By By Chioma Obidozie
DID you know that three, out of five female bank marketers in Nigeria, face sexual harassment on the job? Shocking, isn’t it? But this is, in fact, the reality for most female bank marketers in Nigeria, today.
In Nigeria’s competitive banking sector, marketers are considered the face of the institution, tasked with bringing in customers and driving sales.
ChatGPT sourced illustration
However, beneath the sharp and polished suits, smiles, and makeup of these female bank marketers is a damaging stigma: the perception that their role as marketers is tantamount to prostitution. For these women, every business deal comes with the fear of societal judgement, and every success is whispered to be unmerited. Some do not even get the opportunity to showcase their talents because they are not considered “pretty enough” to bring in clients, and, therefore, are deemed unqualified for the job.
This is the untold story of the struggles, trials, and adversities faced by female bank marketers as they navigate the world of finance.
Ada Ezisi (not her real name), a seasoned marketer with a popular microfinance bank in Anambra State, resigned in 2020 due to incessant sexual harassment. She recalled a day when a customer assumed she was “available” for more than just business.
“I thought he already agreed to open the account with me, but instead, he asked me to come to his house if I was serious and wanted him to open an account,” she said.
“It was a wake-up call for me,” she continued. “That was the day I knew I wasn’t just a marketer to these people; I was a prostitute. I had a target of N20 million to meet for that month, and I did not want to be queried, as this was the norm when you didn’t meet your target. My salary for bringing N20 million to that bank was N10,000 monthly.
“These people do not care what you have to do or the sexual harassment you go through every day to bring in clients. All they are interested in is how much money you bring in as a marketer. These incidents and many more made me realise that this was a job I could not keep if I wanted to uphold my principles as a woman. I had to resign.”
ChatGPT sourced illustration
Speaking with Stonix News, Uloma Ajo (not her real name), who also worked at the same bank, corroborated Ada’s story. She recounted an experience in which she was almost raped twice by men she believed were prospective clients.
“This businessman in the heart of Onitsha Market, whom I had been trying to get to open an account, called me to a hotel because, according to him, he felt more comfortable doing business in a private place. I didn’t think it was such a bad thing because I really needed to close that deal. I needed it to meet my target!
“Sadly, I almost got raped. I couldn’t tell anybody because who would believe I went to a hotel to close a deal with no strings attached?”
She went on to say she did not mind sleeping with someone for her own personal reasons, but sleeping with someone just to bring money to the bank was absurd.
“I mean, it is their money. The bank needs it for their own business. So, what is my gain for sleeping with a client?” she lamented.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of what female marketers face daily while trying to bring clients to the bank. Despite these frequent instances of sexual harassment, some women, who are unable to meet their monthly targets, are laid off.
Ada’s story, and those of countless others, who could not be featured here, are a testament to what female bank marketers have endured for years.
How can we tolerate a system where women are exploited, belittled, and silenced? Yet their resilience gives me hope. Hope that we can dismantle this toxic culture, one voice at a time. To every survivor, I say: your pain is valid, your courage is palpable, and your healing is possible. Let’s rise together, demand justice, and create a world where women are valued, respected, and free to succeed.
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