Nigerian business magnate and founder of Eleganza Industrial City Limited, Chief Razaq Akanni Okoya, also known as the Aare of Lagos, has reflected on his journey to becoming a billionaire and the influence of his upbringing, while expressing concern over his children’s independence from his guidance.
Speaking during a recent interview, Okoya traced his success back to his early years in his father’s tailoring business, where he was exposed to entrepreneurship at a young age.
According to him, his father, who was both a tailor and a seller of tailoring materials, limited his formal education and instead involved him in the family trade. He recalled that selling items such as buttons and other sewing accessories in the shop helped shape his business mindset and gave him clarity on his future path.
Okoya said those early experiences played a key role in defining his ambition, as he decided what he wanted to become early in life and focused on building expertise in that direction. He credited both his late father and mother for their support, adding that he has no regrets about the foundation they provided for him.
However, the industrialist noted that the current generation approaches life and business differently, often preferring to pursue their own ideas rather than follow parental guidance.
“Children of nowadays have their own ideas. They are not listening to you. They want to do it their own way,” he said, adding that while some succeed independently, many benefit more when they follow a structured family or industrial background.
He also admitted that this difference in mindset has created challenges within his own family, revealing that several of his older children prefer to chart their own course rather than join his business empire.
“I have a big problem because many of my senior boys and girls don’t want to follow me. They want to do things on their own. Good luck to them,” he said.
Despite this, Okoya stressed his lifelong dedication to industry and his desire to be remembered for his contributions to manufacturing and enterprise development. He added that his focus remains on sustaining and expanding his industrial legacy for future generations.