In the quiet town of Isuofia, Anambra State, a heartwarming reunion unfolded recently, bridging generations and underscoring the timeless value of foundational education. High Chief Ogilisi Igbo, the self-made billionaire known as Rojenny, brought his children to visit his aged primary school teacher, Mr. Emmanuel Ezenwanne, affectionately called Muchacha. The children listened in wide-eyed amazement as the elderly educator recounted tales of teaching their father in elementary school. For Ogilisi Igbo, this was more than a family outing—it was a pilgrimage to the roots of his success, a testament to the discipline that propelled him from an eager and obedient boy to a trailblazing entrepreneur.
Ogilisi Igbo’s journey began humbly in Anambra State, and you will see the interesting growth of a small boy into an industrialist, the CEO of Ranent Industries Limited. He is also the co-founder of Tansian University Oba.
Despite limited formal education beyond primary school, he leveraged his sharp intellect and relentless drive to become a pioneer in Nigerian business. At just 21 years old in 1976, he became the first Igbo man to travel to Taiwan, where he studied and replicated Japanese motorcycle spare parts. Bringing these innovations back home, he ignited a booming spare parts market in Nnewi, transforming the local economy and creating fortunes for countless dealers. This bold move marked the start of his empire-building. He went on to introduce fiber glass technology and bamboo toothpick manufacturing to Nigeria, feats that showcased his ingenuity in importing and adapting foreign ideas for local growth.
His ventures extended beyond manufacturing. Ogilisi Igbo built Rojenny Stadium and Tourist Center in Oba, near Onitsha—the largest private stadium in Nigeria at the time—which hosted continental football matches featuring teams from Algeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Mali, and beyond. The complex also became a hub for tourism, establishing what was hailed as the country’s largest tourism industry. His commitment to community shone through in agricultural initiatives, where he acquired vast farmlands in Anaku Ayamelum and invited other entrepreneurs, including Coscharis Farms, to cultivate alongside him. Perhaps most notably, Ogilisi Igbo supported Nigeria’s youth sports development by housing the Golden Eaglets national under-17 football team at his Rojenny center for over two years. He provided scholarships for them to attend Merchant of Light Secondary School, blending education with training. This investment paid off when the team, featuring stars like Kanu Nwankwo, Celestine Babayaro, Wilson Oruma, and Peter Anosike, won the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Japan under Coach Fanny Amun. Rojenny Stadium hosted the 2020 Police Games in athletics.
A globetrotter who has visited 85% of the world’s major cities, Ogilisi Igbo attributes much of his worldview to lessons from developed nations: uninterrupted power supply, industrialization focused on exports, tourism and sports as economic drivers, skill-based education, and a corruption-free national pride. Yet, despite his global exposure, he remains deeply rooted in his origins.
The visit itself was a poignant blend of nostalgia and gratitude. Ogilisi Igbo, who describes himself as brilliant and highly obedient in his youth, credits Mr. Ezenwanne’s strict discipline for molding his character. “He taught me wisely, and I learnt wisely,” Ogilisi Igbo shared. “It is that disciplinarian tendency that Anambra people are enjoying today.” The teacher, a sports enthusiast, taught athletics and football, enforcing wins through rigorous training—and punishment for losses. “We always train, and we always win. If you don’t win, he will punish you, so we always won,” Ogilisi Igbo recalled with a chuckle. Mr. Ezenwanne remembered the young Ogilisi as a child who eagerly wanted to be added to the lineup of players, noting his enthusiasm and speed on the field. “He runs very fast. He is also a very intelligent child.”
Mr. Ezenwanne, father to Nonye Soludo—the wife of Anambra’s governor—and Emeka Ezenwanne, a senior government official, embodied the no-nonsense approach that shaped not just Ogilisi Igbo but his own children. “He impacted his discipline in them; that’s why when you meet Nonye or Emeka, you will know that these are special people,” Ogilisi Igbo said. The teacher defended his methods: “I use the cane. I don’t spare the rod and let the child spoil. Education costs parents money, and I as a teacher make sure the child is impacted with knowledge so that the money spent won’t go to waste. After teaching you and you fail, I don’t see why I should not thoroughly punish you.”
Praising his former pupil, the wizened Mr. Ezenwanne said, “Ogilisi Igbo is a man who, with the basic education he got, excelled more than those who had better classroom education. He is a great man, a very great man. Your father is a great man! He never made little plans; all his plans are larger than life and he executed whatever he planned.”
Central to Ogilisi Igbo’s philosophy is the profound belief that primary education is the basic and most important foundation in a person’s life—the formative stage that children never forget. Everything essential is learned there: wisdom, knowledge, discipline, and character. Higher levels of education, while useful, are often forgotten after some years, but the lessons from primary school remain etched forever, shaping who we become. In fact, Ogilisi Igbo insists that this primary education is not only the most powerful but may be the only one truly necessary for any human being to excel in life. “All we know is from primary school,” he emphasizes. “All those secondary ones may be forgotten, but no child forgets the learning and discipline he got from primary education. It is the foundation and taproot of his wisdom and knowledge.”
This conviction drove him to bring his children to meet Mr. Ezenwanne. The youngsters were excited and deeply interested, eager to hear directly from the source of the knowledge and inspiration that turned their father into a successful icon. Ogilisi Igbo strongly advises every successful person to take their children to visit the teachers who provided their first education. Let these elders speak to the next generation, sharing the timeless wisdom that sparked greatness in their parents. “I must encourage anyone who has succeeded in life to go back to the teacher who taught him from primary school—and to bring their children along, so they too can be advised and inspired by the roots of true knowledge.”
Ogilisi Igbo’s children spent the day absorbing stories of discipline and triumph. In an era where success often overshadows origins, this Anambra billionaire’s gesture reminds us that true greatness honors its beginnings—and passes them on. As Ogilisi Igbo continues to inspire, his story proves that the strongest foundation, built in primary school, can support empires that last a lifetime.
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