarters. With the head of Goliath in his hand, king Saul did not have to ask more questions: the KPIs are there, the records are visible and David delivered more than promised.

The fact is this: understand when it is necessary even as Abner takes you to the CEO to go with the head of Goliath. The head is the evidence of your records on delivering value in that business. When Saul saw the evidence, it was irrelevant that he did not know the young warrior’s name before: David was getting all tax waivers, will be given the king’s daughter in marriage, etc because he has clearly shown the records.

David held the head of Goliath (the evidence) instead of giving it to Abner (the regional manager) to present on his behalf in this important meeting with the Group CEO. Whenever a moment like meeting the king (the CEO) arrives, go with your “Goliath’s head”. That is how you get your rewards.

1 Samuel 17: 45-58

⁴⁵ Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

⁴⁶ This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

⁴⁷ And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord‘s, and he will give you into our hands.

⁴⁸ And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

⁴⁹ And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

⁵⁰ So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

⁵¹ Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

⁵² And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.

⁵³ And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.

⁵⁴ And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.

⁵⁵ And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

⁵⁶ And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is.

⁵⁷ And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

⁵⁸ And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite

LinkedIn Comment on Feed

A very tricky one, especially in a highly rigged workplace or environment. Some brilliant folks down the hierarchical ladder have been beating to submission by their rogue superiors, with the latter arrogating the former’s achievements as theirs; without any form of challenge.

In the universities, you see a professor publishing a student’s work as his own, without even acknowledging the original author. Same is applicable in many organisations. The suffocating bureaucratic arrangements most times make it impossible for that brilliant ‘small’ manager in a branch or division to have any form of access to the CEO, without the ones higher up shutting you off in your tracks. Some even worked until resignation without coming anywhere close to the CEO.

The system is rigged against a lot of people, especially those who cannot ‘shout’, making them to always remain in the line, with no chance to question anything.

But as hardworking and brilliant manager of a division, you must have a strategy to upend all barriers that will lie in weight to stop you from getting your work recognised by the highest authority. Even the Holy Book affirmed that to takeover the kingdom, you are not going to be smiling, a force is needed!

Nigeria’s GTBank has responded to Innoson Motors’ claim that it had been mandated by the court to “take over” the bank. Of course, that is alternative fact news. Yet, in the GTBank’s response, the bank dropped a troubling hint: “It is important to state that the Judgment allegedly in issue is in respect of Garnishee Proceedings against the account of the Nigerian Customs Service Board domiciled with the Bank and not against the Bank as an entity.” This particular case is simply unfortunate. What a pity but lawyers smile for  the continuous good alerts!

But in its response, Erhi Obebeduo, company secretary of the bank, said the bank would resist any attempt to execute any such “illegal or fraudulent execution”.

“The attention of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (“the Bank”} has been drawn to statements circulating in the news and social media in respect of purported enforcement of a Judgment of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State at one of its branches in Anambra State,” the bank said.

“The Bank as a law-abiding corporate citizen is taking all necessary legal steps to address this situation and ensure that no illegal or fraudulent execution is carried out.

“It is important to state that the Judgment allegedly in issue is in respect of Garnishee Proceedings against the account of the Nigerian Customs Service Board domiciled with the Bank and not against the Bank as an entity.”

Comments on LinkedIn Feed

#1. Ok, so, here is how it works. Mr. I (Innoson) sues Mr. C (Customs). Nothing to do with GTB. But Mr. C keeps its funds with GTB, like most people. Mr. I obtained judgment against Mr. C and seeks to enforce that judgment through Garnishee Proceedings (a mode of enforcing judgment) seeking to attach the funds with GTB that belongs to Mr. C.

Mr. I serves GTB with Garnishee Order Nisi to show cause why Mr. C’s funds with it shouldn’t be attached to satisfy the judgment debt. This isn’t any of GTB’s business. All it has to do is file Affidavit Showing Cause attaching Mr. C bank statement. The court then issues Garnishee Order Absolute and the judgment sum is paid to Mr. I.

Now, here’s the problem. GTB becomes a meddlesome interloper busy body and seeks to defend its customer Mr. C perhaps by not disclosing all the funds and now buys trouble for itself.

If Mr. I is able to show that Mr. C has funds with GTB and its refused to pay it, then the court will make consequential orders/judgment against GTB such as that it’s not solvent to pay judgment debt in its custody.

Banks have dabbled into Garnishee Proceedings that was not their business and have had their fingers burnt. Now no one is worrying about Mr. C the judgment debtor

• My response: You sabi the case – I have looked at this and can conclude one thing: GTBank really hated Innoson to have taken over the defense of Nigerian Customs.  NCS is government and how a private bank (not govt owned) found it useful to pay lawyers to defend govt is something only LBS case study will explain.

#2. Innoson has no business with custom,as long as the garnishee order has been given by a competent court of jurisdiction,INNOSON has the powers to halt all banking transactions of GTB until that amount is paid,contrary he might decide to allow his money run on the 22? of 8.8billion,or have it converted to shares.the fact is that he dictates the pace! The hope of a common man,THE JUDICIARY

#3: GT bank wrote off Chief Innocent Chukwuma as “illiterate Igbo trader”, “illiterate Nnewi trader” with no liver or time for court cases.

It is the same reason police men prefer to be posted to Anambra State – especially the Onitsha-Nnewi axis, where they believe the traders don’t like going to police station or court. They would prefer to “settle” the police and go their way. But the same police men don’t like to be posted to Imo (especially the Owerri-Mbaise axis) or Enugu city where civil servants and lecturers have the patience to pursue cases and make life miserable for police people with court cases and petitions.

But Innoson surprised GTBank with his patience and doggedness.

This case the company just won against GTBank is just one of the two cases at the Supreme Court. This one is the case about its goods the Nigerian Customs seized and auctioned to politicians in 2004 (when Obasanjo was president.) The Court asked Nigerian Customs to pay Innoson but GTBank jumped into the case and appealed.

The second case is that of GTBank making clandestine deductions from Innoson amounting to about N600 million – ie secretly stealing from Innoson like most banks do to their unwary customers. Innoson asked GTBank to pay back at the 22 percent interest rate it was charging Innoson for the loan it lent it, but GTBank said that the best it would do was to pay back at 7 percent interest rate. It wanted to pay Innoson at the ridiculous rate it pays its depositors. So Innoson went to court. The High Court and Appeal Court ruled in its favour but GTBank went to the Supreme Court. It even got the EFCC to harass Chief Chukwuma and intimidate him to make him succumb, accusing the man and his company of sundry issues.

Innoson is awaiting the judgement of the Supreme Court on that case. In 2014 the amount GTBank would pay Innoson for the fraudulent deductions stood at 5.9 billion naira. In 2018, it stood at 14 billion. It continues to rise everyday.

In all this, Chief Chukwuma refused to be intimidated or discouraged. The upper hand he has is that the appeal court had ordered GTBank to pay him at an interest rate of 22 percent. So with the passing of each day, the amount GTBank will pay increases.

Caveat: This particular issue between GTBank and Innoson has little or nothing to do with ethnicity. It is a case of big corporations vs soft target. Big corporations always believe they have the financial muscle and connections to intimidate and wear out the soft target, even when it is clear to them that they are wrong.