About Dr. Emmanuel Okeson

Born on the 1st of July, 1965 in Ukpor, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria Dr Emmanuel Okeson attended Umuohama Community School, Ukpor and thereafter went to Government College Surulere, Lagos.

He attended the Prestigious Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in 2005 and graduated with a Diploma Certificate in Administration and Management. Dr. Okeson also pursued a Degree course at the same University and obtained a BSc Degree in Business administration in 2015 and thereafter received Honorary Doctorate degree in Business Administration from Commonwealth University.

In 1984, Prince Okeson set up his first company in Nigeria called Emmatex Industrial Agency, venturing into the importation and distribution of electrical and industrial components and spare parts.

By 1985, Okeson expanded his business activities into the West Coast and began exporting locally made products such as Electric Cables, Electric Bulbs, Fixtures, Beverages, Toiletries, Hair and Beauty Products to neighboring African countries including Ghana.

With a vision to become one of the most successful African entrepreneurs establishing strategic presence across the continent, Okeson relocated to Ghana in 1986 to do business. After a stint with some famous Ghanaian companies, he established his own company named City Lights Limited in 1989.City lights was the first lighting company in Ghana and still the Market leader up till today. Under his prudent and entrepreneurial acumen, City lights Limited has grown to become a dominant player in lighting business in Africa.

Today, Okeson has diversified his business interests into other important sectors of the Ghanaian economy such as Agriculture, Civil Construction, Real Estate, Water Engineering, Micro Finance,Media and Hospitality and has employed over three hundred Ghanaians in his companies at the moment and still counting.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Mr. Okeson’s philosophy about wealth creation is that it is unethical to accumulate wealth without giving back to the very society from where it emanated. In line with this belief, he consistently and dutifully provides assistance to various public and private institutions in Ghana and beyond.

Some beneficiaries of his corporate social responsibilities include: Ghana Police Service, several Communities and District Assemblies in Greater Accra, Eastern, Central and the Western Regions of Ghana. Dr. Okeson is also extending this philanthropic part of his life into assisting several Nigerian distressed students in Ghana, stranded Nigerians and other challenged individuals in Ghana as well,

Religious bodies such as Methodist Church of Ghana, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Ghana have also benefitted from this gesture. Others such as the University of Ghana-Legon, Labone Secondary School; All Nigerian’s Community, Ghana, National Association Nigerian Students, Ghana, National Union of Rivers State students, Ghana, South- South Community among others.

As a proud and patriotic Nigerian and in passionate support of the “Re-brand Nigeria” initiative of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration, Prince Okeson co-founded and financed the TV show,” International Focus on Nigeria”—IFN, with the sole aim of laundering the sunken image of Nigeria in the Diaspora. His companies are also the pioneer sponsors of the “Miss Nigeria, Ghana” beauty pageant

In response to the yearning of majority of Nigerian students and the All Nigerian’s community Ghana ( of which He is the Trustees Board Chairman),Dr. Okeson is setting up a first ever Nigerian owned private University in Ghana. Construction work on the West Coast University has started. Barring any unanticipated hitches from the national Accreditation Board of Ghana, first batch of students will be admitted soon.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND HONORS

Mr. Okeson has been honoured by several bodies and institutions for his outstanding contributions to humanity and excellence in genuine business exploits. Among these are the Nigerian Government through the High Commission in Ghana, Nobles International Award for being an Eminent West African who upholds the virtues of Honesty, Integrity and Accountability by the West African Nobles Forum, Religious bodies, NGO’s, Northern Youth council of Nigeria, Traditional Authorities and Educational Institutions etc.

He is currently the Chairman, Board of Trustees of all Nigerian’s Community, Ghana (Umbrella body for all Nigerians residing in Ghana) and a Patron of the Igbo Community in Ghana. He was the recipient of the Most Customer Focused C.E.O for 2011 and 2012 respectively.

In 2014, Prince Okeson was appointed as the National Coordinator, Transformation Ambassador of Nigeria Ghana Chapter.

He is also the Grand Patron of Igbo Youth Forum in Diaspora (a Pan- Igbo youth advocacy group, championing the cause of reintegration of Ndi igbo into the core of the Nigerian polity).

Dr. Okeson believes that Socio- cultural divide that militates against our cherished desire for Sub-regional integration could be bridged through frequent social interactions and intermarriages. He is married with seven children.

    About Mr. Kaycey Ogbonna

Mr. Ogbonna is an investor and a business man. He is currently the Chairman of King Solomon group. King Solomon’s Group is a sophisticated chain of companies cutting across Finance, Hospitality, Bill Payment, Transport, Real Estate, IT, Oil & Gas, Trade, Laundry and Agriculture, he also sits on the board of several For profit and Non-profit organizations across the continent.

He was born in Abia State - Nigeria, where he had his early educations and that of tertiary as well. He later relocated to Ghana where he transformed his small business venture into a conglomerate of businesses. He is regarded as the Nigerian whom has employed the highest number of Nigerians in Ghana and he has hundreds of Ghanaians working in his establishment across the country as well.

Mr. Ogbonna emerged the President of NIDO Ghana (Nigerians in Diaspora) in 2019, he is involved in several humanitarian works in Ghana and Nigeria under the umbrella of his Charity organization named Seven Seed Foundation. His commitment to philanthropism has earned him several recognition across students and youth platforms in Ghana and Nigeria.

    About Dr. Ayo Ayoola-Amale

DR. Ayo Ayoola-Amale is an African poet, world renowned lawyer, globally respected conflict-resolution professional, ombudsman, peace builder, and spoken-word performance artist whose voice is noted for its peace, harmony, humanity, political, surrealistic and dynamic innovations in lyricism and visceral sound.

DR. Ayo has always been a lover of books and as a young girl, she read voraciously and widely. She was a pupil of St Louis Secondary School, Bompai, Kano. She studied law at Obafemi Awolowo University, and was called to the bar in 1993. She later attended the University of Lagos, where she earned her first LLM degree and University of Ghana graduating with an LLM (ADR). Presently, she is resident in Accra and often travels the globe on world peace missions delivering life-inspiring messages of peace and global harmony.

DR. Ayo is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK. She has several local and International certificates facilitation, NGO management, and creative writing and has attended various local, National and international workshops and seminars on creative writing and presentation. She was a Senior Lecturer and Head of Department of Law, Faculty of Law, Kings University, Wisconsin University and Ghana Technology University College, Accra, Ghana. She has more than 18 years of Legal practice in reputable law firms and over 15 years as a Law lecturer, in Business Law, Commercial Law and Practice, Company Law, ADR, Principles of Law etc., in Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal.

DR. Ayo has touched many lives as an Educator, peace and non-violence activist, peace education advocate and an advocate for positive social change. She has put smiles on the downtrodden, the less privileged in the society. Through her Foundation, she has humanitarian projects known as The Sun Educational Project for Schools, The Light Project for charity and counseling and The Splendors’ Performance Poetry Team from the basic level to Tertiary level. These projects have greatly impacted on the lives of many children and youths in the society.

    About Dr. Hassan Ayariga

Hassan Ayariga is a Ghanaian accountant, entrepreneur and politician. He is the founder of the All People's Congress (APC) and was the candidate of the People's National Convention for the December 2012 presidential election. His father, Frank Abdulai Ayariga, was a member of parliament for the Bawku Constituency during the third republic administration of Hilla Limann and his mother, Anatu Ayariga, a business woman.

His younger brother Mahama Ayariga is Minister for Youth and Sports (2015) as well as Member of Parliament for Bawku Central Constituency on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress. In the presidential primaries of the PNC for the 2016 general election, Dr. Ayariga lost to Edward Mahama, whom he had beaten to become presidential candidate in 2012. Citing anomalies and cheating, he left the party to form a new party, the All People’s Congress (APC), in 2016.

DR. Ayariga spent his childhood in Accra and Bawku. He later moved to Nigeria with his parents after the overthrow of the Limann Administration. He attended Ghana Secondary School and then in Nigeria Barewa College in Zaria, Kaduna State. He later studied accounting at the London School of Accountancy and earned a PhD from Atlantic International University, an American distance learning university.

He is a passionate believer of the youth, and a friend of Nigeria.