Though, Legendary artist and veteran broadcaster, Onyeka Onwenu, recently passed on at 80 shortly after a performance, the trend of that era has never been wiped off, as Dr Mrs. Stella Chinyelu Okoli, a Nigerian pharmacist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur and the founder of Emzor, a pharmaceutical company, celebrates her 80th birthday.
As described by Emeka Opara, Mrs. Okoli is a Nigerian pharmacist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur and the founder of Emzor, a pharmaceutical company she started in 1977.
Opara via his Facebook page recounted that, “Our paths crossed in 1994, when I managed the Emzor account as a Client Service Executive in Richland Communications, a Surulere, Lagos-based advertising agency founded by her younger brother, Ike Modebelu.
“I had the privilege (yes privilege!) of meeting Madam literally every week together with my friend, Chidi Okoro, ex-MTN, ex-Reckitt Benkister, ex-GSK, ex-this, ex-that, who was then the Head of Marketing in the Aswani, Isolo, Lagos-based pharmaceutical company known then for its famous Emzor Paracetamol.
The radio commercial (“Emzor paracetamol…will make you feel better”) still rings loud in my head each time I see a paracetamol brand! That’s how powerful it was-and we (Richland) proudly produced it.
According to him, his first encounter with her, whom he described as entrepreneur and an illustrious, indefatigable, diligent, dedicated, professional and passionate one for that matter, they discussed Marketing Communications, and Mrs. Okoli took moments to attend to several other matters including Finance, Engineering, Power Generation, Distribution.
“One of the things that struck me about her was her “addiction” to fitness. Right behind her desk was a door that led to her gym. I did meet her a few times just after her workout sweating and looking absolutely fit and gorgeous. At 80, she still looks really good-one of the dividends of a healthy lifestyle.
“The history of the pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria, especially the segment on local production, cannot be complete without a generous mention of her sterling contributions. During the era of the late Prof. Dora Akunyili, Emzor played a leading role in the fight against fake drugs and eminently filled in the gaps working with other local manufacturers.
Profiling the Nigerian Pharmaceutical Icon, Opara said, after her education in the United Kingdom, Dr. Okoli began working as a ward/ clinical pharmacist at Middlesex Hospital in London and later briefly as a pharmacist at Boots Drugstore UK.
On her return to Nigeria, she worked briefly at Massey Children Hospital in Lagos before joining Park Davies Nigeria Limited (now Pharma-Deko Plc).
He went further, “In January 1977, Dr. Okoli established Emzor Pharmaceutical under the name “Emzor Chemists Limited” as a small pharmacy in Somolu, Lagos State.
“Over time, Emzor Pharmaceutical has become one of Nigeria’s leading pharmaceutical companies with over 50 products. In 1981, Dr. Okoli founded Emzor Drugstore Ltd., where she imported pharmaceutical products into Nigeria and operated a wholesale business to meet the healthcare needs of Nigerian consumers.
He also noted that the company began manufacturing medicines locally to make healthcare products more affordable in Nigeria.
“I congratulate her on attaining 80 and wish her many more years of good health, success, happiness and service to Nigeria, a country she’s loved and made proud all her life,” he added.
