Ezego: The Anambra Billionaire Whose Wealth Became a Mystery After His Death
Before we started hearing about Chief Ibeto, Cubana Chief Priest, Obi Cubana and other billionaires, there were other extremely rich men from Anambra state and one of them was a man popularly known as Ezego.
Ezego, also known as the King of Money, was a well known business man. If he were alive today, he would have been featured on the Forbes list of richest individuals. Unfortunately, his life was cut short at the peak of his career.
Chief Victor Nnamdi Okafor, popularly known as Eze Ego 1 of Ihiala, was a renowned Igbo tycoon. Born on December 25, 1964, in Uzoakwa, Ihiala, Anambra State, Ezego’s life was marked by both triumph and tragedy.
In his early life as a young man, he was disowned by his father after being arrested for participating in a robbery gang in Onitsha. However, he managed to escape to Lagos in 1989, where he met a mentor who helped shape his future.
Upon his return, Ezego’s wealth and business empire grew massively. He built the Ezego shopping plaza, a complex located on Allen Avenue in Lagos, with branches in Abuja and Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos. Additionally, he managed several electronic stores across the country.
Ezego was known for his love of cars and owned one of the largest car garages in Africa. He was married to Laurita Nkechi, with whom he had eight children, and also had children from other relationships.
Tragically, Ezego’s life was cut short on December 26, 1998, at the age of 34, following a car accident. He was buried in an underground grave in his compound.
The lawyer that was supposed to read Chief Ezego’s will was murdered along with his wife on September 2, 2002. As a result, Ezego’s will was never read, leaving most of his properties abandoned.
