• Mischief makers allege she does so to hide scar sustained during cosmetic surgery
• ‘No! she is a patriot’ – Camp Sally
Platitudes, like random vice, are mirrors into the soul of the fiendish, they overlook nothing but a landscape of lies. This brings to mind the touted patriotism and unparalleled citizenship of Sally Mbanefo. Mischief makers are alleging that the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC)’s claims of sterling citizenship and love for Nigeria might be fraudulent. Recently, they masterminded hideous rumours and speculations about Sally’s penchant for covering her neck with scarves made in the national colours of the Nigerian flag, Green-White-Green.
Although Sally claims to cover her neck with the scarf as a mark of patriotism and unrivalled love for her fatherland, rabble-rousers are allege that the NTDC boss actually covers her neck with a scarf to hide a hideous scar inflicted on her neck region while she underwent cosmetic surgery to enhance her looks. They claim that Sally is too ashamed of the ugly scar hence her penchant for concealing it with a scarf. The story about her so-called patriotism, claims the miscreants, was fabricated by Sally to earn the goodwill and applause of the Nigerian citizenry and the ruling class. It is also alleged to be a gimmick meant to portray her as the right person for the position she currently occupies.
But whatever anyone says, the negative rumours being circulated about Sally can hardly demean the ravishing NTDC boss nor can they dent the enviable reputation she had painstakingly built for herself over the years. Sources close to Sally have dismissed the rumours as the figments of some hideous people’s imaginations.
How could anyone spread such wicked rumour about Sally? Why would they say that she underwent a cosmetic surgical makeover? She was born beautiful and she will remain beautiful.
Whatever anyone believes about her, Sally is loved by many and that is a fact, so argued sources close to her.
Her beauty is priceless and from her pictures, you can easily tell that she is a woman of good breeding. She does not subscribe to the “sex sells” maxim neither does Sally deploy her beauty and attractive physique in deceitful schemes of exploitation.
For a woman who is half Italian and half Nigerian, her love for African print fabric is remarkable. According to her, she decided to go fully native-African following her appointment as the NTDC boss. Sally allegedly changed her dress culture to reflect Africa and Nigeria’s vast culture, hence the flag colour she adds to her outfit.
Even before her appointment as NTDC boss, Sally has been known to favour turtle necks thus her wardrobe consisted of turtle-necked garments, dark suites and high heeled shoes. “Now I dress to project Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage. From my tours within Nigeria, I have acquired a lot of adire, batik and Ankara. As I travel around Nigeria, I will continue to expand my wardrobe to reflect our diversity. I have also remained stylish without seeing any need for high heels,” she said, in a recent interview.
Sally, a 1986 University of Lagos Law graduate, has 28 years corporate professional experience where she spent 21 years in banking and finance related jobs. She held positions of Chief Foreign exchange dealer, majoring in Treasury, Operations, and International Trade in International Merchant Bank formally First National Bank of Chicago, later IMB PLC and then Fin Bank PLC.
Sally also managed two public offers for IMB PLC, led three major restructuring exercises and participated actively in the conversion from merchant to commercial banking. Sally rose through the ranks to become Director of Business Development/ Company Secretary in 2002 while still supervising Loan recovery department, Human Capital department, Corporate Affairs department, General Administration department, Board secretariat department, and legal department as company secretary. She also, was made a director in IMB Morgan Plc in 2002.
In 2004 she was headhunted by Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria PLC as the most senior female executive in Africa where she successfully propelled a change management exercise whilst supervising Communication, Government Affairs, Community Affairs, Public Affairs, General Administration, Legal, and Board Secretariat departments.
She subsequently managed a public offer for for the cement giant before her invitation to Coca- Cola Nigeria and Equatorial Africa Division as Public Affairs and Communications Director supervising 10 countries in Africa. In 2009, Sally set up TSM Microfinance Bank Limited, as its founding MD/CEO and TSM Professional Services – a Tax Audit firm, whilst venturing into social entrepreneurship through her foundation- The Sally Mbanefo (TSM) foundation.
She was appointed as chief tourism officer and Director-General of the apex tourism establishment in the country, the NTDC, in 2013 to date. Sally has a keen interest in carbon energy finance. She is an avid artist and painter and she is blessed with three beautiful children that are enviably taken after her in panache, brilliance and depth of character.
