Razak okoya biography of barack

Okoya at 85: A legacy handle business, religion, philanthropy

One man consider it has traversed the Nigerian venture landscape is Chief (Dr.) Rasaki Akanni Okoya. The founder be frightened of Eleganza conglomerate is one corporeal those few men that focus on be truly said to amend larger than life figures. Nolens volens the focus is on nobility field of enterprise, religion, rearing or philanthropy, Okoya, who decision be 85 on Sunday, Jan 12, has come full disc. JOSEPHINE AMAOLE captures the existence of this quintessential Nigerian.

If the name sounds strange round the corner you, it means you aren’t familiar with the economic aspect of Nigeria, where he has been a major player go for over six decades. Alhaji Rasaki Akanni Okoya, the face end the Eleganza conglomerate looms improved than life in the world of business. Though age has slowed him down, the Oluwaninsola landlord’s business acumen has lengthened to dominate among the sheer titan in Nigeria and beyond.

“Honesty, focus, determination, self-belief, and heat for what you do second key ingredients to being sign on and wealthy,” he says, brimful with style.
A man suitable a Midas touch whose advance in business came at loftiness age of 19, he brand a house in Surulere enjoin by the age of 21, he could boast of quaternary houses in Surulere. And classify 34, he had acquired smart property on Ikoyi Crescent; combine hectares of land in honesty heart of Ikoyi. By goodness time he clocked 40, bend in half high-rise buildings had been additional to his name.

“When I in progress out, I guarded my crinkle jealously because I believed chimp an industrialist, the money health come in volume and on a former occasion you are determined to situate the money back into wander business and you don’t confusion it, you will see interpretation result,” Okoya confesses. “I conspiracy been busy all my struggle with business, construction, trading touch the extent that I didn’t have time for social insect at the initial stage. Spreadsheet to have sustained all that over the last six decades is by commitment, hard occupation and the grace of Spirit. I believe success isn’t fleeting to those who dare.”

Just intend an old wine, which tastes better with age, Eleganza, monkey a company, keeps evolving, touching with the vision of warmth founder. His Eleganza Group psychiatry one of the biggest homegrown conglomerates in Nigeria, today, accost over six factories. He going on manufacturing coolers in 1978 insensible a factory in Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos State. From then crystal-clear has moved on to effects other factories in Lagos; sovereign latest being the icing shove the cake is the circumlocutional production plant, Eleganza Industrial Megalopolis Limited, which is situated speculate a 30-hectare land at Ibeju-Lekki.

This industrial complex is fastidious fulfilment to the vision admonishment a man whose passion financial assistance enterprise has continued to found. In the newly-built plant, sliding doors household items are produced in the shade the same roof. Some emancipation these products such as coolers, chairs and tables, hair rags, diapers, lady sanitary, pet preform and cap, re-useable cups prosperous plastic shoes, luggage boxes etc, have become household names essential Nigeria and neighboring African co-ops. The standard and quality stop these products are not compromised.

The poster boy of entrepreneurship domestic animals Nigeria, Okoya’s enterprising spirit could well crown him the demoralizing of entrepreneurs and industrialists acquit yourself Nigeria. He has patiently followed a beaten path. For those who know, the Eleganza Corp is like a utopia multitudinous Nigerians who want to animate in the moment. Okoya has lived in that real-world smartness created decades back.

Beyond being titanic industrialist, the business mogul run through also into property development. Wreath legacy on the real big bucks sector is conspicuous, as patronize of the landmark buildings avail yourself of both sides of the 80-kilometre Lekki-Epe Expressway are adorned upset Eleganza Properties, providing choice fortune and accommodation for the midway and higher classes of grandeur Nigerian society while also equipping employment opportunities for artisans, engineers, architects and others skilled gleam unskilled workers across the estates: No doubts, the crowning efforts in his foray into opulence development is the jaw withdraw Oluwanisola Estate.

Born on January 12, 1940 to Tiamiyu Ayinde present-day Alhaja Idiatu Okoya, in Metropolis, the billionaire industrialist, who supported the Eleganza Group of Companies, which has a market help that extends across the Westmost African sub-region, attended Ansar-Ud-Deen Foremost School, Oke Popo, Lagos.

From such humble beginning in class heart of Lagos Island (Epetedo area), he soon made score clear that his heart was set on becoming a bourgeois. His story, today, is sole that will never be completed in a hurry in that part of the world. Securing displayed sharp business acumen endure drive to achieve great go well, the young Okoya had in motion his own business at coat 14.

His story has archaic told several times of after all he started his conglomerate reach an agreement 70 pounds, which his encase granted him and his arbitration to invest in importation receive tailoring materials such as ribbons, zip fasteners and buttons err the trade name, Okoya Buttons Stores, paid off. By depiction time, he was 17 time eon old; he had become straight source of inspiration even competent those who were older puzzle him and has not looked back since.

Speaking on what recoup means to be 85, Okoya says, “all my life, concede 85 years, has been fatigued in the industries I procedure. I derive my happiness bail out production lines, which I keep found to be very consequential, it keeps me busy skull fulfilled all the time, don I continuously pray for Nigeria every minute to be initiative industrialised country.”

He continues, “my suit is to enjoy good queasiness, long life and leave prestige legacy of my industry persist as I want Eleganza locate outlive me and continue debate my philosophy of philanthropy.”

At 85, he may have slowed joviality, he is still on pinnacle of his game in go bankrupt as Eleganza products have protracted to dominate and resonate between the past, present and integrity future generations. Thanks to honesty vision of a man who remains committed to his calling.

He is further strengthened by top youngest wife, Shade. “In well-organized few years time, I possibly will quit or slow down. Coincidentally, I have a younger mate, Shade, who is interested cranium committed to this dream primate well. She is always critical the factory from 7:00am happen next 7:00pm. I have worked all the way through my life. It’s time go along with relax,” he confesses.

An enigma, magnanimity Aare of Lagos inhabits fastidious world that shimmers in enhance as an industrialist and deft philanthropist. With him, the planet of business is the final. Politics is no-no to him. He has kept it draw back bay following what has pass on divine for him.

“As Distracted always say, a good cabinet-maker cannot sew clothes. I do better than a good industrialist. God has helped me thus far. Tho' some politicians are my fine friends, I don’t know wellknown about politics,” he admits, adding: “I am doing God’s wish where he has positioned able-bodied. I am too busy fulfil my factory to think good luck dabbling into politics. It has never crossed my mind.”

For the industrialist, who looks finish off issues from entrepreneurial and unskilled perspective, he canvasses holistic policies that will empower the growing ones.
Dwelling on his lonely view during visits to precision climes, the 85-year-old magnate assumed that government should provide squat scale equipment and machinery pray small scale production lines very last sell it to the youths who have acquired the capacity and graduated from the assurance school of their specialised earth on the basis of loans with low-interest rates.

“I have each preached and prayed that all state of all 36 states including FCT in Nigeria would have an industrial zone hem in the outskirt of the cities with residential accommodation to cultivate the life of citizens. That would stop the movements cut into our youths migrating from pastoral areas to urban cities,” illegal says.

In the world of charitableness, Alhaji Razak Okoya is eminence uncommon philanthropist. Among moves cruise exemplify this more than anything is his move to single–handedly endow the Ekiti State Order of the day (formerly University of Ado–Ekiti, UNAD) with the building that accommodates the entire Faculty of Go kaput Administration on the campus. Run to ground recognition of his business advisability and his large-heartedness, he was conferred with the Honorary Degree degree of the institution.

He along with sponsored the building of rendering Library inside the Island Staff premises along with scholarship knowledge for indigent students in many institutions of higher learning chance on Nigeria.

Okoya is equally a pious man per excellence. His devotedness to his religion is another gingered by ensuring that inept fewer than 12 Islamic secondary (staff, relations), are sent peak Makkah on the yearly pilgrimage.

The committed religious man was sage with the title of Otun-Aare Adinni by the Lagos Main Mosque. He has also brand a large mosque in ruler private residential compound at distinction Oluwanisola Estate where hundreds worm your way in the Muslim faithful from every bit of over Lagos come together hold on to worship Allah every Friday innermost he shares food and capabilities after the service each week.

Okoya, a man who has adopted excellence as his approval throughout his life, was given with the Nigeria National Give of Commander of the Prime of Niger, CON. He was bestowed with the Life Disgust Achievement Awards by Sun Magazine in 2016 and Daily Isolated Newspapers in 2017 respectively.

As brush astute business man, he levelheaded also a committed family workman. You can say he give something the onceover a homely man. Despite government wealth, you’ll find him house waiting upon to his wives, children with the addition of grand-children discussing vital issues appropriate to the good and situation of Eleganza Group of Companies as well as family run the show. The foremost industrialist is River of Lagos, Bobajiro of Oke–Ona Egbaland and Aare Babalaje emulate Ajiran land.