KAMA boss gets doctorate degree at age 72

Education is not a race, you can get it at anytime and anywhere in your life.”

These were the words of the Chief Executive Officer of the Mikaddo Holdings Limited, 72-year-old Dr Michael Agyekum Addo who graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from the University of Ghana on Friday, January 14, 2022.

Dr Addo, who had an honorary doctorate degree conferred on him by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2005, was part of the 88 PhD candidates who graduated from the University of Ghana recently.

“If at 72 I have been able to write about a 400-paged thesis and defended it successfully, every young person should be able to achieve this,” he stated.

Renowned for starting the KAMA Group of Companies, which operated several subsidiaries including a pharmaceutical production company now divested, Dr Addo is also the Nkabomhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area in Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

Inspiration

With over 30 years' experience in business, Dr Addo was inspired to acquire a PhD because he wanted to understand what was collapsing businesses in the country.

He undertook the programme over three years, from 2018 and completed last year.

In spite of the numerous training and capacity building given to his staff, he said some of his businesses were still not performing well and in his bid to understand the root causes of the problem,he enrolled at the Business School of the university to pursue the higher calling.

It was a thrilling moment for Dr Addo as his family, friends and well-wishers joined to support him at the graduation.

Describing the academic journey as difficult, he said it was worthwhile to acquire a PhD at that age.

“It was a difficult journey.Sometimes, I sleep in traffic on my way to school and this is because the energy was not the same as when I was young but because of the love and passion I had,i succeeded,” he said.

However, he said, the continuous cancellation of portions of his draft was frustrating.

Excitement

It was a thrilling moment for Dr Addo as his family, friends and well-wishers joined to support him at the graduation.

Describing the academic journey as difficult, he said it was worthwhile to acquire a PhD at the age of 72.

“It was a difficult journey sometimes I sleep in traffic on my way to the school and this is because the energy was not the same as when I was young but because of the love and passion I have succeeded,” he said.

Classroom experience

Dr Addo further noted that the classroom experience was interesting because of his rich business background.

However, he said, the continuous cancellation of portions of his draft was frustrating.