Celebrated Malawian music songwriter and star performing artist, Patience Namadingo has signed a new 2-year lucrative FDH Bank Brand Ambassador contract worth K60 million.
The ‘Pefekiti’ hit maker, famously known as Dr Namadingo in the music circles, signed the deal on Friday at FDH Head Office in Blantyre following the expiry of his first one and a half year contract, which he signed with the Bank in 2020.
Namadingo putting ink to paper
At the official contract signing ceremony, FDH Bank’s Group Senior Manager for Digital Sales, Yamikani Mbawala said they have decided to renew the contract after being impressed with the outcome from the first agreement.
Mbawala said the first contract was mainly focusing on the promotion as well as building the company’s brand and that within the period Namadingo managed to bring good response from the customers through different activities that were conducted.
Done deal
“Now our target for the new contract will be focusing more on the promotion on the digital product — both the current ones and those that we are planning to introduce very soon,” he said.
“So Namadingo’s involvement in all our digital products will be key in making sure that the message gets across to the masses.”
In his remarks, Namadingo thanked FDH Bank for trusting him with a new agreement and further promised to do everything possible to help the bank in promoting the digital product services offered by FDH as well as taking the brand at the higher level.
“As an artist I really enjoyed the first contract because apart helping the bank’s brand I also benefited a lot because my personal profile got improved in a number of areas which was a great achievement.
“So, today I can say I’m humbled to see my contract being renewed and promise not to disappoint the bank but do more things within the period.”
One of the activities this year that Namadingo got FDH Bank to get involved in was to complete construction of a school block at Ngabu in Chikwawa, which was officially handed over in June when the Bank also launched its agency — Banki Pakhomo.
The early childhood development centre, which is managed by Pashello Charitable Trust, caters for underprivileged kids, especially orphans around the Ngabu community and the Banki Pakhomo is being housed in a shop managed by Pashello Charitable Trust.
Namadingo was escorted to the handover by an entourage of officials from FDH Bank and some of the donors to the project and to add colour and pomp to the ceremony where Pashello Trust’s director, Felia Malola disclosed that she approached the philanthropist Namadingo last year asking if he could assist in the completion of the school block.
She said she had been hesitant if Namadingo would respond, thinking that since he is such a celebrated artist, he might have some pompous airs and not respond, “but I was pleasantly surprised when he accepted and offered to come and assess what was being needed and just a few days later he was here”.
She added that after assessing their needs from which she opted for completion of the school block, Namadingo went back and six days later, on 26 September, he reappeared accompanied by an entourage from FDH Bank.
“And they did not come empty handed,” she had said. “They brought with them gifts such as soap, milk, sugar — some of which we are still using as we also manage a feeding programme for these learners.
“I am a very proud and happy person and I stand in front of to express my deep thanks to Dr. Namadingo. God bless you, my son and don’t take this for granted because there are many influential people we approached before you but never came back to us.”
The ceremony, graced by the presence of Senior Ngabu was also a commemoration of the International Day of the African Child, which Malawi celebrated with President Lazarus Chakwera officially launched Early Childhood Development Advocacy Campaign.—Additional reporting by Duncan Mlanjira, Nyasa Times
