The Chairman of FBN Holdings, Femi Otedola, has called for the support of Dangote Group President Aliko Dangote for the development of Nigeria.  

Otedola said this in reaction to ongoing issues surrounding the Dangote Oil Refinery and Petrochemicals in Lagos State.

The billionaire businessman, in a statement on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, described Dangote as a titan created by God for mankind, saying it is imperative that Nigerians recognise and support their titans.

The Chairman of Geregu Power Plc noted: “In Nigeria, we have our own titans, and it is imperative that we recognise and support them. Aliko Dangote has broken every boundary in worldwide business and industry. His contributions are not just a testament to his brilliance but a beacon of what is possible when vision meets opportunity.

“Supporting local champions like Dangote is crucial for our national development and economic independence. Let us continue to foster and support these visionaries who drive our nation’s progress.”

Otedola said Dangote built the largest single train refinery in the world, not in Kano where he hailed from but in Lagos State.

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He stated that Africa’s richest person, who is the owner of the second-largest sugar refinery in the world in Lagos State and the largest cement factory in the world in Kogi State, established one of the second-largest fertiliser plants in the world, “soon to surpass the biggest one in Qatar, also in Lagos State”.

Otedola added: “Aliko Dangote is a titan that God created specially for mankind.

“Aliko Dangote is also the largest private sector employer of labour in the country, and his companies are among the largest taxpayers. In fact, the Dangote Group often pays more in taxes than the top banks combined.

“If not for him, we would still be importing cement. His contributions extend beyond industrial facilities to critical infrastructure, having built major roads such as the Apapa Oshodi-Owonrosoki Express Road, Wharf Road, and the Obajana-Kabba Road.

“Countries in the nascent stages of industrialisation require visionary leaders. This is why it’s no surprise that the United States was built by the vision and tenacity of a few remarkable individuals – Cornelius Vanderbilt, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, J.P. Morgan, and Henry Ford – the men who built America’s industrial landscape.

“These men left the world without these assets but left behind a legacy that has kept their country thriving generation after generation. Their contributions were immortalised not in the material wealth they amassed but in the enduring institutions and industries they established.

“These visionaries were also supported by their government, which recognised the importance of fostering local champions.”

 

 The Star