Okoya at 85: Celebrating a Veteran Industrialist

Chidiebere Nwobodo

“All my life, at 85 years, has been spent in the industries I built. I derive my happiness on production lines, which I have found to be very interesting, it keeps me busy and fulfilled all the time, and I continuously pray for Nigeria every minute to be an industrialised country.”
– Rasak Okoya

China, the world industrial powerhouse, recently declared a trade surplus of one trillion dollars for the year 2024. This is approximately the size of Spain’s GDP and one quarter of that of entire Africa. China was able to achieve this feat because it is indisputably the manufacturing hub of the world! Asian economic giant did not attain this olympian height by accident, it was intentionally built via power of industrialization!

Industrialists are the bedrock of any great nation. This is where Alhaji Rasak Akanni Okoya fits in. A veteran industrialist and quintessential entrepreneur who has spent the last six decades of his life in production lines, deserve all the accolades and encomium he has been receiving since he marked his 85th birthday on 12th January, 2025. The czar of Eleganza conglomerate, is one of the best gifts nature bequeathed to our dear nation.

Born in 1940, began his long walk to wealth at an early age, riding on the tide of entrepreneurship. At the age of 34, he was already deeply involved in manufacturing of several household items like coolers, chairs, tables, etc., controlling substantial business ecosystem of West African market. His love for production knew no limit, which gave rise to over six factories owned by Eleganza Group, dovetailed in creation of thousands of jobs as one of the huge employers of labor in the country.

His meteoric rise to stardom vis-a-vis his stupendous wealth was powered by one key word: production! Production!! Production!!! Aare of Lagos mastered the art of turning stones to diamonds. His industrial acumen is a testament that anything is possible when self-belief is activated. He has demonstrated the fact that Nigeria has all it takes to be an industrialised nation. He was not parroting it, action spoke louder than voice through several of the products being produced from Eleganza factories.

When historians will tell stories of African industrialization in the future, name of Alhaji Rasak Okoya would be written in gold, engraved in the sands of time. His magnificent status illuminating hall of fame erected at a strategic industrial zones to serve as philosophical guard to up-and-coming industrialist, because he embodied manufacturing traits and exemplified productivity.

Imagine that we have at least one hundred of industrial titans in the country who have been consistent like him in the last sixty years, Nigeria would have been an industrialised nation by now, because these set high rated manufacturers would have mentored about five hundred more industrialists propelling the nation’s economy to greatness. Nigeria is an import dependent country today because the likes of Alhaji Rasak Okoya are very scarce. A tree they say cannot make a forest.

Most of our youths today are no longer interested in the nitty gritty of manufacturing. Wealth without enterprise has become the order of the day. Desperation to get rich at all cost had led many disoriented youth into drug trafficking, internet fraud, kidnappers, ritualistic killings, and all sorts of despicable activities just to join the club of the rich and mighty.

As a young Nigerian, before you wish to have any of the Ross Royce models graciously parked at the exotic garage of Alhaji Rasak Okoya, how many night shifts have you done in your production lines? This is the million-dollar question. You cannot admire his billionaire status cum flamboyance alone, you must get ready to pay your dues in productivity and wealth creation like the industrial giant had done.

Alhaji Rasak Okoya had the right philosophy early in life. He understood that greatness is nothing but repeated excellence over a period of time. It was not lost on him that money is a function of value created either through product or service. He had a value system of determination, honesty and focus. His initial motivation to go into manufacturing was not all about money-making, but productivity.

With the right ideology and great business philosophy, Alhaji Rasak Okoya had been able to build a business conglomerate that will outlast him—even upto to his fourth generation. What this implies is that his legacy would still be touching lives, creating opportunities, feeding families, helping the poor, etc., even when the pioneer must have gone to be with his maker at a very old age. Generational blessings!

My first encounter with the brand name—Eleganza, was in my primary school days in the 1990s, when I started learning how to write using ballpoint pen. Eleganza pen was my favorite. I never knew the tycoon behind the product. Like many families across West Africa, we had a lot of Eleganza products in our homes. No birthday party was complete in our home without jollof rice served from Eleganza coolers filled with delicious aroma.

Thank you very much Alhaji Rasak Akanni Okoya for making our learning as then pupils and students a lot more fun with Eleganza ballpoint pen. On a lighter note, you made our party jollof rice more delicious because it was served hot from Eleganza coolers. One of my great moments will be having rare privilege of handshake with a veteran industrialist and ebullient business colossus like you.

As you continue to swim in the euphoria of your 85th birthday, my prayer is that God will keep you in great health and grant your earnest heart desires—of which is to be alive and see Nigeria become an industrialized nation; heralding emergence of more Alhaji Rasak Akanni Okoyas! Happy Birthday, sir.

*Chidiebere writes via chidieberenwobodo@yahoo.com.