2023 Ecobank Day Ambassador Driemo motivates and mesmerises Ngumbe CDSS students as Ecobank equips school’s IT lab

Diemo delivering his motivational speech

* Driemo was appointed Ecobank Day Ambassador for the year 2023 as it celebrates its 10th Anniversary

* Under the theme: ‘Transforming Africa Through Education-Excel with Digital Skills’

* Ngumbe CDSS was identified as a beneficiary in its drive to support education through digital empowerment and community development

By Duncan Mlanjira

Popular music artist, Driemo delivered an inspiring motivational speech at Ngumbe Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Blantyre encouraging the students that there is no substitute to success in life without some form of education.

Driemo was appointed Ecobank Day Ambassador for the year 2023 as the Pan African bank’s corporate social investment (CSI) celebrates its 10th Anniversary of Ecobank Day and Ngumbe CDSS was identified as a beneficiary in its drive to support education through digital empowerment and community development.

It is being celebrated under the theme: ‘Transforming Africa Through Education-Excel with Digital Skills’ through which Ecobank refurbished Ngumbe CDSS’s information & communication technology (ICT) lab and equipped it into a state-of-the-art Smart ICT learning class.

The presence of Driemo himself left the young minds in frenzied mood and when he was introduced to deliver the motivation speech, the hall erupted in ovation.

“My name is Driemo,” he started and the hall once more erupted in shrill cheers — much to the delight of guest of honour, Victoria Geresomo, Director of Education Planning and her high ranking delegation from the Ministry as well as Ecobank Executive Director, Weluzani Chingota, who was also accompanied by fellow top management and a huge entourage of members of staff.

Driemo told the young minds that despite having risen as a performing star he still needed to further his education and he took a break on music to focus on his studies, saying he values the importance of education.

“If you can’t attach education to your skills and talent, you cannot succeed,” said the 24-year-old accomplished young artist and song writer, who has recently graduated with a Degree in Public Health. “Take every opportunity to further your education and use technology to advance your knowledge.

“I am a song writer and a performing artist but I chose to pursue public health. I used technology to gain more knowledge in my studies. You, too, should take this opportunity that Ecobank has given you through the Smart ICT Lab.”

Ecobank Malawi partnered with the Ministry of Education to support the Ministry’s nation-wide ‘Connect-a-School Program’ and after an experimental session in the ICT lab that the top level dignitaries observed, the whole school was afforded a digital literacy session in the assembly hall by Ecobank staff members.

The Smart ICT lab at Ngumbe has been equipped with 40 desks; a desktop computer; a Smart TV; internet connectivity and 20 tablets loaded with the Ministry of Education’s MiLab virtual science laboratory App and zero-rated e-learning platforms.

This provides the students and teachers at Ngumbe CDSS with access to quality content, interactive learning experiences and essential digital skills.

As Ecobank Day Ambassador, Driemo was roped in to provide students with requisite knowledge on the importance of acquiring essential digital skills that will empower them to navigate the digital landscape effectively.

The star artist — famous for his albums such as ‘Mzaliwa’ and ‘Mzaliwa’ and hit singles that include ‘Pano’, ‘Popo’, ‘Compensation’, ‘No Insurance’, Weni Weni and several others, concluded the event with a spectacular and mesmerizing performance of some of his hits.

The hall erupted into more frenzy as the young minds danced and sang along prompting Driemo to dish out more than expected.

Real name Shafie S. Phiri, Driemo is a singer, song writer as well as an actor, who was born and raised in Nkhotakota District and is labelled as one of the most talented upcoming artists in Malawi.

He started his music journey in 2017 in Nkhotakota where he was most of the times times featured to do choruses on other artists’ songs and having mastered some confidence and prominence, he recorded his first single, ‘So Good’ produced by Superfly.

He then recorded his more singles in 2018 to 2020 under the name of Smart P before he changed to Driemo through which he released an EP in 2020 entitled ‘Love Letter’, produced by Taktic.

He next released his next single tracks in 2021 — ‘Mtendere’, ‘Because of You’, ‘Tebulo Duma’, ‘Love you More’ and ‘No insurance’.

In unveiling him as Ecobank Day Ambassador, Head of Brand Marketing & Corporate Communication, Tidzi Chalamba said Driemo’s appointment aligns perfectly with their theme — ‘Transforming Africa Through Education-Excel with Digital Skills’ — and underscores the bank’s dedication to promoting education and digital skill development in the country.

Driemo is expected to play a pivotal role in inspiring and mobilizing individuals and drive awareness of key messages aimed at promoting digital skills through various initiatives.

Ecobank Day is the Pan Africa bank’s flagship and a significant CSI initiative that it enable the international financial institution to highlight its commitment to education and digital skills as catalysts for transforming Malawi and Africa at large.

Thus Driemo, as an upcoming artist who resonates very well with young minds, was identified as he also promotes his talent through digital platforms and has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to education and digital literacy, making him a natural choice to represent Ecobank Day this year. 

“His passion for these causes perfectly mirrors the bank’s mission to equip Malawi’s youth with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the digital age,” Chalamba said said.

Last year, the bank partnered with Mikozi Network and Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA) in driving financial  inclusion and empowerment towards persons with disabilities through which the bank gave out start-up-business kits to over 70 persons with disabilities worth K15 million.

Ecobank Malawi Ltd is part of the Ecobank Transnational Incorporated — the parent company of the Ecobank Group, which is the leading independent pan-African banking group. 

The Ecobank Group employs over 14,000 people and serves about 29 million customers in the consumer, commercial and corporate banking sectors across 33 African countries. 

The Group has a banking license in France and representative offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Johannesburg, South Africa; Beijing, China; London, the UK and Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. 

The Group offers a full suite of banking products, services and solutions including bank and deposit accounts, loans, cash management, advisory, trade, securities, wealth, and asset management. 

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchanges in Lagos, the Ghana Stock Exchange in Accra, and the Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières in Abidjan.