Aliko Dangote: Revolutionary Humanist Businessman
Nigerian social media warriors are wont to deride their country as a giant (of Africa) with the feet of clay. They often point to statistics from international agencies to “prove” that Nigeria is the poverty capital of the world where over 80 percent of the population live under the poverty line. A more recent pastime to prove that we are not as rich as we try to make out is to compare Nigeria’s federal budget of 2020 with that of Egypt and South Africa, the two countries in competition with Nigeria for the biggest economy in Africa title. We are “pathetically poor,” one former federal legislator said recently.
Most of the negative social media analyses are however quite subjective and are fueled by general disappointment and frustration over poor public sector governance that dehumanizes and impoverishes the population. But they are not based on lies; if anything, they are the smoke that Nigerians see in everyday fires as the country grapples with preventable diseases and avoidable want. One clear example of this is the issue of poliomyelitis, a preventable childhood disease. At a point, Nigeria became the only country in Africa that remained to eliminate the disease.
One local businessman, in collaboration with a concerned American, teamed up to launch a frontal attack aimed at eliminating polio from Nigeria. His name? Aliko Dangote. His partner: Bill and Melinda Gates. Largely through the Dangote-Gates innovative partnership, Nigeria has not recorded a new case of polio over the past two years, raising hopes that this shame is finally wiped off the face of the Giant of Africa. Aliko Dangote gives a practical demonstration of what it means to care for the welfare of the poor and vulnerable. He is a revolutionary champion businessman and humanist, an icon of empathy, proactiveness, innovation and courage, and a true warrior of a new national integrity movement (NIM) – as I see it.
Next: The Youth Ambassador as a Businessman
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