Paul Orajiaka
Paul Orajiaka is a Nigerian entrepreneur, politician, and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of Auldon Group, a firm that manufactures and sells African-themed toys, in particular Unity Dolls.[1][2][3]
| Paul Orajiaka | |
|---|---|
 Paul.jpg | |
| Born | Onitsha, Nigeria |
| 🏳️ Nationality | Nigerian |
| 🏫 Education | Master's in Public Administration, Doctorate in Business Administration |
| 🎓 Alma mater | University of Lagos, Henley Business School, Harvard Kennedy School of Government |
| 💼 Occupation | Entrepreneur, Social Worker, Politician |
| 📆 Years active | 2002 - current |
| 🏢 Organization | Auldon Group |
| 🏅 Awards | Ashoka Africa Social Entrepreneur of the Year (2019), AACSB Influential Leaders Award (2018), Global Titan CEO Award (2016) |
| Twitter= | |
Early life and education[edit]
Orajiaka was born in Onitsha, Nigeria, and spent his childhood in the city of Warri in Delta State in Southern Nigeria. His father was a businessman and owned a craft shop in Warri named M-Orajis Craft Center. He learnt craftsmanship and woodworking at his father’s store at an early age. In the 1980's, he crafted and sold wood carvings to expatriates who came to Nigeria and wanted souvenirs on their way back.[4][5]
Orajiaka got his secondary school education from Igbinedion Secondary School in Benin City. After completing secondary education, he filed a visa application to study at the Fort Valley State University in USA which was rejected. After this, he moved to Lagos to stay with and work for his brother-in-law and got enrolled in an accounting degree at the University of Lagos. After completing his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Lagos, he enrolled in and completed his master’s in business administration from the Lagos Business School, Pan Atlantic University in 2011. He pursued his doctorate in Business Administration from the Henley Business School, University of Reading in the UK and has also completed a master’s in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in the US.[6][4][7]
Career[edit]
Entrepreneurship[edit]
Orajiaka worked for his brother-in-law, who was an importer, after moving to Lagos to complete his education. He started doing business as a teenager when he bought toys and supplied them to supermarkets in Lagos. As his business grew, he went to Dubai to supply toys back to his home country. While studying at the University of Lagos, he set up Auldon Toys (now Auldon Group) with an initial investment of less than $100. The company got the status of a limited liability firm in 2002 and currently employs more than 400 direct and indirect employees. It now has an annual turnover in excess of $10 million and has its operations spread in countries including South Africa, Ghana, Kenya alongside some parts of Europe.[8][4][1]
He created the Unity Dolls, which are toys that teach Africa’s cultural heritage to children. The dolls represent the major tribes in Nigeria — Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba.[5][9][10]
Politics[edit]
In 2020, Orajiaka announced that he will be running for the governor of the state of Anambra in Nigeria in the 2021 gubernatorial elections.[2][3]
Community service[edit]
Orajiaka works on several societal causes in Africa. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of Unity Dolls go to the Culture Vision Organization to help community building for children, families, and communities through investments in education, water and hygiene, women’s empowerment, and micro-enterprise. He also invested in the rebuilding of a Salvation Army Nursery and Primary School in Agunfoye Igbogbo Ikorodu. The school serves over 3,000 students and was founded in 1955 to provide education to the underprivileged children in Nigeria. His company also engages graduates of the Lagos State Technical College and Friends of the Disabled Nigeria Organization in a program that creates income for these students by providing them opportunities to learn to create dresses for the Unity Dolls.[11]
He also visits technical schools and colleges in Lagos once a month to give free of cost motivational talks and counselling. Over the last four years, Orajiaka has mentored over 200 people who have started their own businesses.[11]
In March 2020, Orajiaka donated hand sanitisers, face masks, and assorted food supplies to 21 local government areas in Anambra state as preparation and precautionary measures against the COVID-19 (corona virus) outbreak. He also launched a sensitisation campaign to educate local communities about hygiene measures to prevent being affected by the virus.[12][13]
Honors and awards[edit]
In January 2019, Ashoka Africa awarded Orajiaka the Social Entrepreneur of the Year award. In March 2018, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) presented him the Influential Leaders award.[3][14][15][10]
In 2016, Orajiaka won the Global Titan CEO Award in the SME sector. He was also a finalist in the AABLA 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year awards in West Africa.[16][2][5]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "How African toys are made in Nigeria". BBC News. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Paul Orajiaka: The toymaker with a political dream". Businessday NG. 2020-03-18. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 editor (2020-03-11). "Business Tycoon with a Plan to Transform Anambra". THISDAYLIVE. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Nsehe, Mfonobong. "The Nigerian Entrepreneur Who Built A $10 Million Toy Company". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Gwaambuka, Tatenda. "The Magical Rise of African Toy Manufacturing Mogul, Paul Orajiaka | The African Exponent". The African Exponent. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
- ↑ "How Africa's Biggest Economy Became A Launchpad For MBA Careers". www.businessbecause.com. 2019-07-03. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
- ↑ admin (2018-02-18). "AACSB Celebrates LBS Alumni as He Gets International Appointment". THISDAYLIVE. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
- ↑ Africa, Forbes (2015-04-01). "This Business Is Child's Play". Forbes Africa. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
- ↑ "LBS Alumnus Joins Forbes' Entrepreneurs". Lagos Business School. 2015-01-12. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "LBS Alumnus named Influential Leader by AACSB International -". The Eagle Online. 2018-02-10. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Paul Orajiaka | 2018 AACSB Influential Leader". www.aacsb.edu. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
- ↑ "Coronavirus: Orajiaka donates sanitisers, face masks, food items to Anambra communities". Vanguard News. 2020-03-30. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
- ↑ "COVID-19: Paul Orajiaka lends a helping hand to Anambra communities". Pulse Nigeria. 2020-04-02. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ↑ "Anambra Orajiaka: Harvard-trained entrepreneur poised to transform..." Vanguard News. 2020-03-22. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
- ↑ "AACSB International Names LBS Alumnus Paul Oraijaka Influential Leader". Business Post Nigeria. 2018-02-09. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
- ↑ "Having Built A USD 10 Mn Company, This Nigerian Entrepreneur Might Just 'Do A ToysRus' In His Homeland". WeeTracker. 2019-01-15. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
