A Letter To ‘The African Shield’, ALIKO DANGOTE
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Nigeria is known all over the world as the Giant of Africa and Africa have gained in multiple ways because we have people like you that made investing and creating job opportunities for people in this continent a lifestyle. Undoubtedly, Nigerians have largely benefitted from your benevolence and your wisdom in shielding your very own rather than build conglomerate of companies outside your continent or forgetting your own fatherland. Indeed, you have distinguished yourself in many unique ways, you have proven beyond words could utter, how deep you truly have this country Nigeria at heart and have extended your act of goodwill coupled with great business prospects to Africans at large.
It takes only a man with a Lion’s heart and high calibrated level of business wit to still remain the richest man in Africa even with the crestfallen devaluation of our once mighty Naira. Obviously, you had your fair share of its heavy blows because you ranked 51st in 2016 with a net worth of $15.4 billion, but currently have a net worth of $12.2 billion as of February, 2017. Don’t be surprised how i knew. I may not be your financial manager but news about you, more often than not, grace the headlines of most media pages.
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Sir, you’ve done judiciously well all these years with enough bragging rights and commendable efforts. In Nigeria today, your group ‘Dangote Group’ with its dominance in the sugar market is the main supplier to most of the country’s soft drinks companies, breweries and confectioners, the largest refinery in Africa and the third largest in the world, producing 800,000 tonnes of sugar annually. Dangote Group owns salt factories and flour mills and is a major importer of rice, fish, pasta, and fertilizer. The company exports cotton, cashew nuts, cocoa, sesame seed, cement and ginger to several countries. It also has major investments in banking, transport, textiles and oil and gas. The company employs over 26,000 people and is the largest industrial conglomerate in West Africa.
However, it will be a broader shield for Nigerians and Africans if you continue to enlarge your capacity and encroach every sector including pharmaceuticals and healthcare. You are very result oriented and achieve incomparable result in any course you venture into. You are the African shield and here in Nigeria, you’re richer than our country herself. Nigerians need improved health care delivery and once you dive into the pharmaceuticals, there will surely be a remarkable and improved health care delivery. If possible, building a pharmaceutical company where our drugs will be produced here just the way you produce the cement we Nigerians use. This will widen the scope of employments too for people that studied Pharmacy and other health related courses.
It will equally be a great relief to our populous nation Nigeria and provide a great shield for Africans if you put Housing and real estate in different countries into consideration.
About 400 million Africans lived in cities in 2010, and 60% of those people lived in slums with no access to basic services. By 2050 that number is expected to grow to 1.26 billion. By 2035 half of all Africans will probably live in cities, with continuing urbanization expected thereafter. Over the years, I’ve come to know you (not one-on – one though) as a Man of mind blowing vision and unquenchable fire. You always give nothing short of the best in any sector you’re involved. I can beat my chest and proudly say Nigeria would have been an industrial giant in Africa if the nation could boast of more Dangotes whose preoccupation would be to invest and create jobs for the teeming populace.
Your efforts are highly recognized and you’re secretly applauded in every Nigerian home. I won’t forget to bring to your notice, a stir you have caused by announcing you would like to buy Arsenal. Certainly, I know you have the financial audacity to achieve this great vision should the current majority shareholder, Stan Kroenke, give you the needed encouragement. I’m in full support of this vision which may sound stupid and off guarded to many. There is great dividends in the world of soccer and you have always been an eagle- eyed man. Nevertheless, If you consider going into these sectors I suggested, I believe Nigeria will be the most enviable nation and Africa will be on the lips of other continents.
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Written by Ijeoma Esther Ogbuka.
A Nigerian Writer.
