I should not have bothered recounting all his Nigeria-centric engagements because Alhaji Aliko Dangote (AAD) has severally said so himself, but I do not want to be accused of plagiarism. Check out his speeches at the Guardian 2015 Man of the Year award, the Nigerian Economic Summit, the Katsina Economic & Investment Summit, the Nigerian-Kenyan business summit, when the VP visited his refinery and at the Corporate Council for Africa event. In all these, he declared his commitment to turning around and diversifying the economy, working hard to take the economy to the next level, building a refinery that is higher than the combined capacity of all refineries, a fertilizer capacity that is ten times more than what is available in Nigeria today, generate 12000MW, more than thrice what Nigeria currently generates and export refined oil rather than importing and creating Jobs elsewhere, list his refinery et al on the NSE and help NSE to outgrow Johannesburg Stock Exchange and how the rate of youth unemployment in Nigeria gives him sleepless Nights(a statement even our PMB has not made), assuring that Nigeria( and Africa) would soon become the world’s food basket. AAD has said and continues to say the right and heartwarming things. Unfortunately, however, these are the kinds of statements that should emanate from Kemi Adeosun, Godwin Emefiele, Udo Udoma, whoever is the chairman of the EMT, and, in sane climes, from the president himself.
“Furthermore, given the strategic importance of AAD to the fate and fortunes of Nigeria, shouldn’t the government purchase a key-man insurance cover on the man?”
So, like the only rich man in the village, AAD has taken on all the responsibilities. Already other villagers are grumbling: The Ogun State governor complains that Dangote trucks destroy the roads; Ndigbo say the only Dangote investments in Ala-Igbo are deaths and traffic jams caused by his reckless drivers and his trucks; the FCT in 2016 rejected his Salah gifts; some people complain that he cornered an unfair share of our forex, enjoys great tax waivers, is becoming monopolistic and is muscling out other players, citing his spat with Otedola, Ibeto and BUA. Our only luck so far is that Dangote does not overtly throw his weight about.
Read also: Dangote: the travails of the only rich man in a village
If he were to behave as some of his drivers….
The Federal Government, on the other hand, is lying low and idling around as AAD undertakes his numerous responsibilities, being his greatest cheerleader and praying that AAD lives long to solve all our socio-economic problems (as PMB did on his 60th BD). Shamefully, rather than do SOMETHING about our pitiable petroleum situation, Ibe Kachikwu publicly begged AAD to finish his refinery ahead of schedule because the government’s promise to end fuel importation in 2019 was based on the refinery! Just imagine that: the government makes a promise to Nigerians and depends on AAD to fulfil the promise! Even Oxfam recently urged AAD and 4 others to use their wealth to end poverty in Nigeria.
The government, representing the Nigerian village, enjoys the positive externalities from the big man without thinking, ‘What if!’ What if AAD wobbles or goes to bed and does not wake up early enough? What if a strategic shift occurs in the organisation or if future Dangotarians are not as cool-headed and Nigeria-centric as AAD? The other day, AAD closed his $20m tomato factory and his Tanzanian $500m cement factory, which cost $4m to power monthly. The health of the Nigerian stock market depends on whether the prices of AAD stocks are rising or falling. What has the government done to create other AADs? Where are the other big men in Nigeria, including those whose kids party across the globe regularly? Why can’t they stand up and be counted? What is the Economic Management Team doing if AAD addresses the challenges of unemployment, diversification, food security, forex conservation, power generation and road construction? Should we not outsource economic governance to him while the presidency manages politics and revenue sharing and makes excuses for the foreign herdsmen? Or more charitably, why not send Osinbajo and the EMT on sabbatical to AAD?. Furthermore, given the strategic importance of AAD to the fate and fortunes of Nigeria, shouldn’t the government purchase a key-man insurance cover on the man?
Meanwhile, I urgently need a Dangote sticker for my rickety car. Travelling from Lagos to the East has suddenly become herculean, and I strongly believe that a Dangote sticker will clear the way for the son of man. As I was concluding this piece, I received the news that a townsman, Law Onyemelukwe of Lafenax Ltd, was named the overall best customer of Dangote Cement for 2017! So, I am vicariously among those enjoying the AAD Effect; at least I can brag: my townsman is AAD’s best customer! That may even get me through the police, customs, FRSC, civil defence and other unclassified checkpoints when next I travel along the Lagos-Onitsha route. But I will also petition the Federal Character Commission to investigate the 2017 AAD awards: the names of the top prize winners (Onyemelukwe, Okika and Ezenyili) did not reflect federal character!
Ik Muo, PhD, Department of Business Admin, OOU, Ago Iwoye. 08033026625.
