By Peter Egwuatu

The Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) has celebrated its oldest practising member in Nigeria, Emmanuel Chike Nwanze, as he marked his 85th birthday with a Special Council Session, honouring a lifetime of integrity and professional excellence in the nation’s capital market.

The ceremony carried significance beyond birthday tributes: recognising a senior practitioner like Nwanze, a member of the Institute’s Board of Fellows, signals stability, continuity and ethical leadership in a market that depends on trust.

By publicly lauding a broker who has prioritised principle over short-term gain, the institute and its partners aim to reinforce investor confidence, preserve institutional memory and set a visible standard for younger professionals. In a market sensitive to reputation and governance, such celebrations function as both morale boosters for industry insiders and reassurance to retail and institutional investors that long-term stewardship remains valued.

Speaking at the event, the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr Emomotimi Agama, described Chief Nwanze as a symbol of steadiness in a business often defined by volatility and shifting fortunes. “In a business where short-term gains can sometimes tempt ethical compromise, he chose the higher road,” Dr Agama said, noting that the celebrant consistently proved that profit must never be pursued at the expense of principle.

Olutola Mobolurin, Chairman of the CIS Board of Fellows, said Nwanze remains an active and highly respected member of the Board, maintaining remarkable relevance and influence in active stockbroking practice even at 85. According to Mobolurin, his sustained engagement is a testament to enduring expertise, intellectual vitality and an unwavering commitment to the growth and integrity of the Nigerian capital market.

The institute’s 13th president, Oluropo Dada, praised Nwanze’s ethical and moral discipline, describing him as a senior and credible voice within the Institute. “He has consistently exemplified the highest standards of ethical and moral discipline, earning the respect and confidence of his peers,” Dada said.
Association of Securities Houses of Nigeria (ASHON) chairman Sehinde Adenagbe described Chief Nwanze as a rare example of principled leadership. “He is a man of his word. He does not bend under pressure. He stood firmly on principle rather than emotion. That is leadership. That is integrity,” Adenagbe said.

In his remarks, the celebrant, Vice Chairman and CEO of Icons Stockbrokers, Nwanze, who was accompanied by his wife, Wilma and children, reaffirmed integrity as the foundation of his career. “Integrity is non-negotiable. Markets will rise and fall but character must remain constant,” he said, stressing that stockbrokers are custodians of trust and contributors to national development.