Resilience key to greatness - Naa Shika Adu to FirstBank staff
The President of the Africa Tennis Connect Foundation, Naa Shika Adu, has urged staff of FirstBank Ghana to embrace resilience not only as a core value but also as an opportunity to harness courage, adapt, and emerge stronger in the face of challenges.
She encouraged them to break barriers, create greater value, and embrace resilience as a pathway to greatness.
Naa Shika gave the charge in a keynote address at the 2025 MD’s Roadshow of FirstBank Ghana, the bank’s flagship annual employee engagement event.
The event brought together over 400 members of staff and management from across the country for a day of reflection, realignment and renewed energy around the bank’s vision, values and customer-centric agenda.
Persistence, courage, reinvention
Sharing her personal journey, Ms. Adu recounted her transformation from a young girl fetching balls while her father played tennis to becoming an international tennis player, and ultimately a changemaker harnessing sport as a force for social good.
She recounted the lessons of persistence, courage and reinvention that shaped her path, encouraging staff to see their own professional journeys through the lens of resilience and growth.
“For me, the tennis court was never just about winning matches,” she recalled.
“It became a haven where I healed, where I found peace, and where I discovered the courage to push forward,” she added.
Ms Adu said that the journey inspired her to create platforms such as the Ace Tennis Academy and the Street Tennis initiative, using sport as a universal language to ignite hope, dismantle barriers and build stronger communities.
Building on that experience, she highlighted that true resilience was more than survival; it was about finding strength in change and emerging stronger through recalibration.
According to Naa Shika, “resilience is not just about enduring tough times, it is about having the courage to evolve, but recalibration is the true key to greatness, the boldness to adapt when circumstances shift, the wisdom to embrace change, and the discipline to rebuild yourself stronger and sharper each time.
Real resilience is far beyond survival; it is the ability to rise, transform, and thrive no matter the challenge.”
ReCulture agenda
Her message resonated with the staff of FirstBank Ghana, who are themselves navigating a transformational reset through the bank’s ReCulture agenda.
ReCulture is FirstBank’s group-wide initiative that seeks to strengthen collaboration, accountability, innovation and inclusivity, while positioning culture as a source of competitive advantage in the financial services industry.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of FirstBank Ghana, Victor Yaw Asante, commenting on Naa Shika’s story, said, “Naa’s story is a bold reflection of the bank’s ReCulture spirit”. He stressed that the initiative was not just a corporate culture realignment but a call to action for every staff member.
“This is not about documents or policies, it is about people. It is about the choices we make every single day to live with integrity, to innovate boldly, to serve with excellence, and to hold ourselves accountable,” Mr Asante said.
“If we are to remain one of Africa’s most respected financial brands, then ReCulture must not sit on paper; it must live in us,” the MD/CEO added.
Gyakie performs
The day’s activities reached a vibrant climax with a surprise performance by Afrobeat sensation, Gyakie, whose soulful vocals and infectious energy electrified the atmosphere.
Her performance was more than entertainment, it became a symbolic celebration of resilience, creativity and joy.
Staff were on their feet, singing and dancing, as the music united the room in a moment of togetherness and celebration, perfectly capping off a day of inspiration.
