Shettima Celebrates Jim Ovia at 75, Says His Greatest Wealth Is People, Not Money

Vice President Kashim Shettima has congratulated the founder of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr. Jim Ovia, on his 75th birthday, describing him as one of the quiet architects of modern Nigerian enterprise whose greatest achievement lies in the institutions he built and the lives he transformed.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Shettima said Ovia’s enduring legacy is not the wealth he accumulated but the opportunities, institutions and people he has nurtured over the years through business, education and philanthropy.

The Vice President said there comes a stage in life when success is no longer measured by material possessions but by the positive impact left on others.

“At 75, Jim has reached that enviable season of life where the evidence of success is everywhere, yet its most important dimensions cannot be captured on a balance sheet. A bank can be valued. Buildings can be priced. Investments can be counted. But how does one put a figure on the confidence given to a young entrepreneur, the education made possible for a child, or an institution built strongly enough to continue without its founder?” he said.

Shettima noted that while many people establish businesses, only a few succeed in building institutions capable of outliving their founders. He said Ovia demonstrated remarkable foresight when he founded Zenith Bank, believing in the potential of Nigerian talent, technology and enterprise.

“Jim understood quite early that enterprise is ultimately an act of faith in the future. When he founded Zenith Bank, he was not merely opening another bank; he was making a wager on Nigerian talent, technology and possibility. The institution that emerged from that conviction has become part of the architecture of our economy.

“But what I admire even more is that his imagination did not end with banking. He carried the same belief in human possibility into education and philanthropy. Through scholarships, investments in learning and the institutions he has established, he has increasingly devoted his accomplishments to enlarging the possibilities available to another generation,” the Vice President stated.

Reflecting on their longstanding friendship, Shettima described Ovia as a man whose humility, discipline and commitment to national development have remained constant despite his achievements.

“Friendship teaches us things that public reputation cannot. Over the years, I have come to know Jim beyond the impressive statistics attached to his name. I have seen a man of immense accomplishment who remains curious, composed and deeply invested in the progress of others. There is strength in that constancy.

“Life, eventually, asks each of us a simple question: after all the striving, who is better because we were here? At 75, Jim Ovia can look around our country and find part of the answer in thousands of lives, careers and institutions that have been enlarged by his vision,” he added.

Shettima also prayed for good health, wisdom and many more years of purposeful service for the renowned banker, saying Nigeria would continue to benefit from Ovia’s wealth of experience and leadership.

“On behalf of my family, I celebrate my dear friend, Dr. Jim Ovia, at 75. May the years ahead bring him the quiet satisfaction that comes from seeing seeds planted over a lifetime become shade for generations one may never meet. I wish him good health, abiding peace and many more years of purposeful service to Nigeria and humanity. Happy birthday, Jim,” the Vice President said.

Dr. Ovia, founder of Zenith Bank Plc, is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s leading bankers and entrepreneurs. Beyond the financial sector, he is recognised for his investments in education, youth development and philanthropy, initiatives that have contributed to building human capital and supporting national development.