Extremely tough comments on the piece where I noted that Dangote Cement paid the most tax in Nigeria. People, Aliko Dangote is not the only connected big man in Nigeria. He is not the only one the government has supported. BUT he is the most successful in making products people like. Dangote’s biggest connection and support is that NIGERIANS like his products. Period! Governments do not force us to buy his products even when we have options and choices.
Dangote Capital lost $millions and folded because others were better there. Liberty Merchant Bank, his bank, wasted $millions and collapsed because Oba, Ovia, Elumelu, etc were better. Dangote Noodles burnt $millions and later was sold to Indomie noodles when it could not sell because Nigerians preferred Indomie.
But Nigerians want me to believe that when he wins, it is because of the government. Sure, he taxes Nigeria as conglomerates do, but do not diminish his generation’s finest businessman, on the premise that he wins because of the government, and not that customers like his products.
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As an entrepreneur, I am working hard to join Dangote so that he is not lonely there. Yes, you can have a new person to attack. My desire is that by 2023, Tekedia Capital will have at least two unicorns (one is likely next year). If that happens, very soon, governments will come and ask: “Ndubuisi, we want you to fix Aba drainage, what are your terms?” Then, I will open this playbook: Conglomerate Tax.
That will help Dangote (diverting attention from him) a lot as many will then say: see, the government gave him all the best drainages on the terms which it could not give me. Nigerians, time to work and build. No one keeps wealth for decades unless customers FUND him.
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In a country where the majority are ready to runaway, because by their own estimate, it’s impossible to succeed and thrive here, without the government spoonfeeding you, so it’s an uncomfortable truth to digest – that the man Dangote is the greatest Nigerian, at least from the economic angle. We ought to be talking about Saint Aliko Dangote by now, because saying that he succeeded because of government backing is disingenuous, it doesn’t give credit to high work ethic and great business acumen.
This is a land where a lot of people only see evil and retrogression, so it’s never pleasant hearing that another compatriot of theirs succeeded where they couldn’t, but it’s understandable.
For decades, all manner of people have benefited disproportionately from government benevolence, where are the companies they floated and how great are they? The only ‘problem’ Dangote has is that he’s a Nigerian, because if he were to come from the places we run to, with business schools recycling case studies about Dangote System, we will still be falling on top one another to obtain those MBAs, unfortunately we are never as smart as we always like to project.
The first thing is to have faith in your country, then becoming greater is possible.
great comment
This man is a wonder ful man help the poor people in the country create job employment for the people of the country this man need prase please Papa government help this man man for his good work help the citizens of the country may Alimght Allah bless you and your family
His business acumen has help communities which before now had zero potential for growth and development. He is an uncommon Nigerian.
Lawandi