Sir Louis Phillip Odumegwu Ojukwu, (1909– September 1966) was a Nigerian business tycoon. Ojukwu was said to have made his money by importing dried fish, dealing in textiles, cement and transport. He was the founder of Ojukwu Transport, Ojukwu Stores and Ojukwu Textiles.
He was known for his exquisite taste in clothes, shoes and food.
At his peak, he was the first and founding president of The Nigerian Stock Exchange as well as president of The African Continental Bank.
During the 1950s, he diversified his interest, bought some industries, invested heavily in the real estate sector and became a director in numerous major corporations including the state-owned Nigerian National Shipping Line. He was a member of the board of Nigerian Coal Corporation, Shell Oil, D’Archy, and African Continental Bank.
Ojukwu died in 1966, just a year before the Nigerian civil war. His wealth was later estimated to be $4bn in today’s economic value.
His son Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was the leader of the secessionist state of Biafra. The Ojukwus have produced a family history that bucks the trend in at least one respect.
Louis Ojukwu was larger than life. One thing to learn from his entrepreneurial life is that he was meticulous with his business dealings. It is reported that he would inspect his trucks with such keenness and punctuality, he was very much involved in the details of his various businesses.
