Historic Moments for Leo Stan Ekeh, Son

For Chairman of Zinox Computer, Leo Stan Ekeh, and his son, Nnamdi, Monday, January 27, will go down as the most memorable.

On that beautiful evening, both the e-commerce giant and his son were honoured with coveted awards at the recently held THISDAY 30th anniversary and awards ceremony.

It was historic, being the first time that a father and his son would be honoured on the same night in Nigeria.

While the father bagged the award of the CEO of the Year, Private Sector, his Oxford-trained son was decorated with the Young Global Leader award for his role in transforming Konga into a foremost composite e-commerce giant in Nigeria and Africa.

It was a joyful moment, particularly for the senior Ekeh who has watched the meteoric rise of his brilliant son in the business world with pride.

“If you want a son to grow up into a man you can be proud of, be a man he can be proud of.” So, says a quote by an unknown author.

Over the years, Ekeh has been like a compass with which Nnamdi has been navigating his way through the labyrinthine business environment.

Though some may argue that Nnamdi’s path had already been laced with roses because of his background, he had realised from the outset that he needed to carve a niche for himself in the business world.

At a relatively young age, he had a rare opportunity and he grabbed it with both arms. Full of brilliant ideas, he had discovered a lacuna in the market, where the main choices for shopping were either the informal market or the unstructured retailer ruled.

But he ventured into the sector, not minding the inclement environment, and turned out a game changer to the admiration of all.

The Oxford-trained young man has proved to be the pride of the family, a development that has continued to gladden the heart of his father.

No wonder, the 68-year-old businessman is said to always tell anyone who cares to listen how much he loves Nnamdi, who launched Yudula at 19 before acquiring Konga in a landmark merger that would become a reference point in the nation’s business sector.