Edmonton man wins $1 million from Servus Credit Union contest
Ibukun Sobukunola, a project manager, moved his savings to Servus and entered the Big Share contest — and won the grand prize.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
An Edmonton man has won $1 million from Servus Credit Union after moving his savings to the bank.
Ibukun Sobukunola, a project manager in the oil and gas industry, transferred savings from another institution to a Servus account, which qualified him for the Big Share contest. Despite the recent move, Sobukunola has been banking with Servus since immigrating to Canada from Nigeria in 2016.
"We didn't know much about Canada, let alone Servus, at the time," he said. "What has kept us is the type of service we get — personalized service."
Sobukunola said he plans to meet with his financial advisor to determine how to use the windfall. "I'm not a financial expert, so we'll be working with our advisor to see what makes sense," he said. "We're a young family, so the future is something we want to plan for, but this definitely gives us options."
The win has already prompted family discussions about spending. "I got to learn we are going to Japan," Sobukunola said. "My wife said we are taking a trip to Japan, so there you have it."
Ian Burns, president and CEO of Servus, said the contest aims to help members achieve their financial goals. "The point of the contest for Servus is trying to help our members achieve their goals and dreams," Burns said. "It allows them to save money for future things, they get very excited about the contest, it brings awareness around our financial fitness, and it's an incredible way for them to get started on their journey."
The Big Share contest, now in its eighth year, ran from January 1 to April 30. Members received one entry for every $500 deposited into savings. Servus is Alberta's largest credit union, with branches in over 80 communities.