A few people are born into wealth and many others have had to work hard to attain it. But while this happens everyday, being born with or without privilege is not a guarantee of eventually success in life, as nothing is guaranteed and we have to earn our position every single day.
This is the success story of Anthony Ifeanyichukwu Ndubuisi Ezenna, a man who was born unpriviledged but had to work harder and smarter than most people throughout his entire life to eventually break the veil and turn out successful. He’s the founder of the multimillion dollar Orange Drugs Nigerian conglomerate.
Here’s how he did it.
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Early Life And Education Of Tony Ezenna
Tony Ezenna was born on the 21st of April 1957, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State but is originally from Akokwa, Ideato North LGA of Imo State. He was raised for some time in Port Harcourt before his family moved to Onitsha.
Tony attended St. David Primary School in Owerri, Akokwa and then moved to Christ the King College, Onitsha for his high school education. As a result of financial hardships and difficulties, his education was put on hold, and he had to join his father’s business.
He was a great learner under the tutelage of his father, Mr Ernest Ezenna Ebilikwe, who owned a chemist called Eastern Chemists; which Tony later left and transformed his knowledge into a multi-million dollar pharceutical conglomerate called Orange Drugs.
Journey To Entrepreneurship
At a time, Tony Ezenna’s education was put on hold due to financial issues, prompting him to go help out in his father’s business, the Eastern Chemist.
He showed early on that he was made for the business world and under the tutelage of his father through their then minute business, Tony learnt a lot and introduced his own ideas and approach into the firm, which went on to change everything.
At a young age, he was very resourceful and when he left to start his own business, Tony successfully grew his startup from a capital base of 15,000 Naira to the multi-million dollar firm that it is today.
Despite starting Orange Drugs in 1988, he secured the company’s first corporate office in 2001 and has since distributed pharmaceutical and beauty products to Nigerians from countries such as Indonesia, Germany, Italy, the United States, and also madein Nigeria products.
Tony Ezenna’s success was based on hard work, discipline, and staying committed to his goals. He capitalised on the opportunities that presented themselves to him, and turned them into a great story to tell.
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Orange Drug Groups Today
In 2006, Orange Drugs Groups ventured into local manufacturing and later expanded across West Africa. Today, the company operate in the Pharmaceuticals, Beverages, Personal Care and Lightening industries. Their “Soap noodles” factory in Onitsha, Anambra State, manufactures the popular “Delta Soap” that’s known to many homes in Nigeria.
Small Successes
Tony Ezenna has proven himself to be a force to reckon with. Orange Drugs has since grown into a conglomerate and Tony Ezenna is believed to have a net worth of over $200 million.
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Toni Ezenna’s Impact In Society
In 2006, Tony set up the Tony Ezenna Foundation with the aim of providing scholarships and financial assistance to families struggling to make ends meet and frequently offers financial aid to struggling businesses, communities and groups.
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Tony Ezenna’s Awards And Recognition
In 2017, Tony Ezenna was awarded the Honorary Doctorate of Management Technology (D.M Tech Honoris Causa) by the Federal University of Technology (FUTO) for his track record of service to Nigeria. He is also a recipient of several honours by many religious bodies across the country.
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To Sum It Up
Tony started from nothing and successfully built a great business after learning the basics of a far smaller business. You too can, and by staying ready to take advantage of opportunities, you can someday turnout successful yourself.
