Are Bankers really stingy??

"Bankers are stingy."  This is a misconception! It is an offshoot of the popular opinion that bankers are wealthy. My ears have grown dull from hearing this popular line.  It's like saying lawyers cannot be stingy or saying being a doctor automatically makes you a good person. This is an unfounded generalization. (Fallacy of hasty generalization).


This write-up is intended to correct this notion.  'Bankers are not stingy.'  I'd rather say most of them are  prudent.  They work with money and  have learnt to value it. Below are some of the reasons prudence is a necessary trait in a Banker.

The Industry is volatile

The volatility of the Nigerian banking Industry is well documented.  It is an annual  tsunami, with a stroke of its waves rendering many jobless and left with whatever has been saved for the rainy days. It's safe to say we earn through one of the hardest means; with the highest level of uncertainty and pressure. So, wouldn't you rather advise a banker dad, mum, friend or boo to save for the rainy days?


Shortages

Bankers are not machines, tellers in market branches go through a lot of stress, attending to countless number of customers, counting, bundling and 'unbundling' millions in a day. Well, listen up!  We make mistakes, which could sometimes be more than our monthly earnings. Sadly, we don't get to enjoy overages when they occur, but we pay from our earnings for shortages. How do you expect a dude in this position to be generous?

 It's yours, not ours!

You all need to understand that all that huge cash in a bank are accounted for, to the last kobo. It's not our money, it is your money, you and that woman out there who has a shop on your street, your manager who owns a Land-rover jeep, your friend with the Infiniti QX4. We don't have access to it.


Pay structure

The pay structure and take home of  average Bankers are not what it seems to be. It is made up of several other benefits we don't get to take home monthly such as, leave allowance and medicals, not leaving out deductions such as taxes, pension contribution, NHF contribution, and other statutory contributions. An average salary of say N134,000 might just leave a take home of N95, 000 monthly after butchering and deductions. This might seem a good take home pay for anyone, when you consider his accommodation of about 200k per annum,  ~16.5k a month, he get to spend on his wardrobe ( y'all love the smart, crisp bankers dress right?), several other dependants, transportation, fun (considering their high taste), and education for those running masters programs and other professional courses, "mehn you have to cut us some slack"

Fake life

Unfortunately, some bankers genuinely don't have the money, they practically live beyond their means and spend their salary before being paid. They live a life of pretense and lies.

 The Banker is not a bank

Oh, you really have that great business idea or plan, you have something reasonable to do with the fund you want, why not approach a micro-finance bank?

The profession is completely overrated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!