The Ernst & Young (EY)’s 2015 Entrepreneurship of the Year Award for West Africa has come and gone.
But the event, which took place at Eko Hotel, Lagos, provided opportunities for seasoned entrepreneurs to tell their stories.
It produced two winners but no losers as all the entrepreneurs that participated in the process were potential winners.
There were two categories for the award: the Master Category and the Emerging Category.
Kwabena Adjei, chairman, Kasapreko Limited, emerged as the Master’s Category Entrepreneur of the Year, after beating his countryman Edmund Poku, CEO, Niche Cocoa & Processing Limited; Nigeria’s Nkechi Obi, founder/executive vice-chairman, Techno Oil Limited; and Abdulrazaq Isa, founder/CEO, WaltersmithPetroman Oil Limited.
Another Ghanaian Kofi Nsiah-Poku, CEO, Kinapharma Limited, won the Emerging Category Award, after beating Nigeria’s Donatus Okonkwo, CEO, Tetrazzini Foods Plc; Chidi Ajaere, executive chairman, God is Good Motors Limited; Alfred Okoigun, founder/CEO Arco Group plc; and Bukky George, founder/CEO, HealthPlus Limited.
Adjei will compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year title in Monaco between June and July this year
The Emerging Category Award panel of judges was led by Femi Akintunde, CEO of Alpha Mead, while the Master’s Category panel was headed by Evelyn Oputu, former CEO of Bank of Industry.
“These entrepreneurs have wonderful stories. When you hear their stories, you wonder why we are still where we are. One of the things that limit us is fear. The innovation, creativity and courage of the people I have seen here are awesome. We all need to conquer fear,” said Oputu.
Launched in West Africa in 2011, the is targeted at honouring and celebrating entrepreneurs who have combined ingenuity, hardwork and perseverance to create sustained successful growing businesses.
Kasaprenko is the manufacturer of ‘Alomo Bitters’ , which is sought-after by West African alcohol consumers.
“I have a philosophy,” said Adjei, Kasaprenko CEO.
“ My philosophy is ‘I Can Do’ philosophy. We Africans are the sleepy sons of Jacob. Africa must be awake. We must not continue to play a second fiddle in Africa when we have all it takes to succeed,” he said.
Stella Okoli, founder of Emzor Pharmaceuticals, who won the Lifetime Achievers Award alongside Samuel Jonah of Jonah Capital, Ghana, said she was overawed by what young Nigerians was doing in several countries, adding that with them, Nigeria would rise again.
“Many businesses are stifled by funds. By the time entrepreneurs go through what banks are asking for, they will burn out,” Okoli said.
On his part, Samuel Jonah, who grew Ashanti Mines from nothing to a big enterprise, said he has had more setbacks and failures than successes.
“Life has many chapters. You win some; you lose some,’ Jonah said.
ODINAKA ANUDU
