Aliko, This Too Shall Pass

By Babafemi Ojudu

I’ve watched a number of media clips featuring Nigerian serial entrepreneur Aliko Dangote in the past few weeks, and they’ve moved me to deep empathy for him.

From the onset, let me declare that Aliko Dangote is a friend I’ve known for many years, well before he became the richest man in Africa. Over the years, I’ve seen him demonstrate a profound love for his country and fellow human beings, all while remaining truly humble.

Aliko Dangote, a titan of African industry, stands as a beacon of entrepreneurial success and economic transformation. As the founder and CEO of the Dangote Group, he has built an empire that spans across key sectors such as cement, sugar, salt, and flour, significantly contributing to Nigeria’s GDP and job creation. Dangote’s business acumen and strategic investments have not only propelled his companies to the forefront of the African market but have also placed him among the wealthiest individuals globally. His commitment to local manufacturing and self-sufficiency has reduced Nigeria’s dependence on imports, fostering economic stability and growth.

Beyond his industrial achievements, Dangote’s philanthropic endeavors reflect his deep commitment to social impact. Through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, he has initiated numerous programs aimed at improving health, education, and economic empowerment in Nigeria and across Africa. His notable contributions include substantial donations to combat the Ebola outbreak, funding for primary healthcare facilities, and scholarships for underprivileged students. Dangote’s vision for a prosperous Africa is not limited to his business ventures; it is equally evident in his efforts to uplift communities and drive sustainable development.

He is a man who loved to wear smiles and put smiles on the faces of all the people he encounters.

In the past few days, Aliko has suddenly aged, looking older than his 67 years. His hair has turned completely grey, and his demeanor is that of an embattled man. Since knowing him, I have never seen him this demure, frustrated, and on the verge of giving up on Nigeria.

The pressure he’s under is the kind that could drive a Japanese to commit seppuku or a Westerner to put a gun to his head. I know Aliko is a man of faith, a true Muslim who wouldn’t be drawn to such extremes. Nonetheless, we must be deeply concerned for him and raise our voices in support to let him know he is not alone.

What Aliko is enduring today is akin to the trials faced by those in politics who strive to build a new country or by civil society activists fighting for a just and sane society. Aliko is trying, as hard as it seems, to use enterprise and industrialization to transform a country that has long been mired in the grip of selfish and greedy individuals. His recent experiences demonstrate that no matter who you are, when Nigeria happens to you, you lose your composure and sheen. As a businessman of substantial wealth, he could have moved offshore and quietly enjoyed his fortune. Yet, he continually seeks to address Nigeria’s needs with innovative business ideas. For me, and maybe not for a few, he remains a patriot.

I understand why Aliko is going through these hard times. Some of the details are public knowledge. It’s a mix of political and business intrigues spiced with jealousy, competition, a “let’s break him” attitude, and the intent of some well-placed political figures to annex his sphere of influence. These elements have found capable partners in faceless operatives determined to grow extra rich while Nigeria remains impoverished. It is not yet time to tell this full story, but it will be told after their comeuppance.

Certainly, the few Nigerians who wish to keep the country down, milking it until asphyxiation, are hard at work.

Say what you will about this man; he has contributed significantly to the growth of this country. He is not a rent-seeker but an entrepreneur focused on creating and producing, employing people along the way. He may have enjoyed government enablement to achieve all this, but what is government for if not to support its talented and capable citizens?

Aliko’s offense now is that he has touched their honey pot—the oil economy—which they have drained for decades and wish to continue exploiting. The entrenched cabal in the sector and the new kids on the block will not tolerate Aliko’s intervention, which promises a game change in that notoriously murky sector. They have resolved to break this man of vision, and it appears they are succeeding.

Hearing Aliko ask NNPC to buy him out of his gargantuan refinery, withdraw from his dream of setting up a steel plant, and regret not heeding friends’ advice against such massive investments in Nigeria, all seem to depict a man pummeled and struggling to stay afloat in a raging flood.

I would counsel Aliko to persevere, never to give up, and to remember the sage words of Chief Obafemi Awolowo: “After this darkness comes the glorious dawn.” This too shall pass, Aliko.