SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS IN NIGERIA

(1)ALIKO DANGOTE

Chairman and CEO, Dangote Group
Born: April 10, 1957, Kano, Nigeria
Education: Degree in business, Al-Azhar University, Cairo

Aliko Dangote, Africa's richest person, built his fortune in two distinct phases, riding the changes that led to Nigeria's becoming the continent's largest economy. Expanding his empire from his native country to West Africa, and then across sub-Saharan Africa from Ethiopia to South Africa, Dangote showed that it was possible to create wealth in the region by means other than tapping the continent's abundant natural resources.

Aliko Dangote makes his billions as Nigeria grows. He built a trading and industrial empire that showed it was possible to create wealth in the region by other means than tapping its rich natural resources.

Dangote comes from an old merchant family in Kano, in northern Nigeria, that made its first money exporting kola and ground nuts. He started with a small food-trading company in 1977 after completing his university studies. Bankrolled with a $3,000 loan from an uncle, the entrepreneur built a soft-commodities import and trading empire in West Africa around flour, sugar and salt during the years of Nigeria's military dictatorships, when the army kept the economy tightly protected.
When civilian rule returned in 1999, Nigeria's economic growth rate doubled as a result of unleashed pent-up demand and more openness. Dangote expanded into manufacturing, and today his industrial concerns comprise everything from cement to processed foods and telecommunications. The Dangote Group's publicly listed companies account for one-third of the Nigerian Stock Exchange's market capitalization.
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Early life

Aliko Dangote hails from a very prominent business family in west Africa. He is the great grand nephew of Alhaji Alhassan Dantata, the richest African at the time of his death in 1955. Aliko Dangote, an ethnic muslim Hausa ^[7] from Kano State, Nigeria, was born on 10 April 1957 into a wealthy Muslim family. Dangote said, "I can remember when I was in primary school, I would go and buy cartons of sweets [sugar boxes] and I would start selling them just to make money. I was so interested in business, even at that time."^[8]

Business career

Business in Nigeria

The Dangote Group was established as a small trading firm in 1977. Today, it is a multi-trillion naira conglomerate with many of its operations in Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo. Dangote has expanded to cover food processing, cement manufacturing, and freight. The Dangote Group also dominates the sugar market in Nigeria and is a major supplier to the country's soft drink companies, breweries, and confectioners. The Dangote Group has moved from being a trading company to being the largest industrial group in Nigeria and includes: Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Cement, and Dangote Flour.

In July 2012, Dangote approached the Nigerian Ports Authority to lease an abandoned piece of land at the Apapa Port, which was approved.^[9] He later built facilities for his flour company there. In the 1990s he approached the Central Bank of Nigeria with the idea that it would be cheaper for the bank to allow his transport company to manage their fleet of staff buses, a proposal which was also approved.

In Nigeria today, Dangote Group with its dominance in the sugar market and refinery business is the main supplier (70% of the market) to the country's soft drinks companies, breweries and confectioners.^[^{citation needed}^] It is 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, cement and fertiliser. The company exports cotton, cashew nuts, cocoa, sesame seed and ginger to several countries. It also has major investments in real estate, banking, transport, textiles and oil and gas. The company employs over 11,000 people and is the largest industrial conglomerate in West Africa.

Dangote has diversified into telecommunications, and has started building 14,000 kilometres of fibre optic cables to supply the whole of Nigeria. As a result, Dangote was honoured in January 2009 as the leading provider of employment in the Nigerian construction industry.

He said, "Let me tell you this and I want to really emphasize it...nothing is going to help Nigeria like Nigerians bringing back their money. If you give me $5 billion today, I will invest everything here in Nigeria. Let us put our heads together and work."^[10]

Other activities

Dangote played a prominent role in the funding of Olusegun Obasanjo's re-election bid in 2003, to which he gave over N200 million (US$1M). He contributed N50 million (US$0.25M) to the National Mosque under the aegis of "Friends of Obasanjo and Atiku". He contributed N200 million to the Presidential Library. These highly controversial gifts to members of the ruling Party [PDP] have generated significant concerns despite highly publicised anti-corruption drives during Obasanjo's second term.^[^{citation needed}^]

On 23 May 2010, Britain's Daily Mirror reported that Dangote was interested in buying a 16 percent stake in Premiership side Arsenal belonging to Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith.^[11] Dangote later denied these rumours.^[12]

On 14 November 2011, Dangote was awarded Nigeria's second highest honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) by the President, Goodluck Jonathan.^[13]

Dangote reportedly added $9.2 billion to his personal wealth in 2013, according to the Bloomberg Index, now making him the 30th richest person in the world, in addition to being the richest person in Africa.^[14]

In 2014, the Nigerian government said Dangote had donated 150 million Naira (US$750,000) to halt the spread of ebola.^[15]^[16]

In May 2015 Dangote expressed interest in purchasing the English football team Arsenal. He stated that if he was able to make the purchase he would fire the club's long-standing manager Arsene Wenger.^[17]

Awards

Dangote was named as the Forbes Africa Person of the Year 2014. The other nominees for the award were South Africa’s Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, (SEC), Arunma Oteh, and President of the African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka.^[18] in 2013, Alhaji Dangote and six other prominent Nigerians were conferred Honorary Citizenship of Arkansas State by Governor Mike Beebe who also proclaimed May 30th of every year as Nigeria Day in the US. The other prominent Nigerians are: Chief Ms. Temitope Ajayi, the President and CEO of Nigerian American Agricultural Empowerment Programme; Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State; Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Prof. Tajudeen Gbadamosi, a former lecturer of University of Lagos; Prof. Ade Adefuye, the Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States; Prof. Julius Okojie, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission. ^[19] ^[20]

(2) MICHAEL ADENIYI AGBOLADE ISHOLA ADENUGA

Born: March 29, 1953, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State.,

Position: Chairman, CEO,

Company: Globacom Limited,

Industry: Telecommunications Services,

Country: Nigeria

Dr. Michael Adeniyi Isola Adenuga (net worth $4.6 billion calculated March 2014), is the billionaire chairman and chief executive officer of Globacom Limited (GLO), a privately owned multinational telecommunications company headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.

He is Nigeria's second richest person, 3th richest black person and the 325th richest person in the world according to Forbes' Worlds Billionaires 2014 ranking.

Dr. Adenuga runs Conoil Producing, the first Nigerian company to strike oil in commercial quantities in the early 1990s. Today it is Nigeria's largest oil exploration company.
Dr. Adenuga also owns Globacom, Nigeriaâ€™s second largest national telecom operator, with an estimated 25 million plus subscribers and it's fastest growing mobile service provider.
Globacom Limited is privately owned by the Mike Adenuga Group which also consists of Equatorial Trust Bank (ETB), Conoil PLC, a petroleum marketing company, Equitorial Trust Bank, in addition to stakes and interests in construction and real estate firms.
He was honoured by the Federal Republic of Nigeria with the National Awards of the Officer of the Order of the Niger and later with the award of Commander of the Order of the Niger.
Dr. Adenuga studied Business Administration at Northwestern State University, Alva, Oklahoma and also earned a Masters degree at Pace University, New York, majoring in Business Administration with emphasis on Marketing.

Early life and education

His father, the Oloye Michael Agbolade Adenuga Sr, was a school teacher, his mother Juliana Oyindamola Adenuga (née Onashile of Okesopin, Ijebu Igbo) a businesswoman of royal Ijebu descent.
Adenuga received his secondary school education at the Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan . He worked as a taxi driver to help fund his university education.^[3] He graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Pace University, New York with degrees in Business Administration.

Career

In 1990, he received a drilling license and in 1991, his Consolidated Oil struck oil in the shallow waters of Southwestern Ondo State, the first indigenous oil company to do so in commercial quantity.

He was issued a conditional GSM licence in 1999; after it was revoked he received a second one when the government held another auction in 2003.^[4]^[5] His telecom company Globacom spread quickly and started challenging the giant MTN Group. It launched services in Benin in 2008, and has continued its spread across Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, with more licences currently being prospected in other West African countries.

He was named African Entrepreneur of The Year at the maiden African Telecoms Awards (ATA) on 15 August 2007.^[6]

In 2009, Adenuga was detained for money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Adenuga left the country and lived in London until the Umaru Musa Yar'Adua regime granted him a pardon.^[7]

In May 2015, Adenuga made a takeover bid to purchase Ivorian mobile telecom's operator Comium Cote d'Ivoire for $600 million.^[8]

Honours

In 2012 he was made Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (Nigeria)

(3) BEN MURRAY-BRUCE

Ben Murray-Bruce, MON (born 18 February 1956) is a Nigerian business magnate and politician. He is the founder of Silverbird Group.^[1] A member of the People's Democratic Party, he was elected to the Senate of Nigeria in March 2015, and currently represents the Bayelsa East constituency, in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

Early life and education

Bruce was born in Lagos to an Ijaw parent Mullighan and Margaret Murray-Bruce who hails from Akassa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. He attended Our Lady of Apostles, Yaba, Lagos, where he completed his primary education and St Gregory College, Obalende where he obtained the West African School Certificate before he proceeded to the University of South Carolina in the United States, where he received a bachelor's degree in Marketing in 1979.^[2]

Career

Early beginnings

Ben has served in various public positions. He served as Director General of Nigerian Television Authority from 1999 to 2003. Prior to starting Silverbird Group, he promoted the Miss Universe Nigeria Pageant in 1983, Miss Intercontinental Pageant, 1986-1994 and to date, he promotes the annual Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Pageant which he began in 1986. He is currently a Member of the Board of National Arts Theatre, Nigerian Film Corporation, Federal Films Censors Board, National Film Distribution Company and Nigerian Anti- Piracy Action Committee.^[3]

Show business

In an interview with Connect Nigeria, Ben said he got into show business "by accident".^[4] His passion for show business made him and his wife to establish the now defunct Silverbird Magazine in 1980 with a loan from his father. Ben later went into promoting concerts.^[5]

Politics

In 2011, Ben ran for the governorship of Bayelsa State which was unsuccessful after he was screened out of the gubernatorial race under the umbrella of the People's Democratic Party.^[6] On 27 October 2014, Ben later declared his intention to represent Bayelsa East Senatorial District at the National Assembly under the umbrella of the People's Democratic Party which he went on to win.^[7]^[8]

Awards and recognition

"Showbiz Icon of the Year Award" (2005)
"“Top Ten” Significant Nigerian Businessmen Award" (2006)
"Life Achiever Award" (2006)
"Champion for Nation Building Award" (2007)
"Excellent Personality Award" (2009)
"Officer of the Order of the Niger" (2014)^[9]

⁽⁴⁾Dele Momodu

Dele Momodu (born Ayòbámidélé Àbáyòmí Ojútelégàn Àjàní Momodu; 16 May 1960) is a Nigerian Journalist/Publisher, polemicist, businessman, philanthropist, actor and motivational speaker. He is the CEO and publisher of Ovation International, a magazine that has given publicity to people from all over the World, mainly in Africa. He owns a restaurant in Ghana known as the House of Ovation, and in 2015 he officially launched Ovation TV and subsequently launched an online newspaper called The Boss.

Momodu has received innumerable awards and honours, and has garnered recognition for his work in the world of business, politics, literature, the music industry and the fashion industry in which he plays major roles. Tiwa Savage, one of Nigeria's most popular singers has credited Momodu for giving her career a kickstart by putting a picture of her in Ovation International after he was invited to a spectate a talent show in her school. Dele Momodu has been seen at many social events and has now become an international household name.

Dele writes a weekly article called PENdulum. They are published every Saturday on the back page of Thisday newspaper. The articles are praised for highlighting issues in Nigeria, as well as discussing popular topics, current events and famous people, often in a polemic/critical style. And was a prominent voice for the APC presidential Candidate at the 2015 general election in Nigeria, the current president Muhammadu Buhari

Early life

Ayobamidele, meaning "my joy has followed me home",^[1] is the last of three siblings. He lost his Dad at the age of 13 relying on his Mum and relatives for support. Dele was taught by his late Mum, who died on the 18th of May 2007,^[2] not to despair even when times are tough. This was exemplified by her continual support of him even when others had written him off. She had given him up to a third chance at passing his WAEC ( Senior Secondary Exams ) Although his Mum's source of income was from petty trading, and with two older children to care for, she laboured hard to sustain her family, and in the words of Dele Momodu "She didn't give up on me".^[2]

Education and career

Dele Momodu is a graduate of University of Ife, (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife) 1982, Dele holds a degree in Yoruba and a master's degree in English Literature in 1988. He lectured at the Oyo State College of Arts and Science in Ile-Ife, between 1982–83 while on National Service. Between 1983–85, he was private secretary to the former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Chief Akin Omoboriowo. In 1986, Dele Momodu served the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II, managing the Motel Royal Limited owned by the monarch. Following Dele's resignation from the Motel Royal, he went on to study for his post-graduate degree in English literature. He was during this time contributing articles to the likes of The Guardian, Sunday Tribune and other Nigerian-based publications.

Involvement with MKO Abiola

In May 1988, Dele Momodu got his first job as Staff Writer with the African Concord magazine, owned by late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola. A year later, he was transferred to Weekend Concord as a pioneer staff. He wrote the first cover story for the paper in March 1989. He also contributed to other publications such as the National Concord, Sunday Concord, Business Concord and the Yoruba newspaper, Isokan. In May 1989, he became Literary Editor, within six months he became News Editor of the Weekend Concord. Between May 1990 and September 1991 edited May Ellen Ezekiel's Classique, a celebrity magazine an appointment which made him the highest paid editor in Nigeria. He resigned and tried his hands on doing business as a bread distributor for his mentor Chief Moshood Abiola, who owned the 'Wonderloaf'. Following this, Dele Momodu started a public relations outfit, Celebrities-Goodwill Limited, which managed the accounts of Chief Moshood Abiola, Dr Mike Adenuga, Mr Hakeem Belo-Osagie and other distinguished Nigerians.

Exile

In 1993, Dele resigned to join the Moshood Abiola Presidential Campaign Organisation, Dele Momodu was arrested and detained at Alagbon Close in Lagos, after the annulment of the 12 June Presidential election by General Ibrahim Babangida. He was severely punished for his pro-democratic views but was undeterred. He was to be arrested in 1995 and charged for treason by the government of Sani Abacha, then a dictator. He was accused of being one of the brains behind the pirate radio station, Radio Freedom later changed to Radio Kudirat, after the cold-blooded murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola. Dele Momodu managed to escape masquerading as a farmer through Seme border into Cotonou, in Benin Republic, from where he fled to Togo, Ghana and eventually to the United Kingdom.^[3] For three agonising years, Dele could not re- enter his homeland, Nigeria. He has since been absolved of all charges made by the Abacha administration.

Ovation International

Dele Momodu started Ovation International in 1996 while still in exile. After the death of MKO Abiola in prison and subsequently, the death of his persecutor, Sani Abacha, Dele ended his exile. Since then, Dele has expanded Ovation International, and it is now one of Africa's most popular celebrity magazines. Ovation International is also reputed for being the only bi-lingual magazine in Africa, having editions printed in both English and French.

Ovation Red Carol

Dele Momodu has held an annual event every year since 2008 (except in 2010, due to the impending presidential elections), known as the Ovation Red Carol (later changed to Ovation Carol and Awards). The Red Carol is held every December, and has become one of West Africa's most popular annual Christmas events, often involving musical performances, drama, fashion shows and award presentations for varying charitable causes. From 2008-2012 it was held in Lagos, Nigeria, but was held in Accra, Ghana in December 2013. In 2013, former president of Ghana J.J. Rawlings attended, with Wyclef Jean as the headline act, along with many other international performers, including M.I, Ice Prince and Burna Boy from Nigeria.

Family and personal life

On 19 December 1992, Dele married his wife Mobolaji Abiodun Momodu.^[4] They have four children known as Pekan^[5] (1994), Yole (1996), Eniafe (1997) and Korewa (2004).

(5)Alhaji Ganiyu Akanbi Bello (10 July 1930 – 5 June 2014)^[1]

He was a prominent Yoruba community leader and business tycoon.

Background

Dr. Alhaji G A Bello, a Yoruba community ambassador in Kano, was the chairman and chief executive of Criss Cross Ltd. He was popularly known as G A Bello.

Bello was born in Oyo State, Nigeria on 10 July 1930 to Abdullahi Yusuf and Sinota Bello, the second of three children. Both parents died while he was a child and he was sent to live with his uncle who refused to send him to school. He left his uncle and started cutting wood in order to fund his school fees.

Bello married Sakirat Ayoka Ogabi Bello in approximately 1959. Their first child named Tawakalitu Bello Sanusi, was followed by Moriliatu Bisola Bello Sanusi, Basira Biodun Bello Oyefeso, and a son Nurudeen Bello. Between 1966 and 1967, during the Nigerian Civil War, known as the Biafran War, Bello sent his wife and children to Lagos while he remained in Kano. His family returned shortly after to join him, and they had their fifth child, Shamsideen Bello. His sixth child, Fausat Bello, was born around 1970 but died of measles as an infant.

o joined the Nigerian Police under British colonial rule. During the time he was a police officer, his closest friend was Alhaji Ado Bayero, the Chief of the Nigerian Police Force who was later appointed Emir of Kano in 1963. He resigned around 1958 and founded a company which dealt in Building and Civil Engineering.

was the first to build a multi-storey building in Kano on Odutola Street which was a residential estate. He later bought his first private residence along Abedee Street Sabon Gari, Kano. He opened the first filling station in Kano in 1968 and behind it he opened a club known as the Criss Cross Club which sold drinks, chicken, and pepper soup. His company built its first hotel, the Criss Cross Hotel, in 1971. His second hotel, known as Gab Hotel, and was built in 1980.

His two eldest daughters, Tawakalitu and Moriliatu, married on the same day in 1988. Tawa married Dr Lukman Sanusi while Morili married Retired Colonel Olawale Sanusi. In 1989, his youngest daughter, Basira, married Sakiru Olanipekun Oyefeso, the founder and managing director of Standard Trust Assurance Company. His eldest son, Nuru, married Salawat Titilope.

From 1990 to 2000, G A Bello was the Vice-Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Association (IPMAN) in the Kano Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC).

Personal life

Education

Even though Bello only had a secondary school education, he was a great believer in it and each of his children attended university.

Hobbies

In the 1970s Bello loved playing golf on the golf course opposite the Daula Hotel along Murtala Mohammed Way. He also sponsored the Black Scorpion Football Club during that time.

Business life

Government

Bello was an advocate of unity in Kano. He encouraged the government to foster unity between the different tribes in Kano State. He advised the government to encourage Nigerians to stop tribalism and live in harmony. This encouraged the Yorubas to continue to live in Kano. In January 2006, Bello was the acting Oba of the Yoruba Community in Kano State for sixty days.^[2]

Mosque

Bello contributed to many Islamic causes in Kano including the construction of two Juma't Mosques built in Sabon Gari, a non-native's settlement area. The first mosque was built around 1982 at Nomans Land, Kano and it was commissioned by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero. In early 2000, he built a second mosque, the Ahammadiya Mosque along Emir Road, for the Ahmadiya Muslims.

Charity

Bello donated millions of naira to charity related issues, including the Rotary International.^[3] He donated equally generously to communities, Mosques and Churches. This earned him a long list of honorary awards.

Titles/Awards

any Chieftaincy titles such as: Aarre Egbe Omo Balogun Maiyegun of Ibadanland, Babasaiye of Owu, Abeokuta of Ogun State, and Aarre Basorun Timi Agbale of Ede in Osun State. He was also given an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration by Kenton University. He once received a Yoruba Ambassador's award for the North from Central Council of Ibaban indigenes CCII inside Mapo Hall, Ibadan.

Death

Bello was murdered a month before his 84th birthday on 5 June 2014 by unknown assailants in Kano.^[1] He was buried in his residence at Race Course Road. The deputy Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, paid a condolence visit to Bello's grave on 12 June 2014.

Abubakar Abdurrahman Sadiq was caught by Nigerian police in August 2014 and confessed to the murder. Sadiq had broken into Bello's house to steal money and stabbed him when Bello tried to stop him. Sadiq had previously worked in one of Bello's hotels, but was let go for stealing.^[4]

(6)CHIEF MOSHOOD KASHIMAWO OLAWALE ABIOLA,

Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, CFR (24 August 1937 – 7 July 1998), often referred to as M. K. O. Abiola, was a popular Nigerian Yoruba businessman, publisher, politician and aristocrat of the Yoruba Egba clan. He ran for the presidency in 1993, and is widely regarded as the presumed winner of the inconclusive election since no official final results were announced. He died in 1998, after being denied victory when the entire election results were dubiously annulled by the preceding military president Ibrahim Babangida because of alleged evidence that they were corrupt and unfair. Early life

.^[1] His name, Kashimawo, means "Let us wait and see".^[2] Moshood Abiola was his father's twenty-third child but the first of his father's children to survive infancy, hence the name 'Kashimawo'. It was not until he was 15 years old that he was properly named Moshood, by his parents.

MKO showed entrepreneurial talents at a very young age, at the age of nine he started his first business selling firewood. He would wake up at dawn to go to the forest and gather firewood, which he would then cart back to town and sell before going to school, to support his old father and his siblings. He later founded a band at age fifteen where he would perform at various ceremonies in exchange for food. He eventually became famous enough to start demanding payment for his performances and used the money to support his family and his secondary education at the Baptist Boys High School Abeokuta, where he excelled. He was the editor of the school magazine The Trumpeter, Olusegun Obasanjo was deputy editor. At the age of 19 he joined the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons ostensibly because of its stronger pan-Nigerian origin compared with the Obafemi Awolowo-led Action Group.^[3]

Career

In 1956 Moshood Abiola started his professional life as bank clerk with Barclays Bank plc in Ibadan, South-West Nigeria. After two years he joined the Western Region Finance Corporation as an executive accounts officer before leaving for Glasgow, Scotland to pursue his higher education. From Glasgow University he received a first class degree in accountancy.^[4] He also received a distinction from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. On his return to Nigeria, he worked as a senior accountant at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, then went on to Pfizer, before joining the ITT Corporation, where he later rose to the position of Vice-President, Africa and Middle-East of the entire corporation, which was headquartered in the United States. As a result, Moshood Abiola spent a lot of his time and made most of his money in the United States, whilst retaining the post of chairman of the corporation's Nigerian subsidiary. In addition to his duties throughout the Middle-East and Africa, Moshood Abiola invested heavily in Nigeria and West Africa. He set up Abiola Farms, Abiola bookshops, Radio Communications Nigeria, Wonder bakeries, Concord Press, Concord Airlines, Summit oil international ltd, Africa Ocean lines, Habib Bank, Decca W.A. ltd, and Abiola football club. In addition to these, he also managed to perform his duties as Chairman of the G15 business council, President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Patron of the Kwame Nkrumah Foundation, Patron of the WEB Du Bois foundation, trustee of the Martin Luther King foundation and director of the International Press Institute.^[5]

Philanthropy

Moshood Abiola sprang to national and international prominence as a result of his philanthropic activities. The Congressional Black Caucus of the United States of America issued the following tribute to Moshood Abiola:^[6]

Because of this man, there is both cause for hope and certainty that the agony and protests of those who suffer injustice shall give way to peace and human dignity. The children of the world shall know the great work of this extraordinary leader and his fervent mission to right wrong, to do justice, and to serve mankind. The enemies which imperil the future of generations to come: poverty, ignorance, disease, hunger, and racism have each seen effects of the valiant work of Chief Abiola. Through him and others like him, never again will freedom rest in the domain of the few. We, the members of the Congressional Black Caucus salute him this day as a hero in the global pursuit to preserve the history and the legacy of the African diaspora.

From 1972 until his death Moshood Abiola had been conferred with 197 traditional titles by 68 different communities in Nigeria, in response to the fact that his financial assistance resulted in the construction of 63 secondary schools, 121 mosques and churches, 41 libraries, 21 water projects in 24 states of Nigeria, and was grand patron to 149 societies or associations in Nigeria. In this way Abiola reached out and won admiration across the multifarious ethnic and religious divides in Nigeria. In addition to his work in Nigeria, Moshood Abiola was a dedicated supporter of the Southern African Liberation movements from the 1970s and he sponsored the campaign to win reparations for slavery and colonialism in Africa and the diaspora. Chief Abiola, personally rallied every African head of state, and every head of state in the black diaspora to ensure that Africans would speak with one voice on the issues.^[7]

Remembrance of M.K.O. Abiola

Chief MKO Abiola's memory is celebrated in Nigeria and internationally.^[8] 12 June remains a public holiday in Lagos and Ogun states.^[9] There are also remembrance events arranged across Nigeria.^[10] MKO Abiola was known for his charisma and for being a man of the people.^[11] As a prominent social activist, democratic freedom fighter, and successful business figure, the continuing support for MKO Abiola is part of his legacy. MKO Abiola Stadium and Moshood Abiola Polytechnic were named in his honour. There were also calls for posthumous presidential recognition.^[12] A statue, MKO Abiola Statue was also erected in his honour.
Despite his popularity or because of it, MKO Abiola occasionally attracted criticism from political activists and detractors. Controversy was caused by a song by Nigerian musician, Fela Kuti. Kuti was a charismatic multi-instrumentalist musician, composer and human rights activist – famed for being the pioneer of Afrobeat music as well as a controversial figure, due to his unusual lifestyle and apparent drug use.^[13] It is believed that Kuti had entered into an acrimonious dispute relating to a contract with MKO Abiola's record label^[^{citation needed}^]. He used the abbreviation of International Telephone & Telegraph (IT&T) in a song criticising big multinational corporations. The song, ITT accuses such companies of draining Africa's resources and makes specific reference to MKO Abiola ("they start to steal money Like Obasanjo and Abiola").^[14]

Awards and honours

Moshood Abiola was twice voted international businessman of the year^[^{citation needed}^], and received numerous honorary doctorates from universities all over the world. In 1987 he was bestowed with the golden key to the city of Washington D.C., and he was bestowed with awards from the NAACP and the King center in the USA, as well as the International Committee on Education for Teaching in Paris, amongst many others. In Nigeria, the Oloye Abiola was made the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland. It is the highest chieftaincy title available to commoners amongst the Yoruba, and has only been conferred by the tribe 14 times in its history. This in effect rendered Abiola the ceremonial War Viceroy of all of his tribespeople. According to the folklore of the tribe as recounted by the Yoruba elders, the Aare Ona Kakanfo is expected to die a warrior in the defence of his nation to prove himself in the eyes of both the divine and the mortal as having been worthy of his title.^[15]^[16]
He was awarded the third highest national honour, the Commander of the Federal Republic posthumously in 1998.^[17]

Involvement in politics

Abiola's involvement in politics started early on in life when he joined the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) at age 19. In 1979, the military government kept its word and handed over power to the civilian. As Abiola was already involved in politics, he joined the ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in 1980 and was elected the state chairman of his party. Re-election was done in 1983 and everything looked promising since the re-elected president was from Abiola's party and based on the true transition to power in 1979; Abiola was eligible to go for the post of presidential candidate after the tenure of the re-elected president. However, his hope to become the president was shortly dashed away for the first time in 1983 when a military coup d'état swept away the re-elected president of his party and ended civilian rule in the country. After a decade of military rule, General Ibrahim Babangida came under pressure to return democratic rule to Nigeria. After an aborted initial primary, Abiola stood for the presidential nomination of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and beat Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to secure the presidential nomination of the SDP ahead of the 12 June 1993 presidential elections. Abiola had managed to work his way out of poverty through hard work and symbolised the aspirations of many downtrodden Nigerians. His commitment to the plight of ordinary Nigerians included establishing Abiola bookshops to provide affordable, locally produced textbooks in the 1980s when imported textbooks became out of the reach of ordinary Nigerians as the naira was devalued. He also made available daily necessities such as rice and soap at affordable prices in the market.^[18]

(7)Francis Edo Osagie (1914)

Francis Edo Osagie was a notable Nigerian businessman from Benin. He was born into an elite Benin family; his father worked at the forestry department and was also a farmer in Benin. He attended the Baptist primary School in Benin and the Baptist High School, Ibadan for secondary education. After completing his secondary education, he took on a variety of duties, from being a transport clerk, to a sales agent and an accountant. It was while working as an accountant that he noticed the potential of trading in timber, especially the prospective wood resources available in the Southeastern part of the country. He left his job and formed a joint venture with two other partners to explore timber but the venture yielded little as timber prices crashed. After the closure of the venture, he started his own firm, Osagie & Sons. The new venture stayed in the timber business and finally found a successful way of selling timber. The company was advised to explore some areas where Toledo worms seemed to have caused some devastation on some trees. It was discovered that with inspection, and a few work, the core of the trees could be saved. He started exporting large scale timber from the area to Europe and America and was very successful.

He was also an apolitical community leader, this allowed him to mediate on civil duties particularly does affecting the oil companies, their workers and the communities they operate in.

(8)Shafi Lawal Edu (1911–2002)

Shafi Lawal Edu (1911–2002)popularly known as S.L Edu was a prominent Nigerian businessman and conservationist from Epe, Lagos State. He was the founder of the Nigerian Conservation Fund, a Nigerian NGO involved in conservation projects and was a former member of the council of the World Wildlife Fund. LIfe

Edu was born in Epe to the polygamous family of Lawani Edu; his mother was Raliatu who was the daughter of a Muslim cleric. His education started with attendance at Quaranic schools before enrolling in the Government Muslim Primary School, Epe. He finished his education in 1927 and thereafter, taught at his alma mater.

Career

Edu left teaching in 1930 and started a career as a clerk with the Africa Oil and Nuts Company, a firm which had a business alliance with Holland West Africa and was invovled in buying palm produce at Epe. In 1933, he was posted to Apapa as a shipping clerk with Holland West Africa. By 1945, he had risen to a managerial level. As a manager, he organized the Dutch shipping line's offices in the country and helped in expanding the business to other coastal cities.Figuring out there were affordable untapped prospects in the Nigerian shipping industry, he left Holland West Africa Lines, and founded his own firm. Using his prior experience in the shipping industry, he found himself a niche in ship handling and stevedoring. He later expanded the venture into timber and other commodities. In the post war period, he was a food contractor to private, government and European agencies. He also delved into the oil haulage business working as a contractor for British Petroleum, Edu was chariman of British Petroleum, Nigeria when the firm was nationalized and had its name changed to African Petroleum by the Obasanjo regime. In partnership with T.A. Braithwaite and Munich Re-Insurance, he set up an insurance firm, African Alliance.

In the 1950s, Edu was a member of the expatriate dominated Lagos Chamber of Commerce, as a member, he became acquainted with the law firm of Irving and Borner which acted as an advisory firm to foreign businesses scouting for opportunities in the country. Through Irving and Borner, he secured board seats with Blackwood Hodge Nigeria, plumbing and elctrical firm, Haden Nigeria and Glaxo Nigeria. He was also a board member of the Federal Indsutrial Loans Board from 1954 to 1959. In 1963, he was elected president of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce.

Political career

During the pre-independence period, Edu was sympathetic to the Nigerian Youth Movement as a supporter of Jubril Martin, one of the party's candidate in the 1943 election. He was elected into the western House of Assembly in 1951, and was later nominated to represent Epe at the Federal House of Representatives.

As a prominent Lagosian, he spent a few years as a commissioner for health in Lagos. After his resignation, he focused his energy on various enterprises. He founded Nigerian Conservation Foundation in 1980. One of his sons, Yomi Edu, was appointed Minister of Special Duties, by Olusegun Obasanjo.

(9)Henry Oloyede Fajemirokun

Henry Oloyede Fajemirokun was a prominent Nigerian businessman and one of the country's dynamic indigenous entrepreneurs who promoted West Africa's economic integration.

Early Life and Career

He was born in Ile-Oluji, Ondo State and attended Ondo Boys High School and CMS Grammar School, Lagos. He was a former president of Nigeria Chambers of Commerce & Lagos Chambers of Commerce and of the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce (1972–1978). He started business in the 1950s by exporting hides and skin, rubber, coffee and shea nuts. In the 1960s he started a massive importation of cement from Egypt and Poland. He received funding for this particular venture from a credit facility that had been provided to him by a British bank in London. In 1968, Fajemirokun was awarded the chieftaincy title of Yegbata of Ile-Oluji by his traditional sovereign, the Jegun, thus making him a tribal aristocrat of the Yoruba people. He also ventured into commodity brokerage and in 1969 he bought and held a seat on the London Stock Exchange. His company Henry Stephen was the first Indigenous company to get oil prospect License in Nigeria.

Henry Stephens

In 1971 he received another title, becoming the Asiwaju of Okeigbo. Later in the decade, as the chairman and largest shareholder of the Henry Stephens group of companies, he became a major shareholder in some leading companies in Nigeria. Following a decision to withdraw the wealth of the country from foreign nationals that was taken in 1972, an 'indigenization' decree was promulgated by the Federal Government, he pioneered this scheme which benefited Nigerian greatly. Henry Stephens capitalized on the euphoria of the contemporary nationalism of the period and acquired or represented major foreign operations in the country. It became the sole distributor for Xerox. He was denied the right to acquired the Daily Times from the British Daily Mirror who own the title by the Obasanjo junta. Henry Stephens also acquired stakes in Johnson Wax and Fan Milk. He established Henry Stephens Shipping company with three lines namely; Ile-Oluji Line, Ifewara Line and D.F Fajemirokun Line, the company was a pioneer in the Nigerian maritime industry and was one of the first Nigerian companies to own an interest in a shipping line.

(10)Samuel Ibitayo Fawehinmi (1912)

Samuel Ibitayo Fawehinmi was a pioneering Nigerian furniture magnate. The son of trader, he was born in Ondo City. He attended Ondo Boys High School and the Yaba Higher College. He was originally interested in medicine, but the long wait for a pre-medical test and his gift in wood and metal work changed his occupational direction. He learned civil engineering and became a staff of King's College, Lagos. In 1946, he decided to undergo further formal training in furniture, he traveled abroad and was educated at the Shoreditch Technical College. After returning to Nigeria, with the help of his father and a loan from the Colony Development Board, he opened some furniture factories in Lagos. He was noted as one of the earliest magnates who focused on a single industry instead of the ubiquitous or octopodal group of companies. He was also notable for introducing modern techniques in furniture making.

(11)Cletus M. Ibeto (born November 6, 1952)

He is a Nigerian businessman from the industrial city of Nnewi. He is head of The Ibeto Group, the largest business enterprise from Nnewi, a city unique for its entrepreneurial spirit. In the early 1980s, when the oil crash and a controversial import licensing system was making a dent on the Nigerian manufacturing environment, Nnewi went through a growth period. The Ibeto Group under the leadership of Cletus Ibeto was a pace setter in the region and nation's trading and later manufacturing developmentEarly history

Cletus Ibeto started out as a spare parts import dealer, after spending some time as an apprentice in the motor parts business, a gradual step taken by many eastern traders. In March 1988, he stopped direct importation of lead acid automotive battery and plastic motor accessories after completing his factory in Nnewi. By 1995, The Ibeto Group had become one of the largest auto spare parts manufacturing outfits in the country.

On October 2, 1996, he established Ibeto Petrochemical Industries Ltd. which is engaged in the blending of oil lubricants as well as the production of various types of petroleum products for local and international markets. The Company owns the largest liquid storage facilities for petroleum products in Nigeria with a capacity of over 60,000 metric tones located at Apapa Wharf and Ibru Jetty Complex, Lagos.

Honours

In 2008, Mr Cletus Madubugwu Ibeto received the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger [OON] from the Federal Republic of Nigeria for his outstanding contributions to the country through his manufacturing enterprise. In 2012, he was awarded the honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger [CON], for his continued outstanding service to the nation.
Sunny Obazu-Ojeagbase (born 31 December 1950) is a Nigerian business success coach, author, pastor and business mogul. He is best known to be the founder of Complete Communications Limited, a company that houses Complete Sports newspaper.^[1]

Early life and education

Sunny was born to Edo State parents in Osogbo, a local government area of Osun State where he completed his basic education at St. Jame’s Primary School, Osogbo in 1962. He proceeded to be enlisted into the Nigerian Army after working as a printer trainee. He also holds a Diploma in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos.^[2]

Career

Sunny has worked as a sports reporter for several media houses including Herald Newspaper, Daily Times, Concord Group of Newspapers and the The Guardian. In 1983, he started publishing a weekly sports newspaper called Sports Souvenir after he quit his job as a reporter for The Guardian and he went on to publish Complete Football with the former becoming the first Nigerian sports newspaper while the later became the first Nigerian all-colour monthly football magazine.^[3]

In 1995, he published Complete Sports, a daily sports newspaper and Success Digest Magazine a business establishment guide which has gone on to become one of the most widely read newspaper and magazine in Nigeria.^[4]

Publications

Some of Sunny Obazu-Ojeagbase published works include:

How to Make It in Nigeria – Building Your Wealth from Ground Floor Up
How to Bullet Proof Yourself from Poverty, Ideas – The Starting Point of All True Riches

(12)Michael Ibru (1930)

Michael Ibru (1930) is a prominent Nigerian businessman from Agbarha-Otor, Delta State. He is the head of the Ibru Organization, one of the largest conglomerates in Nigeria. As a traditional chieftain of his homeland, Ibru bears the tribal honorific Olorogun and often uses it as a pre-nominal style. This title is also borne by many of the members of his large family in the same way.

Early life

Ibru was born to the family of Peter Ibru, a missionary worker, who also worked at the Igbobi Orthapaedic Hospital, Lagos. After secondary school, he joined the United African Company, as a management trainee. In 1956, a few years after joining U.A.C, he dropped out of the company and started a partnership, which he called Laibru. The corporate entity was in partnership with an expatriate, Jimmy Large. After engaging in general trading with some success, in 1957, Michael Ibru discovered that the frozen fish market was a fertile market with the potential to deliver returns above the market rate. However, it was a tough market to penetrate, at the time, many expatriate firms and Nigerian traders were lacking and some were not interested in the market. But he felt he could put extra effort communicating with general traders, who played key roles in products acceptance. To trade in seafood, he established an importing company, he also rented and built cold storage facilities across the country. By the mid-1960s trading fish had become the traditional money maker for the Ibru organization. Though he had other profitable interests such as transportation and construction, fish trading helped him secure financing and other forms of capital to engage in large scale trading. He established a partnership with a Taiwanese company, Osadjere Fishing Company, which provided Trawlers and other accessories for trading. By the end of the 1960s he branched out fully into other areas of the economy. Like a lot of his contemporaries, he established a transportation company, called Rutam. He also invested in palm oil production. Over the years, the Ibru Organization has expanded into other areas such as Tourism, Brewery, Timber and Poultry.

He is known as an entrepreneurial figure who created one of the largest modern Nigerian owned groups with other figures such as the low key Bode Akindele.

Education

Michael Ibru attended Igbobi College, and acquired a school certificate in 1951.

Private citizen

Chief Ibru has five wives and seventeen children, the most prominent being Olorogun Oskar Ibru (who heads Ibafon Ports) and Oboden Ibru (who is a key player in Oceanic bank International PLC). He also tried his hands in politics, in 1983, he was a gubernatorial candidate but lost to Samuel Ogbemudia. He is also a member of the Liberal Convention and the New Movement, which metamorphosed to become NRC.

(13)Anastasios George Leventis (December 1902 – October 1978) was a Cypriot businessman who founded a major merchandise trading firm, A.G. Leventis (Nigeria) Plc, in West Africa.

Career

He started trading at the age of 18, and rose to become the general manager of G. B. Ollivant in Ghana.^[1] In 1937, he left the firm after it was acquired by the United African Company. Leventis then formed his own company and started out as a produce buyer, partly financed by some British cotton manufacturers.

In the late 1940s, the UK authorities imposed a country by country quota on cotton imported from Africa, which was intended to influence textile and oil seed production in West Africa. The situation created the impetus for A. G. Leventis to establish a branch in Nigeria, called A.G. Leventis Nigeria Plc. Within a few years the company expanded its business line from cotton exports to merchandise trading. By the 1960s his firm had grown to become one of the largest distributors in Nigeria and one of the largest merchandise traders in the West African region. In Nigeria, he re-structured the business from general trading into a specialized trading firm and established various department stores. During this period, he thrived as a result of the nation's relatively open economy, as it was not until the 1970s that economic nationalism became a dominant initiative. His marketing style made the Leventis name familiar to many customers in Nigeria.

Philanthropy

After his death in 1978, the A.G. Leventis Foundation was established in 1979. It has a primary focus on the cultural heritage of Cyprus and Greece, especially reflected in its collections of Cypriot antiquities displayed in several museums around the world, its restoration of cultural monuments, and its sponsorship of scholarships for postgraduate work in several fields including archeology and agriculture.^[2] The foundation also sponsors work in the areas of environmental protection and medical research.^[3]

In 1987 the A. G. Leventis Gallery was opened in the British Museum, to display Cypriot antiquities from the early Bronze Age to the Roman era.^[4] In 1997, a similar display was opened at the Fitzwilliam Museum, and in 2000 another at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
In 2008 the A. G. Leventis Foundation endowed a new chair at Cambridge University in Greek culture—the A. G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture.^[5]

(14)

Timothy Adeola Odutola (1902-1995), OBE, CFR, CON, was a prominent Nigerian businessman from Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. He was one of the pioneers of modern Nigerian indigenous entrepreneurship and the first president of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria. He attended Ijebu Ode Grammar School, under the principal, Rev Oladotun Ransome Kuti. Early life

Adeola Odutola was born in Ijebu-Ode, a community, which earlier had a fructifying gateway to the port of Lagos. However, the coming of colonialists had clipped the sovereignty of the Ijebu's and their right over the Lagos transit. It was during the latter period that he was born to the family of an Ijebu produce trader. He attended St Saviour's School, Italupe but he left at the age of fifteen after the death of his father. He was transferred to Ile-Ife by his family to ease his mother's burden but he later returned to Ijebu Ode to re-unite with his family and try to complete his secondary education. He then registered and attended the Ijebu Ode Grammar school for four years. After cutting short his secondary education, he left for Lagos to fend for himself. He became a clerk in various departments of the Lagos Colony and later, in the Ijebu Native Administration. He occupied his spare time by engaging in private trading from 1921-1932.

Business career

In 1932, he resigned his position as a court clerk and entered private enterprise. He soon opened damask stores and fish stalls at various cities in western Nigeria, such as Ife, Ibadan, Ilesha and Lagos. After, his subtle beginnings as a fishing net and damask trader, he entered the Cocoa and Palm trading business and started buying lorries to transport the produce to Lagos for export. He built two large commodity storage stores during this period, one was located at Ijebu Ode, he was also involved in the business and political community as a member of the Produce Buyers Union and the Nigerian Youth Movement. However, the establishment of marketing boards, and the subsequent power of the boards to regulate Cocoa and Palm oil trading proved to be an inhibiting factor to private entrepreneurship in the commodity produce business. Odutola, gradually, transferred his resources and energy to saw milling and gold mining at Ilesha. He also became a major agent for John Holt Nigeria. At the beginning of the drive towards industrialisation in Nigeria,Odutola extended his industrial prowess to the production of rubber goods and started the manufacturing of cycle tyres and tubes in 1967.

Throughout his career, he established various factories in the country, spanning, the transport and food industry, he also built a secondary school at Ijebu-Ode. He was a member and later president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria in the early 70s.

Omu Okwei was born in 1872 to Igbo Prince Osuna Afubeho and one of his wives, a granddaughter of Abo king Obi Ossai. At the age of nine, her mother sent her to live among the Igala with one of her aunts. She learned basic business practices, and traded fruits, yams and poultry. When she was 15, following the death of her father, she lived with her mother at Atani, a city on the Niger River.^[1]

In 1889, she married Joseph Allagoa, a trader from Brass.^[2] Her family disapproved of her choice and did not give her a dowry. The couple had a child, Joseph, and divorced the following year. She traversed the Niger River, selling clothing, pots, and lamps. She exchanged the merchandise for food which she then sold to Europeans. In 1895 she married Opene of Abo, whose mother was Okwenu Ezewene (1896–1904), another wealthy woman trader. Okwei had a second son, Peter.^[1]

The British colonial government formalized male institutions while undermining those of the women. Officials issued warrants to men that gave them the authority to sit in Native courts. Okwei was one of few women who were offered a warrant and served in the Onitsha Native Court from 1912 until the 1930s.^[3]
She was given the title of omu (queen) of the Osomari in August 1935. In the traditional dual-sex government, the omu was co-equal to the king, overseeing women's needs and settling disputes.^[1]
She was elected Market Queen, Chairwoman of the Council of Mothers after amassing a fortune. She was the last merchant queen before the British replaced the Council of Mothers' traditional role supervising retailing.^[1]^[4]
Okwei died in 1943 in Onitsha, Nigeria.^[1]

(15)Lawrence Omole

Lawrence Omole (1915 – November 14, 2008) was a prominent Nigerian entrepreneur, who over the years contributed a great deal of effort to the industrialization drive in the country. He was one of the most successful Cocoa merchants from western Nigeria. He was also a community leader, who had invested time and energy in creating various community development programs in Ilesha. During the 1960s, he founded the Ijesa Planning Council, an association that was interested in promoting industrial development in Ijesa land. In 1978, the effort of another collective, resulted in the establishment of the International Breweries, Ilesha. The brewery is seen as one of the successful benchmarks of a collective methodical plan and execution of an industrial project in the country.

Life

Omole's father, Abdul-Raheem Omole worked in the railways and retired as a foreman and subsequently, became a farmer. From 1928 to 1935, Omole worked on his father's farm in Ilesha. Thereafter, he left farming and was employed as a produce clerk for some produce buyers. In 1945, he became a produce depot buyer with the United African Company. He made gains in 1947 when he stockpiled Cocoa against rising prices and then bought his first lorry, however, his interest in expanding was discouraged by UAC which did not want him to expand beyong certain limits. He subsequently left UAC and joined a regional produce syndicate. In 1951, he started a transport company which covered Ilesha-Ibadan-Lagos routes. Three years later he started an independent produce buying firm and merged both his transport firm and his produce firm to form Omole & sons Limited in 1957.^[1]

He died after observing his regular morning devotion.

(16)C. T. Onyekwelu

Christopher Tagbo Onyekwelu
Born	1898 Onitsha
Occupation	Businessman, Nigerian Railway Corporation

Christopher Tagbo Onyekwelu (born 1898, date of death unknown) was a Nigerian businessman who played a pioneering role in developing an indigenous recording industry in the country. He was born in Nawfia, Anambra State and attended a primary school nearby.

Business life

He started trading in palm kernel during the early 1920s and sold most of the produce to the Niger company. He later plunged into other ventures such as trading in bicycle spare parts and ragoon rice but he later discovered that expatriate firms were formidable competitors who had the potential, connections and resources to drive out their competitors. To find himself a niche, he started importing gramophones for the local recording industry. Expatriate competition was little as the industry was dominated by varied local artists and companies with limited official support. With the help of a few European companies he obtained the facility to help record vernacular tapes abroad. In a few years, he became one of the largest distributors of recorded tapes in Nigeria. After the end of World War II, most of his foreign partners who were located in Europe reneged on their distributional deals. Christopher then decided to build his own factory. However, it took a long time before the factory became a reality. In 1961, he formed a joint venture with Philips which became one of the largest records distributors and manufacturers in Nigeria.

(17)Isyaku Rabiu

Isyaku Rabiu (born 1928) is a prominent Nigerian cleric and businessman from Kano. In 1984, he was one of the commodity traders arrested and jailed by the administration of General Muhammadu Buhari on charges of hoarding rice.

Life

Rabiu was born into the family of a religious scholar, Rabiu Dan Tinki. Isyaku's religious upbringing influenced his development as a young man, as a youth, he embraced Islamic scholarship and was popularly known as a Mallam.It wasn't until the early 1960s that Rabiu delved into commercial enterprise. As a close confident of Kano businessman Ibrahim Musa Gashash, he established a procurement agency for textiles produced by the Kaduna Textile Factory, a firm controlled by Gashash. After success in trading textiles, he established his own textile factory, and was also involved in selling sewing machines. In the 1970s, three economic events, the oil and construction booms and the movement towards indigenization, helped cement his status among Kano's industrious elites. He capitalized on the favorable conditions by building housing estates and buying up shares of some foreign nationals in the country.

Isyaku Rabiu has four wives . The head of this very large family, he has 36 children and quite a few grandchildren, including his first son Nafiu Rabiu, and influential Nigerian businessmen Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group, Rabiu Rabiu, owner of IRS Airlines,Naziru Rabiu, Nura Rabiu, Kabiru Rabiu, Hatim and Quraish Rabiu. among his grand children are Abdulsamad Naziru Rabiu and Isyaku Abdulsamad Rabiu. all vying to live up to the great reputation of their grandfather. Isyaku Rabiu still lives in his Gorun Dutse mansion in Kano, the biggest single house in Kano. He is widely loved and respected and known for his generosity,and Islamic spirituality.

(18)BAMANGA TUKUR

Bamanga tukur (CON) (born 15 September 1935) is a prominent Nigerian businessman and politician who served as Minister for Industries in the administration of General Sani Abacha during the 1990s. He is one of the high profile civil servants and military officers who acquired large areas of farmland along the various River Basin authorities. He is currently as of 2012 the president of the Africa Business Roundtable. From March 2012 to January 2014, Tukur has been National Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP).

Life and career

Bamanga Tukur is a resident of Adamawa State and was once the governor of the old Gongola State, which encompassed Adamawa and Taraba States. He was also a former member of the board of Trustees of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). He came to national attention in the mid-1970s, as the general manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority, it was a time the agency was having problems with congestion as a result of a massive cement importation scheme that was started at the twilight of Yakubu Gowon's administration. During his tenure, the government built a few more seaports to ease the transaction cost associated with shipping and to ensure adequate facilities for Nigeria's import and export needs.

In 1982, he left his position as general manager and soon contested the Gongola gubernatorial race, which he won. Tukur served as governor for three months before the democratic administration was curtailed by a military coup. After leaving the Gongola State House, he entered full scale entrepreneurship, and was the founder and chairman of BHI holdings (DADDO group of companies). In 1992, he was an unsuccessful presidential candidate for the National Republican Convention, during which he and a few rivals of Adamu Ciroma lobbied for the cancellation of the first primary due to allegations of favouritism levelled against the leadership of the party.

Alhaji Bamanga Tukur serves as the Chair of NEPAD Business Group and Executive President of African Business Roundtable (ABR). From 1975 to 1982, Dr. Tukur served as Chief Executive of the Nigerian Ports Authority. In 1983, he was elected civilian Governor of Gongola State (now Adamawa State). From 1993 to 1995, he served as a member of the Federal Executive Council and Minister of Industry of Nigeria. He is Honorary Life President of the west and central Africa Ports Management Association, and a member of various Chambers of Commerce in Nigeria. He is a member of the UNIDO International Business Advisory Council, the Ghana Investors Advisory Council and the OECD Africa Investment Advisory Board. He was elected Chairman of the NEPAD Business Group in March 2002. Dr. Tukur serves as Chairman of Advisory Board at Africa investor Ltd. and also serves as chairman of the board at African Investment Advisory. Dr. Tukur was awarded the Doctorate Degree of Law (Honoris Causa) by Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria and is a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology, Zaria. He also has an MSc from the University of Pittsburgh He was awarded the National Honour of the Commander of the Order of the Mono (COM), and the National Honour of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in recognition of his contribution to business in Africa. He holds the traditional title of Tafidan Adamawa and Wakilin Ganye in Adamawa State.^[1]

With the support of President Goodluck Jonathan, Tukur was elected as National Chairman of the PDP, Nigeria's governing party, in March 2012.^[2]

(19)JOSHUA ADE TUYO

Joshua Ade Tuyo was a prominent Nigerian businessman from Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

Life

He was born into the family of an Ijebu farmer and indigo trader. Originally trained as a teacher, he left the teaching profession for office work. He spent two dozen years as a clerical staff for the Nigerian Railway Corporation, the British Bank of West Africa and the ministry of Commerce, and retired in 1953. During his clerical years, he married an Ijebu woman who was born into a trading family in Onitsha. His wife took to trading while Ade was familiarizing himself with office work, as this was the dominant gender course taken by a lot of Nigerian households during the pre-colonial and early colonial period. In late 1949, Mrs Ade Tuyo lost most of her trading goods in a robbery operation. Desiring to go into a much more secure business, she entered a training course for bakery. After Mr Ade Tuyo retired, he sensed the potential in the bakery business, this intuition was partly fostered by the support given to indigenous entrepreneurs by the federal government. He pursued a successful loan application from the Federal Loans Board, and started De Facto Works, a catering and Bakery company. By 1969, his was the largest bakery service in the country.

(20)Folorunsho Alakija

Folorunsho Alakija is a Nigerian businesswoman who is the second richest African woman after Isabel Dos Santos and also the third richest woman of African descent in the world.^[2] She is a business tycoon involved in the fashion,^[3] oil and printing industries.^[4] She is the group managing director of The Rose of Sharon Group which consists of The Rose of Sharon Prints & Promotions Limited and Digital Reality Prints Limited and the executive vice-chairman of Famfa Oil Limited.^[5] Alakija is ranked by Forbes as the richest woman in Nigeria with an estimated net worth of $2.1 billion^[1]^[4] As of 2015, she is listed as the second most powerful woman in Africa after Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the 87th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.^[6]

Early life and education

Folorunsho was born in 1951 to the family of Chief L. A. Ogbara in Ikorodu, Lagos State. At age seven, she travelled to the United Kingdom to begin a four-year primary education at Dinorben School for Girls in Hafodunos Hall in Llangernyw, Wales. After returning to Nigeria, she attended Muslim High School Sagamu Ogun State, Nigeria. Afterwards, she returned abroad for her secretarial studies at Pitman's Central College, London. She also studied fashion design at the American College, London and the Central School of Fashion.^[7]

Career

In May 1993, Folorunsho applied for the allocation of an oil prospecting license (OPL).^[11] The license to explore for oil on a 617,000-acre block—now referred to as OPL 216—was granted to Alakija's company, Famfa Limited. The block is located approximately 220 miles south east of Lagos and 70 miles offshore of Nigeria in the Agbami Field of the central Niger Delta. In September 1996, she entered into a joint venture agreement with Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited (a wholly owned subsidiary of Texaco) and appointed the company as a technical adviser for the exploration of the license, transferring 40 percent of her 100 percent stake to Star Deep.^[12]^[13] Subsequently, Star Deep sold off 8 percent of its stake in OPL 216 to Petrobras, a Brazilian company.

Recognition

As of 2014, she is listed as the 96th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.^[6] In May 2015 two Nigerian women, Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Alakija were listed among the world's 100 most powerful women according to Forbes. Alakija was 87th on the list.^[14]

Philanthropic interests

She also founded the Folorunsho Alakija Scholarship Scheme (FASS) which has consistently aided quite a number of indigent Nigerians who can not afford good and quality education.
On 1 July 2013, the federal government of Nigeria inaugurated the National Heritage Council and Endowment for the Arts and appointed Alakija as vice-chairman of the body. While inaugurating the council, Nigeria's Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Edem Duke, said Nigeria had identified 100 new heritage sites, which "are unique and uncommon assets that we intend to preserve and promote." He charged the council, which is headed by Igho Sanomi, to "ensure the protection and conservation of places and objects of heritage significance and the registration of such places and objects."^[20]

Early life and education

Career

Folorunsho started her career in 1974 as an executive secretary at Sijuade Enterprises, Lagos, Nigeria. She moved on to the former First National Bank of Chicago, now FinBank now acquired by FCMB (First City Monument Bank)^[8] where she worked for some years before establishing a tailoring company called Supreme Stitches. It rose to prominence and fame within a few years, and as Rose of Sharon House of Fashion, became a household name.^[4]^[9] As national president and lifelong trustee of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN), she left an indelible mark, promoting Nigerian culture through fashion and style.^[3]^[10]
In May 1993, Folorunsho applied for the allocation of an oil prospecting license (OPL).^[11] The license to explore for oil on a 617,000-acre block—now referred to as OPL 216—was granted to Alakija's company, Famfa Limited. The block is located approximately 220 miles south east of Lagos and 70 miles offshore of Nigeria in the Agbami Field of the central Niger Delta. In September 1996, she entered into a joint venture agreement with Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited (a wholly owned subsidiary of Texaco) and appointed the company as a technical adviser for the exploration of the license, transferring 40 percent of her 100 percent stake to Star Deep.^[12]^[13] Subsequently, Star Deep sold off 8 percent of its stake in OPL 216 to Petrobras, a Brazilian company.

Recognition

Philanthropic interests

Folorunsho has a foundation called the Rose of Sharon Foundation that helps widows and orphans by empowering them through scholarships and business grants.^[15]^[16]^[17]^[18] Her company is also a major sponsor of the Agbami medical and engineering scholarship scheme, one of the most reliable scholarship scheme in Nigeria with over a thousand people yearly as beneficiaries. ^[19]
She also founded the Folorunsho Alakija Scholarship Scheme (FASS) which has consistently aided quite a number of indigent Nigerians who can not afford good and quality education.
On 1 July 2013, the federal government of Nigeria inaugurated the National Heritage Council and Endowment for the Arts and appointed Alakija as vice-chairman of the body. While inaugurating the council, Nigeria's Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Edem Duke, said Nigeria had identified 100 new heritage sites, which "are unique and uncommon assets that we intend to preserve and promote." He charged the council, which is headed by Igho Sanomi, to "ensure the protection and conservation of places and objects of heritage significance and the registration of such places and objects."^[20]

(21)Mathias Ugochukwu

Mathias Nwafor Ugochukwu (1926–1990) was a prominent Nigerian businessman from Anambra State. A leading industrialist from the Eastern Region of Nigeria, he played a pioneering role in large scale manufacturing in the region. He was sometimes called by his alias, Ugobuzuo. He was a friend to various Igbo politicians such as K. O. Mbadiwe and the former Nigerian Vice President, Alex Ekwueme. His relationship with the vice president may have led to his detention under the administration of General Buhari.

Life

Mathias Ugochukwu was born in Nsogwu Umunze in the present Orumba South L.G.A of Anambra state. He attended St Augustine's Primary School, Umunze. After completing his primary education, he left for Jos to work as a residential caretaker for Rufus "Ofor Jos" Ofor, an Igbo businessman from Enugwu-ukwu, Anambra State. However, hoping for more opportunity, he left Jos and joined the police force in present-day Anambra State. Before joining the force, he was involved in minor trading. As an officer, he entered and won 50,000 pounds in the Irish Sweepstake. After collecting the sum, he found private enterprise more fulfilling and productive; he entered business full-time. As a businessman, he founded many firms, forming a strong conglomerate. He established a transport company, and formed a business venture with John Holt, later becoming the chairman of John Holt Inc. He also invested heavily in spare parts, textile importation and real estate development. As a leading Igbo businessman, he was the chairman of the board of directors of the African Development Corporation, the board also had C.T Onyekwelu and Louis Ojukwu as members. The company was part of a project to encourage African entrepreneurship and was supported by N.C.N.C.

During the 1970s, he bought various subsidiaries of John Holt as part of an Indigenization decree; he was one of the few Igbo businessmen with enough capital to acquire shares in the multi-national firms of Nigeria.

(22)Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu

Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, KBE, (1909-1966) was a Nigerian businessman from Ojukwus family of Nwakanwa quarters obiuno umudim Nnewi. Sir Ojukwu was the first and founding President of The Nigerian Stock Exchange as well as President of The African Continental Bank. He was also either Chairman or on the board of directors of some of Nigeria's most profitable companies such as Shell Oil Nigeria Limited, Guinness Nig. Ltd, Nigerian National Shipping Lines, Nigerian Cement Factory, Nigerian Coal Corporation, Costain West Africa Ltd, John Holt, Nigerian Marketing Board amongst others. He won a parliamentary seat during the nation's first republic. He attended a primary school in Asaba and the Hope Waddell Institute.

Life and career

In 1936 he met Bishop John Cross Anyogu - then a parish priest at Nnewi. Louis was a Roman Catholic. Ojukwu started his professional career at the Agricultural department before leaving to join John Holt as a tyre sales clerk. He also incorporated a textile company in Onitsha to supplement his income during this period, already exhibiting a little bit of his entrepreneurial spirit. While at John Holt, he noticed the severe strain a lack of adequate transportation had on Eastern textile traders. He later left John Holt to create a transport company to improve the trading environment for Nigerian traders. As a transporter he was a tireless worker and meticulous to detail; he was usually the first to inspect his transport vehicles for oil and leakages. Apart from his work ethic, his success was also oiled by the economic boom after World War II, working with the West African Railway Company and the newly inaugurated produce boards, he provided his fleet for commodity transportation and for other traders use. As a transporter he had his own transport company (Ojukwu Transport Limited)which was the first major transport company to move the easterners to Lagos from the Asaba end of the Niger river after they might have crossed over from Onitsha on a boat.

During the 1950s, he diversified his interest, bought some industries, invested heavily in the real estate sector and became a director in numerous major corporations including the state-owned Nigerian National Shipping Line. He was a member of the board of Nigerian Coal Corporation, Shell Oil, D'Archy, and African Continental Bank.
Ojukwu died in 1966, just a year before the Nigerian civil war. His son Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was the leader of the secessionist state of Biafra.

(23)Festus Okotie-Eboh

Festus Okotie-Eboh (1919-1966) was a Nigerian politician and former Minister of Finance during the administration of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. Born to Urhobo parents from Uwherun, he adopted the Itsekiri as his tribe after marriage into an Itsekiri family.^[^{citation needed}^] Before his change of ethnicity he was Chief Festus Samuel Edah. He was a National Treasurer of the Nigerian First Republic party, NCNC, he was also a leader of the Federal Parliamentary Party of NCNC, replacing K.O. Mbadiwe.^[1]

Early life and business career

Okotie Eboh was born Festus Samuel Edah^[2] in Benin River, old Warri division. From 1932 to 1936, he attended Sapele Baptist School.^[3] After his secondary education, he worked for a year as a junior assessment clerk in the Local District Office, thereafter, he joined his alma mater as a teacher. In 1937, he joined Bata Shoe Company as an accounting clerk while working as a clerk, he studied book keeping and accounting. In 1944, he was transferred to Lagos as Chief Clerk and West Coast Accountant. A year later, he returned to Sapele and he was appointed Deputy Manager of Sapele branch of Bata. In 1947, he was sent to Prague, Czechoslovakia for further training where he obtained a diploma in business administration and chiropody. He left Bata Shoe to establish a timber and rubber business. He was involved in a rubber exporting business trading under the company name of Afro-Nigerian Export and Import Company. The firm exported ribbed smoked sheet rubber to Europe and North America.^[4] In 1958, he opened a rubber-creping factory and later in 1963, he started Omimi Rubber and Canvas Shoe factory. He also started a few ventures with two foreign partners: Dizengoff and Cutinho Caro, the partners promoted Mid-West Cement Co, a cement clinker plant in Koko and Unameji Cabinet Works.

Okotie Eboh got married in 1942 and together with his wife, started a string of schools in Sapele. The first school was Sapele Boys Academy, followed with Zik's College of Commerce. In 1953, he started Sapele Academy Secondary School.In the 1940s and 1950s, Okotie Eboh was a board member of Warri Ports Advisory Committee, Sapele Township Advisory Board and Sapele Town Planning Authority.

Political career

In 1951, after some influence from Azikiwe, he contested for a seat and was elected into the western region House of Assembly. In 1954, he was elected treasurer of the N.C.N.C. and was successful as the party's candidate to represent Warri division in the House of Representatives. He was nominated as the Federal Minister of Labour and Welfare in January, 1955 and two years later, he was made Finance Minister.

Personal life

Okotie Eboh got married to his wife, Victoria, an Itsekiri lady in 1942.

24 OVIE . O

FOUNDER/CO-OWNER NOTJUSTOK.COM

NotjustOk.com is the #1 Nigerian Music site on the internet founded by Ovie . O, The site was created initially out of the intention, motivation and passion to share remarkable material to
whoever cared to listen or read. However in 2007, Ovie began noticing that music from Nigeria was sounding catchy to his ears and he felt like the quality was good
enough to share.

Notjustok.com has been a remarkable digital media platform for Nigeria’s emerging music acts as well as the labels that represent them. Indeed, over the past years, in particular, the Notjustok.com (NJO) brand value and online real estate brand equity has risen drastically commanding the attention of Nigeria’s music industry executives and key
players as well as the public.

Now music in Nigeria can be easily heard abroad which actually has promoted the Nigeria music industry and even there have been many other music sites like Notjustok since the launching of the site.
Therefore Ovie's Notjustok impact on Music in Nigeria wouldn't go unrecognized.
And the site is currently co-owned by Ovie .O and Demola Ogundele.

(25)Uche Pedro

FOUNDER/CEO BellaNaija.com

Uche started BellaNaija at a very tender age of 25 and she has been able to achieve great things with her incredible leadership and commitment.
BellaNaija.com is Nigeria’s premier lifestyle, entertainment and fashion website, and garners an average of 10 million page views every month. Uche was featured on Oprah Winfrey show, Beauty Around the World, in February 2010 and was interviewed by Isha Sesay for CNN i-list in September, 2010. Winner of the International Young Media Entrepreneur of the Year Award for 2013 and she has most recently been named as one of the ’30 Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs In Africa in 2014′ by Forbes.
Her website blog's impact in Nigeria's online industry is quite a reputable since its launch. the blog which was one of the things that inspired another great blogger Linda Ikeji and others. The website is said by many people that it is visited by lots of matured minds which also is said to be a site with quality contents.
It is also obvious she has workers employed by her to work on the site which actually has contributed to unemployment in the nation.

(26)Jide Ogunsanya

FOUNDER/C.E.O OGBONGEBLOG.COM

Jide is the founder and owner of one of the first tech blogs in Nigeria ogbongeblog.com, the website which is quite known by many for its tech,business,social media services can be said to be best tech blog in Nigeria following the reputation it has garnered in the past years.
He started the blog in 2008 to share his knowledge online especially as regards to solving tech-related issues and also to make legal money online. The moment he started making money from the blog, he started sharing with his blog readers, how they can also make money from the internet especially via blogging.

Jide's blog has helped so many bloggers and other internet entrepreneurs a lot with good and explanatory tutorials.
Well, he has won so many awards and also nominated for many.

(27) Oluwaseun Osewa

FOUNDER/CEO NAIRALAND.COM

Seun is the founder of the popular online forum "Nairaland" majorly for Nigerians. The site which was launched in 2005 was the most visited website in Nigeria and Africa as a whole for so many years until 2015 when its position was overtaken by jumia and konga.
Nairaland currently has over 1,300,000 registered accounts (March 2015), and is currently ranked as the 9th most visited site in Nigeria (and the most visited indigenous site) according to Alexa.com. Nigeria reportedly has over 55 million Internet users, corresponding to 32.9% of the entire population.
The forum has helped many Nigerians a lot since its launching as many interesting topics and discussions are always made there. Nairaland has had a huge contribution to employments in Nigeria has also helped many business men and women, the forum is also known to be where most Nigerians voice out online. And also Nairaland is one of the oldest and still existing sites in the country.
Seun has been nominated for many awards and also made Forbes list in 2013.

(28)Jason Njoku

FOUNDER/CEO IROKOTV.COM

Jason is a Nigerian millionaire and Internet entrepreneur founder of the popular home videos platform IROKOTV, made history in 2012 when he completed what was possibly the largest fundraising round in the West African tech world. The founder and CEO of iROKO Partners, the largest digital distributor of Nigerian movies and African music, raised $8 million from New York-based Tiger Global Management. IROKO Partners is the holding company behind the successful iRokoTV, NollywoodLove, and Njoku’s latest venture, African music streaming service iROKING.
Now, Njoku and partner Bastian Gotter have launched SPARK, a $1 million-backed company to support and develop aspiring Nigerian tech and Internet entrepreneurs. Based in Lagos, SPARK builds companies in Africa’s Internet sector.
He was listed by Forbes for ‘Ten Young African Millionaires To Watch’ in 2012.

(29) Opeyemi Awoyemi,
Ayodeji Adewunmi and Olalekan Olude

FOUNDERS/OWNERS JOBBERMAN.COM

Jobberman.com is an employment website in Nigeria that started on 16 August 2009 at the Obafemi Awolowo University,Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. It is based in Lagos, Nigeria. Jobberman.com has been described by Forbes as "West Africa’s most popular job search engine and aggregator"
Jobberman.com was co-founded by Opeyemi Awoyemi, Ayodeji Adewunmi and Olalekan Olude; all university students at the time the company was founded. They shared the same interest in the Internet space and started Jobberman from the Obafemi Awolowo University campus during the Industrial Strike Action by Nigerian Academic Staff Union (ASUU) of August 2009.

In February 2012, Jobberman got named as #8 in Forbes Magazine Top 20 Tech Startups in Africa and got featured in the recently released McKinsey Internet Report on Aspiring Countries as one of the Innovative Companies in Nigeria.
Jobberman.com has offices in Lagos, Abuja and Ghana. As of January 22, 2015 Jobberman is accessible on mobile phones in Ghana, via the Internet.org Android app
The popular website's influence has been really really great in the country.

(30) Akin Alabi

FOUNDER/CEO NAIRABET.COM

Popularly known as Otunba, Akin Alabi has personally mentored at least 10 Nigerians that now make well over three million Naira on the internet every year. He owns Nairabet which is widely known as the first and the No. 1 sports betting organization in Nigeria and one of the best in the world.
He also has a personal website, akinalabi.com where he gives out cash prizes almost every week. Akin started from a very humble beginning and with great determination and hard work, made his way to the top. He started his journey as an internet entrepreneur selling information products.
Otunba has been interviewed severally on popular TV stations and blogs. He was recently interviewed on CNBC .

Since the start of the betting site Tens of sites like Nairabet has been introduced to the Nigeria betting world which is one of the trending things in the country presently.

(31)Sim Shagaya

FOUNDER/CEO KONGA.COM

Konga was founded in July 2012 by Sim Shagaya, with 20 staff. Shortly after launching in 2012, Konga raised a $3.5 million seed round from Investment AB Kinnevik .The site initially functioned as a Lagos-only online retailer focused on merchandise in the Baby, Beauty, and Personal Care categories, but broadened its scope to all of Nigeria in December 2012 and gradually expanded merchandise categories through 2012 and 2013.

In January 2015, Konga was ranked as the most visited Nigerian website by Alexa Internet. According to Sim Shagaya, Konga "leads the field in Nigeria today [early 2015] in Gross Merchandise Value," a metric measuring the total value of merchandise sold particular marketplace.
After the launch of the popular platform other rivals started theirs too in which there are too many of them as of 2015.

The platform also has over 700 staffs in the country presently and providing online jobs for thousands of partners online with their affiliate program.

(32]Henry Okpolokpo

FOUNDER/CEO IREPORTERSTV.CO

Mr Henry O the founder of iReportersTv, which is the largest platform in the world for African Videos, the video platform launched back in 2012 is now known to be one of the top source of income for bloggers and other internet users in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
The website is said to have hundreds of thousands of users presently, the platform which is meant for uploading videos and sharing them to earn money also has tens of thousand active producers and promoters.

The platform is said to be spending close to 10million naira monthly to pay it's partners, as it was said that there are partners who earn as much as 2million naira monthly from the popular video platform.
The platform which claimed they have provided job for up to 10,000 Nigerians as at 2013 could be said to have make a huge influence in the country's internet world.
The video platform also has few celebrity producers with their channel on the platform, likes of Teju baby face, At comedian and others.

Though the platform has few critics in the media for fake and sexual videos uploaded by the producers which has quite affected the platform a bit, it's impact would still be notice. The recent info we got on the platform is that the platform would be rebranded into a new and a better video platform with a new name.

(33)LINDA IKEJI

FOUNDER/CEO LINDA IKEJI'S BLOG

Linda Ikeji started blogging fully in 2007 to share things that she was interested in with her readers. Five years later, lindaikeji"s blog has grown to be one of the most visited sites in the country. As a regular source for news, entertainment, celebrity gist, gossip and many more, her blog continues to attract thousands of visitors.
Linda Ikeji has earned herself the title ‘Queen of Blogging’ .
Linda was persistent , focused on what she did even though there was no financial return but five years later it has yielded great profit , a talk of all. She found a new path ,Blogging . But she persisted until 2010, when some of the stories posted on her blog began to ruffle feathers. At a point, Linda averaged about 1 million unique visitors each month to her blog. And with that came the much-needed recognition and substantial earnings. In August 2012, Forbes Africa described her as a success and a case study for the business of blogging.

Linda Ikeji has been concluded to be the most influential online entrepreneur in Nigeria by TMTN for the impacts her blog and herself has made in the recent years, Her blog is now one of the most trusted sources when it comes to information in Nigeria, even news papers and presenters refer to her blog and most bloggers like her get informations from her blog.

Linda Ikeji has also proven herself to be a good philanthropist has she often give back to the readers on her blog it's been noticed Linda Ikeji spends millions of Naira making giveaways on her blog every year in which we think contributes to the lives of others positively

Young And Successful ‎Nigerian Entrepreneurs

(34)Banke Kuku: Founder/Creative Director, Banke Kuku Textiles

Banke’s entrepreneurial ability blossomed at a very tender age of 5 when she took the initiative to start kitting. Her continued fascination with fabrics led her to study an Art and Design foundation course and eventually Textile Design at Chelsea College of Art and Design. With a work experience in fashion houses such as Matches Fashion Store, Burberry, Tank Magazine, Designers Guild Interiors and Jasmine Di Milo (where I honed my skills in textiles for fashion), what she brings to the table through Banke Kuku Textiles (founded in 2011) is a fusion of traditional African and Western culture to create unique fabrics for fashion industries

(35)Mark Essien: Founder, Hotels.ng

Mark Essien, a software and mobile development expert, epitomises how you can transform a dedicated passion for technology to a company that redefined the hotel booking process in Nigeria. Motivated to be a part of the technology space through seeing his father build various mechanical devices, Mark decided to gain Computer Hardware Engineering degree and an M.Sc in Computer Science for post study degree. Hotels.ng, a vibrant startup (founded in 2012) is the largest hotel booking portal in Nigeria which hit 6000 Hotels sign up and profit in 2014. Mr Essien was a nominee of The Future Africa Awards 2014 in the category of Technology.

(36)Honey Ogundeyi: CEO, Fashpa.com

Honey Ogundeyi is a young achiever who carved a niche for herself in the e-Commerce sector with Fashpa.com (founded in 2013) which was borne out of the frustration she felt at the limited nature of for them. accessing fashion in Nigeria. Combining her experience in technology (through Ericsson and Google) and her passion for fashion, it was easy to make the transition from the corporate world to entrepreneurship to provide trendy clothes through a viable technology platform to a variety of audiences which the view to creating a convenient online shopping customer experience

(37)Mosunmola Umoru: CEO, Honeysuckles PTL Ventures

Mosunmola needs no introduction in the Nigerian agricultural space. An agro business entrepreneur who specializes in food production, farming, processing and distribution, Ms. Umoru is known by the moniker “Pretty Farmer” because her passion for agriculture through her company Honeysuckles PTL Ventures which she founded in 2004 wasn’t quite the norm of your average Nigerian female entrepreneur. A Fellow of Ashoka and Founder of a social enterprise ABIRA Agribusiness Support Initiative, Mosunmola has served on several Panels as an inspiration to women in various African countries.

(38)Bankole Cardoso: CEO, Easy Taxi Nigeria

Bankole has always taken a keen interest business concepts, which propelled him to study Accounting and Business/Management, a business-related degree at Boston College, USA. Through Easy Taxi Nigeria (founded in 2013), he developed the Easy Taxi app which is a technology-driven app that provides convenience for passengers in booking for taxis anywhere and anytime with the click of a button. Bankole has been featured in Forbe Magazine’s 30 Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs in Africa 2014 and CNN Africa Startup, also in the same year.

(39)Yasmin Belo-Osagie: Co-Founder, She Leads Africa

Yasmin co-founded She Leads Africa in 2014 with the intent to focus on providing funding and mentoring to empower the next generation of dynamic female entrepreneurs in several countries who are constantly faced with the challenge of accessing capital, as well as proper guidance. Through a well-structured concept, its first competitive event took place in 2014 and proved to be very inspiring to upcoming female entrepreneurs. Ms. Belo-Osagie, along with her business partner, Afua Osei (Ghana) where list by Forbes as one of The 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa 2014.

(40)Isoken Igiemwonyi and Wonu Okoye: Founders, L’Espace

The duo of Isoken and Wonu founded L’Espace in 2011, a boutique that is a one-stop hub for made in Nigeria fashion products by Nigerian entrepreneurs. L’Espace as been able to grow significantly since its formation to one of the industry leaders in fashion retail management due to its quest to promote and support fashion brands that are owned by experienced and upcoming Nigerian entrepreneurs.

(41)Simeon Ononobi: Founder/CEO, SimplePay Limited

Visionary tech entrepreneur Simeon Ononobi started SimplePay to develop a solution that will disrupt payment services in Nigeria. The third party payment processing platform founded in 2011 acts as a web and mobile-based wallet that provides convenience to end users in the payment of services such as school fees, recharge cards and taxes to name a few.

(42)Adiat Disu: Founder/Lead Consultant, Adiree

With a resume that includes working for big corporations such as; IBM and TJX Inc (where she affected an average of $90 million in sales weekly by identifying and maximizing business opportunities), it didn’t come to many who knew Adiat as a surprise when she went on to launch top PR brand Adiree and create the prestigious Africa Fashion Week (AFW) in the fashion captials of identified fashion-hub countries. I.e. New York, Tokyo, Milan, London, Paris and Berlin. The focus of her brand is to re-brand Africa as the number one destination for luxury brands. Adiat Disu has been featured in Black Enterprise’s Power Women of the Diaspora 2014 and Forbes’ 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa 2014.

(43)Raphael Afaedor and Gbolahan Fagbure: Founders, Supermart.ng

Raphael, founder of QluQlu and one half of the founders of Jumia Nigeria teamed up with Gbolahan, a former Director Operations also at Jumia Nigeria to form Supermart.ng; an online grocery delivery service that formed a synergy with top local stores in Nigeria to upload their inventories (ranging from; meat, milk, books, stationeries and food stuffs among others) to their online platform and make daily delivery to customers through a routine scheduled process. With strong partnerships with leading stores like; Park N Shop, MedPlus, Spar and Office R us, the duo seek the continuous promotion of the online shopping culture which now has a mainstay in Nigeria.

(44)Maya Horgan: Founder, Ingressive.com

With a background in Private Equity Research and Entrepreneurship Journalism, Maya founded Ingressive.co in 2014. Ingressive is a company that specializes in connecting African companies to international investors for a viable synergy that leads to a maximised growth rate of the companies and increased returns on investment to the investing party through an adequate preliminary assessment she undertakes with her partners.

(45)Adaora Mbelu: CEO, Innovation Factory Limited

Adaora is a young business development and PR guru who took a keen passion for entrepreneurship with the view to create viable business strategies for organizations to adopt. With her company Innovation Factory which she founded in 2011, she has been able to positively affect the business growth of her clients by developing successful branding strategies based on an extensive feasibility studies. Ms. Mbelu has received several recognition for her work, some of which include; Future Awards nomination for Entrepreneur of the Year (Media) 2012, Promising Young African Entrepreneur 2011 by MTV, FAB Magazine Nigeria’s ‘Top 30 Under 30′ 2012 among others.

(46)Eseoghene Odiete: Founder/Creative Director, Hesey Designs

Despite studying Mass Communication at Covenant University, Ogun State Nigeria and finishing with good grades which could have seen her entry into journalism as seamless, Ese decided to go with her passion to build a fashion brand that would promote the Nigerian economy which she had always nursed while growing up. She established Hesey Designs in 2011 which focuses on making clothes, shoes and bags that embody a strong identity of Nigerian fabrics. Ms. Odiete was a Future Awards 2014 nominee in the category of “Tony Elumelu Prize in Business”. In addition to this, she was one of the winners of the 2014 Google Africa Connected Success Stories Competition, in which she not only won $25,000 with an enrollment opportunity to study a Foundation Course in Entrepreneurship at Branson Center of Entrepreneurship, but also got to make a shoe Sir Richard Branson admired and wore. Richard Branson trying on an Hesey footwear

(47)Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola: Co-Founder/CEO, Wecyclers Corporation

An MBA graduate of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (IMT), Bilikiss conceived the idea of Wecyclers in her development ventures class at the university. The model of Wecyclers is designed to solve urban waste challenges for households and recyclers in Nigeria by using a fleet of low-cost cargo bicycles to offer convenient household recycling services especially in populated low-income neighborhoods. She has been featured in CNN African startups, and has been recognized by Applause Africa as one of the 20 African Women with Powerful and Inspiring Voices. In addition to this, Bilikiss was a recipient of the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards in 2013.

(48)Anthony Adebo: Founder/CEO, Kingdom London

Born into a design family with his father being an architect and mother an interior designer, Anthony’s path to fashion designing was effortless. After studying International Business with French at the European Business School (EBS), London, he sought to carve a niche for himself in the luxury market by creating the Kingdom brand in 2013, which focuses on making bespoke outfits, styling and providing expert advice for personalized wardrobes tailored to meet the specific needs of corporate and business clients.

(49)Dr. Ola Orekunrin: Medical Director, Flying Doctors Nigeria

Ola Orekunrin became a medical doctor as the age of 21 and by 26 her name had become synonymous with innovation, excellence and success in Nigeria. Her passion to improve the healthcare system led to the formation of the first indigenous air ambulance in Nigeria in 2009. Flying Doctors Nigeria started off as a pediatric children’s air ambulance service to convey sick kids from one area to another. As the business grew, her clientele base included corporate organizations and the private sector. She has received several awards and recognitions some of which include; ThisDay Awards (Contribution to Health in Africa) 2012, The Future Award as ‘Entrepreneur of the year 2012′, NewsDirect Awards as ‘Outstanding Female CEO of the Year 2013′. She is also a TED fellow and has been honoured by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as a Young Global Leader.

(50)Damilola Solesi: CEO/Creative Director, Smids Animation Studios

Damilola’s interest in cartoons started when she was a game programmer at the age of 7. The choice to do Computer Science at the university was aimed at enhancing her know-how in computer animation design, visual effects, motion graphics and creative production, which are the core focal areas of Smids Animation Studios, a 3D animations studio. She is a beneficiary of the YOUWin Initiative by the Nigerian Federal Government for her animation project design.

3 comments:

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50 Successful Entrepreneurs In Nigeria

Early life

Business career

Business in Nigeria

Other activities

Awards

Born: March 29, 1953, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State.,

Early life and education

Career

Honours

Personal life

Education

Hobbies

Business life

Government

Mosque

Charity

Titles/Awards

Death

Remembrance of M.K.O. Abiola

Awards and honours

Involvement in politics

(8)Shafi Lawal Edu (1911–2002)

Career

Political career

Early Life and Career

Henry Stephens

(11)Cletus M. Ibeto (born November 6, 1952)

Honours

Early life

Education

Private citizen

(13)Anastasios George Leventis (December 1902 – October 1978) was a Cypriot businessman who founded a major merchandise trading firm, A.G. Leventis (Nigeria) Plc, in West Africa.

Career

Philanthropy

(14)

Business career

(15)Lawrence Omole

Life

(16)C. T. Onyekwelu

Business life

(17)Isyaku Rabiu

Life

Life and career

Life

(20)Folorunsho Alakija

Early life and education

Career

Recognition

Philanthropic interests

Early life and education

Career

Recognition

Philanthropic interests

(21)Mathias Ugochukwu

Life

(22)Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu

Life and career

Early life and business career

Political career

Personal life

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