By Emmanuel Ukudolo
December 21, 2015 – “Splendid is simply an understatement – but the good thing is that the concept and designs keep changing, and when you think that what they have is the best that there can ever be, they stun you with something new’’, Sarah Ajokpaniovo, a corporate banker who has been working in Victoria Island, Lagos in the last 10 years says of the resourcefulness and dynamism that has been brought to bear in the aesthetics adorning Ajose Adeogun, right from the roundabout, to Domino’s Pizza , courtesy Zenith Bank Plc.
What stands out from Ajose Adeogun roundabout to Domino’s Pizza, where the street terminates, is a deliberate attempt to transform the area, not just into an awe-inspiring night time scene but an amusement park that is now the centre of attraction for both the young and the old.
Why the attraction? Perhaps, the unprecedented lighting, that comes in various shapes and colours as you approach the roundabout from the poorly lit adjourning streets, the imposing structure of Santa Claus, standing on a chariot, driven on circular track by two elegant horses decorated with diamonds, acknowledging cheers from well-wishers and rewarding them with gifts in the spirit of Christmas.
One is awestruck, watching Santa Claus take this glorious ride over and over again.
Besides beauty, which the park and now offers for the immediate environment, it has also created some level of economic empowerment for photographers who now make a leaving through photo shots of visitors who throng the area to behold the spectacle created from just an ordinary round about.
But the spectacle is not limited to the roundabout, the entire Ajose Adeogun bears the signpost of an artistic genius, with street median and walkways well-lit with colours and shapes that put you in the right mood for the season and with a strong sense of security.
As you drive through, the contrast between light and darkness stares you in the face and the contribution of corporate organisation to empowerment, safe and secure environment if they chose to channel their corporate social responsibility(CRS) into a similar venture.
The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution noted that for the most part, light at night provides valuable benefits.
“It is something that we deliberately seek and can be an essential aid to safety’’, the commission said.
Speaking on CRS, former governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola noted that any chief executive of a business who intends to prosper must pay the same if not a higher level of attention to its CSR compliance as he does to the company’s balance sheet.
Could this be what Zenith Bank Plc stands for?“As a leading financial services institution, giving back to the communities where we operate and ensuring the sustainability of our social, economic and ecological environments are integral to our overall business strategy.
“Our aim is to ‘give back’ in a structured and sustainable manner that ensures the greatest positive impact on our beneficiaries. To achieve this, we periodically carry out need gap analysis in target communities to be able to accurately measure areas where our support is most needed. This enables us to deliver CSR projects that are relevant and impactful”, the bank said on its website.
For Zenith Bank, CSR initiatives are mostly focused on healthcare, education and skills development, poverty alleviation, infrastructure development, environmental sustainability, female and youth empowerment and the welfare of the physically challenged.
“Our vision remains – building a lasting corporate structure that would outlive this and future generations through sustainable business practices and active support for our business communities”, the bank added.
Zenith Bank executes CRS through Zenith Philanthropy, a non-governmental and non-profit making organisation. Now click the link to watch video NWtgN0EKbP0&feature=em-upload_owner-smbtn
