Happy 63rd Birthday to the richest Black Man on earth. Incidentally, the last book I read, which I finished reading just days ago was the Biography of Aliko Dangote... So let's talk history.
Dangote hails from Kano, he was born to Mohammed Dangote and Mariam Dantata. He's the first grandsons of Alhaji Sanusi Dantata, he lost his father at the 8 and grew up under the tutelage of his maternal Grandfather, Sanusi Dantata, who was at one time the richest man in Nigeria. Dangote attended the oldest university in the world, Al-Azhar University in Egypt where he studied Business Administration
Dangote is not just the richest Blackman but also the biggest philanthropist in Africa, a shrewd Businessman and religious to a fault. Dangote became a millionaire at 22 years of age as he was involved in the Importation of cement for building of infrastructural facility to host FESTAC '77 held in Nigeria. That period, the Murtala Mohammed-Olusegun Obasanjo administration (1975-1979) also signifies the period Nigeria had its greatest oil boom. It was the time grand corruption started in Nigeria, it was also the first time that Nigeria embarked on massive nationwide infrastructural development, so massive that such has not been replicated by any subsequent administration from then till now.
Although, rich all along since 1977, Dangote's boost to becoming the richest Blackman was during the privatisation era of Obasanjo-Atiku(1999-2007). It was during this open bidding for non-performing government owned companies that Mr. Dangote put his power of negotiations to work. From textile, agro-allied, cement, sugar to oil, telecommunication, importing and exporting and other areas of the economy, the Dangote Group systematically acquired these moribund businesses and turned them around. Nigeria had 9 functioning cement companies in 1978, most of them were sold to Dangote at give away prices, as with other Government owned investment sold between 1999-2007, in fact, Government 'paid' some of the buyers for selling to them. Dangote was of course the biggest beneficiary of Obasanjo's privatisation policies, at some point, many accused Obasanjo of using Dangote to front for in acquiring some government owned asset. It's therefore not out of order to say Obasanjo made Dangote.
One event that validate Dangote as being a businessman that can do anything, legally to get whatever he wants was in 2004. The Bacita Sugar located in Kwara State was to be sold, Dangote and one Mrs. Oludamilola Kuteyi were the top bidders. Dangote seeing that Mrs. Kuteyi had an edge went to Pastor Enoch Adeboye to help persuade Mrs. Kuteyi, who was a senior member of RCCG, to relinquish the purchase of Bacita Sugar to him... When the option failed, Dangote made an attempt to propose to the woman to marry her, so he could buy the sugar plant at Bacita. But the snag was that the woman, a divorcee, was a born-again Christian. Dangote's sexual advances hit the rock on account of religion differences. The woman eventually succeeded in buying Bacita Sugar for ₦2.5 billion in 2006.
Dangote has businesses in Cement, fertilizer, Oil and Gas, textile, sugar, bottle water, milk, pasta, noodles, flour mill, salt, bread, rice, spaghetti, macaroni, fruit juice and other edibles. He also has a Transport and Leasing company, Haulage and Cargo outfit, Real Estate. He also owns Blue Star services company, Dangote Agro-Sack company, Dangote Ginery limited, Nasal Insurance Company, Alsan Insurance Company, Greenview Development Company. Dangote is currently established in 24 African countries
Dangote has businesses in Cement, fertilizer, Oil and Gas, textile, sugar, bottle water, milk, pasta, noodles, flour mill, salt, bread, rice, spaghetti, macaroni, fruit juice and other edibles. He also has a Transport and Leasing company, Haulage and Cargo outfit, Real Estate. He also owns Blue Star services company, Dangote Agro-Sack company, Dangote Ginery limited, Nasal Insurance Company, Alsan Insurance Company, Greenview Development Company. Dangote is currently established in 24 African countries
Dangote is the biggest private Employer of labour in Nigeria with 25,000 Employees as at 2012 as direct employees and over 1m indirect employees. At the height of his weight in 2018, Dangote worth $14.1billion. Aliko is currently worth $7.7billion and he is expected to have a quantum wealth leap when his refinery in Lagos starts operation.
It is important to add that Dangote is a serial monogamist. Although, he has had 4 wives, but he has consistently maintained one woman at a time, divorcing and re-marrrying. He has 3 'official' children, all female and about 12 unofficial.
Dangote do not take kindly to being spurned by women, but his love advances has once been turned down by Nafisa Yar'adua, daughter of the late former President Umar Musa Yar'Adua, because she's a close friend to one of Dangote's daughter
Compiled by Ogbeni Toogun Skrtel Niyi
