Nana Dr. Michael Agyekum Addo, the founder of the Mikado Group of Companies, shared a candid and inspiring story of his career path during a recent interview with Lexis Bill on Joy News TV’s Personality Profile. Nana Addo had initially aimed for a career in medicine, but fate—and a few challenging exams—steered him toward pharmacy, a field he has come to love and master.
Reflecting on his sixth-form days, he admitted, “At the sixth form, where you have to choose your career path at the university, my first attempt, I chose medicine.” Like many of his peers, he viewed medicine as the prestigious route, saying, “That was the order of the day that you are a doctor and we all valued it.” However, Nana Addo’s ambition to study medicine took a detour.
Despite his potential, Nana Dr. Addo found himself struggling due to his own commitment to helping others understand their studies. “I was always doing the teaching,” he revealed. “So I was not in the class for me to know whatever it is.”
The combination of missing classes and tackling six challenging subjects—Special Mathematics, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and African Studies—led to him failing both Chemistry and Physics. “Sixth form was very, very difficult years,” he recalled, “so I failed my first attempt.”
Determined to continue, he retook the subjects and successfully passed. However, by then, he felt disheartened from reapplying for medical school. “The following year, I did not even attempt to try to apply. So I applied to do pharmacy at that time,” he explained.
In 1972, he began his studies in pharmacy and soon found himself excelling. Ironically, his grades were high enough to qualify for medical school admission, but since he had only applied to pharmacy, his path was set. Looking back on his journey, he admitted, “I’ve never regretted it.”
His legacy as a pharmacist has extended to his family, creating a proud tradition. “Amma is a pharmacist,” he mentioned, referencing his daughter, adding, “My grandson is a pharmacist,” and noting that his son has even established his own pharmacy business. With evident pride, he declared, “We are a house of pharmacists… and they have all done PharmD. So we are all doctors.”
Nana Dr. Michael Agyekum Addo’s story is one of resilience, adaptability, and ultimately, the realization that sometimes life’s setbacks lead to paths that bring greater fulfillment than one could ever have anticipated.
Inspiring Net 