58 Quotes from Tony Elumelu, Africa’s Most Prominent Philanthropist!
Today marks the 58th birthday celebration of our Founder, Tony O. Elumelu, or T.O.E as we fondly call him. To celebrate this great milestone, we are sharing 58 of some of his most impactful quotes.
Are you an African entrepreneur? An Africapitalist at heart? A business-oriented person? Then these quotes will be incredibly insightful for you.
Here are 58 quotes from Tony Elumelu!
- “There is a better way to invest in Africa for a sustainable future that creates value for all.”
- “My vision for the foundation is to unlock the obstacles that African entrepreneurs face, so that they, rather than aid agencies or governments will spur the continent’s transformation”
- As an entrepreneur myself, I understand what it feels like to yearn for a lifeline, to hope for a ‘big break’, to look forward to enjoying some luck.”
- “Africapitalism is about the intersection of economic prosperity and social wealth, the intersection of making profit and doing good, and not waiting to finish one before you do the other.”
- “Africapitalism is not exclusive to African businesses but we must set an example for others to follow”
- “Only entrepreneurship can create opportunity where none seemingly exists.”
- “Young entrepreneurs and those they inspire are the lifeblood of Africa’s rise.”
- “Africapitalism therefore means we cannot leave the business of development up to our governments, donor countries and philanthropic organizations alone.”
- “The kind of challenges we face on the continent require not only vision but also patience and perseverance.”
- “Africapitalism is the nexus between the ability of the private sector to create value and the government’s creation of a business-friendly environment.”
- “Companies that incorporate local value creation will be both more sustainable and more profitable in Africa in the long-term.”
- “By investing in local economies and creating local jobs, they are also increasing the pool of those who can afford their products and services.”
- “If you do not care about how your business is conducted, your very future may be at stake.”
- “The old business model of a myopic pursuit of profit above all else is at best imprudent and, at worst, reckless in our increasingly interconnected and interdependent world.”
- “The future we all want for ourselves is one of our own making.”
- “The Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme is an act of faith in our entrepreneurs to transform our continent. Because business isn’t just about money.”
- “Entrepreneurship means Africans no longer have to find a job or be trained to be employees. Instead, it will enable our young people to create their own jobs, become employers, and take charge of their futures, instead of letting the future happen to them.”
- “I have come to understand that the most important thing I can do to advance our development is to help replicate my success in others and to evangelize the cause of entrepreneurship.”
- “If we help people make something of themselves, by investing in jobs and economic opportunity, the beneficiaries will purchase healthcare, they will purchase education for their children and look after their families.”
- “From the African perspective, development is a matter of realizing our potential and making the progress that we know is humanly possible because others have gotten there.”
- “We need to give from the perspective of empowering the recipient, instead of making them dependent on us.”
- “I believe that economic prosperity and social wealth must go hand in hand for maximum impact.”
- “Everything I have today is because of Africa, I was born here, went to school here, I work here and I’m achieving some level of financial comfort here.”
- “Whatever course you choose to take in the services of others, be guided by the goal of unleashing the inherent potential that resides in each and every one of us.”
- “Eradication of poverty must be a collective responsibility.”
- “The transformation of Africa is not one man’s job. It is a job for all of us, and by empowering these entrepreneurs, we are helping to create more jobs and wealth on the continent.”
- “Poverty anywhere is a threat to everyone everywhere. It has to be dealt with by all structures – the government institutions, financial institutions and citizens.”
- “Success in entrepreneurship is the outcome of a series of short term successes AND failures”.
- “Today we may appear young, and people may not believe in us, but we are going to compel them to believe in us through our achievement.”
- “Your idea can transform Africa. Let’s stop talking and let’s start doing.”
- “A true leader is one who remains committed to a higher purpose that most others do not yet see. I have studied great people and one common thing I found among them is Legacy.”
- “Let us remind ourselves of the power of individuals and what potent capacities and opportunities lie in this. No one but us will develop Africa.”
- “People management is key. Learn how to motivate your people. Be painstaking in choosing the right people.”
- “It’s a long-term journey. There is no quick fix. You will make mistakes. You will have challenges. For you to succeed along this journey, you must be disciplined, make sacrifices and save today to achieve your goals.”
- “My passion for entrepreneurship is rooted in the economic philosophy of ‘#Africapitalism’, a term that I coined to emphasize the role Africa’s private sector must play in the socio-economic transformation of our continent.”
- “It is encouraging to see Africa’s public sector recognize that Africa’s future will be determined not simply by economic growth, but by how successful we are in creating accessible pathways to economic prosperity for all Africans everywhere.”
- “Africa is not a single country but a continent, one that is a place of real business opportunity that the world should be alive to.”
- “Entrepreneurship, Support for small and medium scale enterprises in my viewpoint is one of the ways we can address poverty in a fundamental way.”
- “Instead of having a pyramid of few billionaires, I prefer a large base that has prosperity, happier people, and people whose basic needs are met. I think that is what will give us the sustainability we need in Africa.”
- “We need a new Marshall plan for Africa. This, for me, should be in improving access to electricity. Once that is done to a large extent, every other thing falls in place.”
- “Wealth for one person in the family does not give security. What gives security is to see that we democratize prosperity around us as much as possible.”
- “Businesses acting as businesses, not as charitable donors, is the most powerful force for addressing the pressing issues society face(s).”
- “The pandemic presents an opportunity to reset Africa, create employment and eliminate poverty”.
- “Most times businesses start off well, but poor management leads to early failure.”
- “For us, we believe that we must, as business leaders in Africa, stand up, show confidence in our continent by investing in our continent, attract investments to the continent and help through this process to create jobs.”
- “Africa, at a time like this, needs massive investment in infrastructure and power to help correct the poverty level we see.”
- “We didn’t prepare for the pandemic, but it is all about nimbleness, agility, and swiftness to adaptation. We need to have inbuilt nimbleness in what we do so that we can swiftly react to changes.”
- “Our people need jobs. Our people need role models. Our people need to see that you don’t need to migrate out of Africa to earn a living or to earn a decent life.”
- “Impossibility only happens in the brain”.
- “Never believe anything is impossible. Have an open mind. Find out what it takes to succeed. Chances are it will”.
- “People see risks, we see opportunities. We go for opportunities and see how to mitigate the risks.”
- “Your success means so much for Africa. You must succeed to lift us up. We will continue to encourage and support you.”
- “Despite the pandemic, Africa is a continent of opportunities. There are challenges but there are also huge returns on investment. The time to invest in Africa is now.”
- “African youth need technological opportunities. They need hope. They need tech for good and they want tech for all”.
- “Africa has a demographic structure that if well harnessed can confer a competitive advantage on us as a continent in this 21st century. But we are not doing all that we must do.”
- “We must all work hard to put the youth out of the streets. Failure to do so will spell doom for all of us.”
- “You must realize that leadership to a large extent is not bestowed, it is not handed over to you. You must prepare yourself for leadership and it will come to you.”
- “I would say changing Africa is our collective responsibility. Every one of us must realize that we need an improved Africa. The world is moving and evolving, and we face a huge risk of further widening the developmental gap if we do nothing.”
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