Linda Ikeji and First Bank of Nigeria hold press conference to launch a new TV show called first Class Material

First Bank of Nigeria held a press conference on Friday, November 22, to launch a new TV show called First Class Material.

First Class Material is a television program that features exceptional Nigerians who are performing outstandingly locally and globally.

The LITV docu-series, launched in partnership with First Bank of Nigeria, aims to change the narrative about Nigeria and Nigerians by highlighting the great work Nigerians are doing in different fields, including Academics, Technology, Arts, Music, entrepreneurship, etc. It also aims to inspire others to aspire to excellence and to see the hard work, legitimate work, and diligence as something that is rewarding and deserving of emulation.

Present at the event were some of the Nigerian citizens who were featured in the season 1 of First Class Material.



Sipasi Olalekan Ayodele, a Nigerian who is helping to tackle poverty by training individuals in sustainable agricultural practices, was at the press conference where he spoke about his work.

Also present at the launch was Abdulkarim Bashir. Bashir competed with 750 contestants from 73 countries in a Dubai startup technology and innovation contest and he emerged the overall winner in the "Artificial Intelligence" category after creating an anti-theft app. His app helps detect shoplifting and provides push notifications in real time.


First Class Material will premiere on Tuesday 26th November at 8am across all FirstBank and LlTV platforms. New episodes will air every Tuesday and Thursday.


Speaking at the press conference, Folake Ani-Mumuney, Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications FirstBank, said: "If we don't tell our stories, other people will tell our stories for us. Nigerians have been performing outstandingly globally, and we are partnering on First Class Material to showcase these amazing people. As a brand, we are proud to say this is 125 years of enabling stories."


Introducing First Class Material docu-series to all present, the Linda Ikeji TV CEO explained how the show was born.

Linda Ikeji said: "A couple of months ago, we heard the story about FBI officials capturing some Nigerians who were involved in criminal activities and it went viral. That's what the international press were talking about and that's how they see us. Unfortunately, that's the story that they put out about Nigeria and Nigerians.

"So I was talking to one of my colleagues and I said, 'we need to start telling our own stories. I know that there are bad eggs, just like everywhere in the world, but there are people who are doing amazingly, people who are doing incredibly well, and these stories are not being told'.


"I said to him, 'we have a platform, let's tell our positive stories'."