Mentoring Africa’s Emerging Young Entrepreneurs: The Tony Elumelu Business Model And Leadership Style

NJOKU MACDONALD OBINNA

 Today, I decided to move a bit from politics to talk about entreprenurship as I was intuitively led to write on one of Nigeria’s top notch business Czars and leading financial giants in the banking industry; Tony Elumelu, CON: a refined banker, consumate and serial entrepreneur, a broad-minded philantropist and powerful boardroom business maverick.

While in his early 40s and now in his late 50s, Tony Elumelu represents an epiome of hardwork, vision to accomplish great tasks, success story, entrepreneurship and Pan-Africanism.

Reportedly worth a little above $2 Billion, Tony Elumelu, CON, has gone above Corporate Social Responsibility in practical terms given thousands of Nigerians and Africans he has given reasons to live and give back to the society. He is an established brand name and big institution within the corporate sharks;  apart from his numerous business conglomerates.

A true Patriot and transformational leader, who uses his personal fortune to recruit and jump-start the core business of building young entrepreneurs, who will eventually join the cadre of Africa’s future merchant class.

Through his Heirs Group, a family-owned investment company committeed to improving lives and transforming Africa in the areas of Finance, Power Sector, Real Estate, Healthcare, Hospitality, Oil and Gas: while getting involved in other sectors that provide strong long-term returns on investment and with the ability to move Africa’s economy forward. 

As the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria and United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), Tony Elumelu has displayed stellar performance in transforming an insolvent Standard Trust Bank (STB) Plc of the 80s and 90s into one of the leading top 5 banks in Nigeria.

As a renowed economist and philantropist of many years standing, Tony Elumelu has an endearing track record in business and leadership as through his One -On-One with Tony Elumelu, a Business Talk Show targeted at young entrepreneurs, the question-and- answer sessions offered the rooky entrepreneurs rare perspectives on innovation, strategy, corporate governance, financial management and decision-making.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation, a brainchild of Heirs Group Holdings, founded in 2010, had pioneered a new approach to philanthropy in Africa. Therefore, it is on good authority that we gathered that the Foundation’s flagship program -The Tony Elumelu Foundation injected a whooping $100m commitment to identify, fund, mentor and train 10,000 African entrepreneurs over 10; a huge investment in Africa’s economy.

It is against the foregoing background that I question the essence of amassing wealth, if you cannot use it in the service of humanity to uplift lives and make the world a better place.

Regrettably, we have billionaires in Imo State, who think less of what they can do for the society other than what they can  get from the system. Look around you, and see the army of jobless youths and graduates roaming the major streets of Owerri without any meaningful source of livelihood except perching on politicians, who only appear friendly and accessible in the build up to every election season. And people are still wondering why there are incessant Insecurity! 

They can learn from the likes of Tony Elumelu and other well meaning few  Nigerians and philantropists to empower the youths with functional skills or business start-ups order than empowering them with guns as political thugs. 

Nevertheless, you don’t need to be like Tony Elumelu or Obi Cubana to assist that young man or woman who has been crying to you for assistance over the  months and years in setting up a small scale business.

You’ve got to show little kindness; just  like His Royal Majesty, Eze Dr. Amb. Chukwudi Jude Ihenetu – Ezeigbo Ghana. That is what has distinguished him from others thus, his well deserved award as the Most Outstanding Diasporan Personality Of The Year 2021 by the Champion Newspapers.

– Njoku MacDonald Obinna; former staff of United Bank for Africa in 2008, is a Media Consultant|PR-Expert, Publisher, 4th Estate Reporters.