##Henry Oloyede Fajemirokun, CON
**(26 July 1926 – 15 February 1978)**
Henry Oloyede Fajemirokun was a Nigerian trade unionist, industrialist, and entrepreneur. He was one of the country's pioneering indigenous businessmen, renowned for building one of the foremost indigenous private sector business empires of his era. Fajemirokun was a strong advocate of West African economic integration, contributing significantly to the formation of the **Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)**.
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## Early Life
Fajemirokun was born in **Ile Oluji**, Ondo State, to Daniel Famakinwa Fajemirokun and Felicia Adebumi Fajemirokun (née Akinsuroju). His maternal lineage traced back to Omoba Adebamigbei, descendant of a former **Jegun of Ile Oluji**.
He attended:
- St. Peter's School, Ile-Oluji
- St. Luke's School, Oke-Igbo
- CMS Grammar School, Lagos
- Ondo Boys High School (1942–1944)
At 18, he enlisted in the **Royal West African Frontier Force** and served in **India** during World War II. After the war, he worked as a clerk in the **Post and Telegraph Department**, studying privately for his Cambridge School Certificate.
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## Career
### Trade Unionism
Fajemirokun began his post-war career in the civil service and quickly rose through union ranks:
- President, Ex-Servicemen's Union (1948)
- President, P&T Clerical and Workers Allied Union (1952)
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### Entrepreneurship
In **1955**, he launched into private business with a loan from a relative. He started by exporting **cattle bones**, **hides and skin**, **cocoa**, **rubber**, and **coffee**, and became one of Nigeria’s largest importers of **cement** by 1960.
#### Henry Stephens Group
As founder and chairman of the **Henry Stephens Group**, his enterprise expanded into:
- Maritime and shipping (first indigenous company to own ships)
- Cement and building materials
- Engineering
- Banking and finance (e.g., co-founding **NAMBL**)
- Insurance
- Oil prospecting (first indigenous firm to secure an **offshore license** in 1970)
#### Shipping and Maritime
He created:
- **Henry Stephens Shipping Company**
- **Nigeria Shipping Company**
- *Nigeria–Far East Line*
- *Nigeria–South America Line*
He acquired three dry bulk ships and provided shipping services between Nigeria, Japan, Brazil, and other destinations.
#### Finance and Investment
- Co-founder of **Nigerian-American Merchant Bank Limited (NAMBL)**
- Bought a **seat on the London Stock Exchange** (1969)
- Major stakeholder in **Johnson Wax**, **Fan Milk**, and construction firms
- Director roles:
- **First Bank Nigeria**
- **Nigeria Krafts Bags Ltd.**
- **Nigerian Diversified Investments**
- **Nigeria Sewing Machine Manufacturing Co. Ltd.**
#### Other Ventures
- Co-founder and promoter of **ECOWAS Bank**, precursor to **Ecobank Transnational (ETI)**
- Sole distributor of **Rank Xerox** in Nigeria
- Advocated for indigenous participation in commerce while balancing the need for foreign investment
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## Chamber of Commerce Leadership
Fajemirokun held influential positions in commerce:
- 4th President, **Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA)**
- 6th President, **Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry**
- 1st President, **Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce (1972–1978)**
- Founding President, **Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce**
- Past President, **Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce**
- Vice-President, **Federation of Commonwealth Chambers of Commerce**
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## Philanthropy and Honours
Fajemirokun was known for extensive philanthropy:
- Supported the **Red Cross** during the Nigerian Civil War
- Donated generously to religious institutions, universities, student clubs, and development funds
- Donated ₦110,000 to the **Southern African Relief Fund** in January 1977
### Chieftaincy Titles
- **Yegbata of Ile-Oluji** (1968)
- **Asiwaju of Oke-Igbo** (1971)
- **Lijoka of Ondo** (1973)
- **Orunta of Ifewara** (1974)
- **Obaloro of Ado Ekiti** (1977)
### Awards
- **Honorary D.Sc. in Business Administration** from University of Ife (1972)
- **Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON)**, awarded posthumously in **1983**
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## Death
Henry Oloyede Fajemirokun died on **15 February 1978** while leading a trade mission in **Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire**.
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## References
- Tom Forrest, *The Advance of African Capital: The Growth of Nigerian Private Enterprise*, University of Virginia Press (1994), ISBN: 0-8139-1562-7
- Adekeye Adebajo, *The EU and Africa: From Eurafrique to Afro-Europa*, ISBN: 1-8490-4171-7
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