By Genesis Ogiri
In a masterclass of strategic leadership and entrepreneurial clarity, Amb. Ekwutoziam Ashiedu Ogwus, CEO of EKASH Collections, took centre stage at inspireGlobal 2026, articulating a vision that places purpose, disciplined execution, and measurable impact at the core of modern enterprise. Her address struck a strong chord with founders, executives, and policy influencers seeking sustainable pathways for business growth across Africa.
Amb. Ekwutoziam Ashiedu Ogwus challenged the continent’s innovation community to move beyond ideation into deliberate execution. According to her, while ideas are abundant across Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape, execution remains elite. She stressed that only ventures anchored on strategic discipline, operational rigour, and scalable frameworks can achieve long-term relevance and market leadership, warning that repeating familiar methods while expecting different outcomes yields little more than marginal gains.
She made the remarks at the momentous gathering held on February 7, 2026, at the prestigious MIVA University, Lagos, where business leaders, innovators, and high-potential founders converged under the theme “Ideation to Execution.” The forum served as a practical marketplace of ideas, where creativity intersected with operational excellence, reinforcing inspireGlobal’s growing role as a catalyst for Africa’s evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem.
In her keynote address titled “Business of Style: Leading with Purpose in Africa’s Evolving Fashion Economy,” Ogwus elevated fashion beyond aesthetic expression, presenting it as a strategic economic lever capable of shaping identity, mobilising capital, and positioning Africa competitively within global value chains. She described the sector as a convergence point where cultural heritage meets innovation, creativity aligns with governance, and vision is translated into scalable value creation.
Highlighting Africa’s indigenous textiles ankara, adire, and aso-oke she described them as both cultural assets and under-leveraged commercial opportunities. When harnessed through disciplined systems, robust operational structures, and global market intelligence, she noted, these textiles can underpin globally competitive African brands. Fashion, she asserted, is culture commoditised through strategy, requiring both creative ingenuity and executive precision.
Central to her message was the assertion that purpose has become the new currency of competitive advantage. In an era shaped by values-conscious consumers and impact-oriented investors, Ogwus argued that sustainability, inclusivity, and social empowerment must be embedded within the strategic architecture of modern enterprises. Purpose, she maintained, is no longer optional; it is a growth multiplier, a brand differentiator, and a magnet for investment capital.
She further emphasised that initiatives such as women artisan empowerment, eco-conscious production, and fair labour practices are not peripheral ethical gestures but core strategic levers that drive resilience, enhance brand equity, and secure long-term value creation. Purpose-driven business, she noted, represents the intersection where profitability meets legacy.
Drawing from her entrepreneurial journey with EKASH Collections, Ogwus reflected on challenges around funding, scaling, and brand visibility, noting that purpose consistently served as her strategic compass. She underscored that true growth should be measured not merely by volume, but by impact, institutional depth, and sustainability offering a practical blueprint for emerging African entrepreneurs navigating an increasingly competitive global marketplace.
As the conference drew to a close, one message resonated clearly across the auditorium: Africa’s next economic chapter will be written by leaders who align profit with purpose, creativity with structure, and ambition with accountability, building enterprises that endure and shape the continent’s global future.
