Abubakar Suleiman, the CEO of Sterling Bank Group, recently paid a casual visit to Café One, the bank’s coworking and digital lounge designed to spark innovation and collaboration. Known for his high standards and commitment to excellence, the CEO was disappointed by what should have been a minor detail, a poorly executed wall painting inside the space. The artwork, meant to inspire, had fallen short of expectations. He remarked that the job needed to be redone. In his view, a space built to represent creativity must reflect that in every inch, including the walls.
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What Mr. Suleiman didn’t realise was that someone unexpected had been listening to the exchange: Pwanabeshi Obadiah, the security guard stationed nearby.
What the CEO also couldn’t have known was that Obadiah wasn’t just there to keep watch. By day, he stood post outside Café One. By night, he was an artist, selling handmade portraits and perfecting his craft away from the spotlight. Hearing the CEO’s disappointment was all the push he needed to do something audacious. He returned later with chalk in hand and poured his creativity onto the very same wall. What emerged was a stunning blackboard mural: alive, imaginative, and precisely the spark Café One had been missing.
When Mr. Suleiman returned the next day, he was stopped in his tracks. The wall that had disappointed him just 24 hours earlier had been completely transformed. Gone were the tired brush strokes of the original painter. In their place stood a captivating mural, entirely hand-drawn in chalk, filled with energy and storytelling. The CEO didn’t need to ask who had done it; the work spoke for itself. But when he learned it was the security guard, he was floored.
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In that moment, Abubakar Suleiman made a decision. He offered Pwanabeshi Obadiah a position in Sterling Bank’s creative department, on the spot.
That offer marks the beginning of a new chapter. The artist, once guarding doors, would now be opening new ones, this time as a member of a team tasked with shaping the bank’s visual identity and creative storytelling.
This story isn’t just about art. It’s about boldness. It’s about seeing a gap and stepping into it without waiting for permission. The security guard didn’t submit a CV or ask to be noticed. He used his gift to rewrite his story and, in doing so, created a breakthrough moment for himself.
As Mr. Suleiman later reflected, “The next generation of Nigerians are not seeking permission to create.”
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And indeed, they are not. Young Nigerians across the country have talent, creativity, and ambition, but what they often lack is opportunity. Sometimes, however, opportunity doesn’t knock. It listens. And if you’re ready, like this young artist was, it will hear you.
His story is now a reminder to others: show your gift. You never know who’s watching.
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