Delivering Service to Humanity

Emeka Okparaji doubles as the Chairman of Ememos Group of Companies and Chairman Board of Directors of Hermes Paving Stones and Concrete Ltd, a world class multi-billion naira paving stone production and construction company located in the Owerri, Imo State.Despite his apolitical stance, the entrepreneur, who is popularly known as Ememos, has in the last three decades made positive impact in the lives of his people and beyond, Precious Ugwuzor reports 

According to Mohammed Ali, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” The above quote has become the motivation behind the endless giving of Emeka Okparaji, aka Ememos, the Chairman of Ememos Group of Companies and Chairman Board of Directors of Hermes Paving Stones and Concrete Ltd, a world class multi-billion Naira paving stone production and construction company located in Owerri, Imo State.

Okparaji has carved a niche for himself. In fact, he is one of the most popular, respected and successful Igbo men in Lagos. However, one thing stands him out- he has cultivated the habit of giving back to society. For him, life’s persistent and most urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’

Narrating one of several instances where he touched lives, Ememos said: “I was in my house in the village when I saw a woman carrying a child at the gate. I was forced to come down, and I asked her what happened, she started narrating how she got pregnant, gave birth and has not been able to foot the bills because the man responsible is nowhere to be found.

“I was able to clear the bill and also gave her money to start up something so that she could take care of herself and the baby. By the time she got to the hospital excited and shared the good news with others, the next thing I saw was hundreds of people at my gate.

“After asking them of their problems one after the other, I had to call the doctor, he narrated how some of them ended up working in the hospital until their bills are cleared. Their stories were touching, I had to clear all their bills.”

The act of giving has been proven to make people happier than, if they had decided to use the thing for their own personal gain. 
A recent study revealed that giving tends to lift the happiness of the participants. This is not just applicable to money but also other acts of kindness that you may show to other people because no one has ever become poor by giving.

Without any iota of doubt, there is a strong connection between different acts of generosity. Giving to people who are suffering from health complications makes them feel loved and it is eventually reciprocated and this, Ememos has vowed never to stop doing.

Ememos has done several humanitarian jobs but the part that has made him feel fulfilled till date is offsetting hospital bills for people who couldn’t afford money for their treatment.

His business interests cut across electronics, Oil & Gas, sales and distribution of computers, distribution of batteries, production, real estate, construction, manufacturing of bottled water, paving stones and concrete.
Meanwhile, as a big Investor in oil and gas, production and construction, real estate, bottle water, sales and distribution of computer and electronics across Nigeria, Ememos has distinguished himself as an entrepreneur par excellence. 

The story of the establishment of the popular computer Village in Lagos, and association of UMU-ABA Connect Association of Nigeria, a social and Charity Organisation Worldwide cannot be told without his name being mentioned.

Ememos who is a Business Administration graduate from the Prestigious University of Lagos, is happily married with five children.
His passion towards helping humanity, coupled with the hard work he continuously put in, has stood him out among others, and earned him a lot of recognition globally.

Ememos is known by his people for his humanitarian service which he has embarked on for over three decades.
As part of efforts to ensure that his humanitarian works are spread across his state and the country at large, Okparaji established Ememos Foundation through which he has empowered a lot of people in the state.

Ememos through his foundation, has given out a good number of tricycles (Keke), scholarships, medical treatment in Nigeria and abroad and among others.

Apart from offsetting hospital bills and his scholarship to his people, Ememos has engaged over 2,000 people working for  him in his state , Lagos and abroad.
Ememos, who is the founder and first president of the popular Umuaba Connect, has successfully built a 1km road with over 250 street lights in his country home. 

For over 15 years, Ememos has single- handledly paid salaries of old people in his community. He has also embarked on building a hospital for his people to have access to good healthcare. He also built a church and hall for his people.

Ememos who is also the founder ofHermes Properties, a real estate company operating in Nigeria and United States, is among the successful igbo men in Lagos. 

Despite not being a politician, his achievements are enormous ranging from road construction, street lights, employment and empowerment, and has earned him a lot of praises in his home community Dimagu-Isiekenesi in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo.

Ememos started from the scratch but he has built a name for himself both in the real estate world, oil & gas, electronics, production, manufacturing and among others.

Having achieved so much at a very young age, many thought he would venture into active politics and contest for governor of his state or Senate but for him “One doesn’t need to get involved in politics to do humanitarian work.”
Ememos has invested a lot in human capital. According to him, If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.

“I believe in building and moulding people to become stars. I don’t want to start name calling but I have invested heavily in human capital development from the entertainment industry to empowering a lot of people to start up their own business and today, most of them are doing very well,” Ememos added.

Of course, the story of Ememos’ success cannot be said without mentioning his beautiful wife, Mrs. Gifty Chikaodi Okparaji, who has been his back bone while he enroute the journey of becoming successful.
Just like the popular saying “behind every great/successful man there stands a woman,” so is the story of Ememos. 

No success has been achieved without the contribution of his wife. They both have five children and three are presently studying in the United Kingdom. These blessings and many more have continuously spurred the entrepreneur to sustain his passion for giving. 

Quote “His passion towards helping humanity, coupled with the hard work he continuously put in, has stood him out among others, and earned him lots of recognition globally”