ISSN 0189-5826

15 Sept. - 1 Nov., 2011 Volume 18

The birth of Ibese

Cement Plant
6 Million metric tonnes per annum capacity
World-class facilities

NEWS

Editorial

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

Dear Colleagues,

elcome to another edition of Dangote ENewsletter, which is another harvest of

remarkable developments and events
within our great organisation, in the last couple of
weeks.
As envisaged, our in-house magazine is helping us to
reach out to our important stakeholders both within
and outside the country. This will, we hope, enable
our publics to know more about us and what we stand
for.

We want to thank everyone for their kind comments

and most especially, all those that have contributed to
this success story. We will try hard to maintain this
standard in line with what Brian Tracy once said:
Excellence is not a destination; it is a continuous
journey that never ends.
In this edition, we feature yet again another cover
story on cement. This time we are focusing on
Dangote Cement Plant at Ibese, in Ogun State. We
thought it would be nice to keep everyone abreast of
the latest developments at our Ibese plant. The worldclass plant, which will be commissioned soon, has
played host to a number of professionals, high ranking
government officials and other dignitaries from all
walks of life, in recent times. Mr Devakumar Edwin,
our Group Executive Director (GED), Business
Development, takes us on a journey into how the
Ibese project started.
Dangote Foundation has continued to touch lives
positively with its recent N100m donation to Lagos
state Government to assist the victims of the July 10
flood and also its donation to the post-election crisis

victims in Kaduna, Gombe and Bauchi states.

Also in this edition, we have the story of how Our
President, Alhaji Aliko Dangote won the award of
African Business Leader and African Entrepreneur of
the year 2011 by AABLA and CNBC.
We bring to you the exciting story of Yahaya Sucka
Mohammed, our lift operator. You will find out why he
is often referred to as the 'landlord' of Marble House,
after reading his interview in 'The Crucible.' Sonnie
Evbota of Dangote Cement looks at the lighter side of
the Lagos Hassle in his article' Living in Lagos'.
Our Super Subs are not left out. We bring you the story
of how Dangote Noodles celebrated independence
day with Nigerian Children and visited the Oba of
Ikorodu as captured in pictures.
You will read about the security personnel who put
out the fire that broke on a weekend on the 5th floor
of Union Marble House.
Ours Sports segment make its debut in this edition
with the questions, who is the better player Lionel
Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? And will Nigerians ever
love the local leagues with the same fervor they show
the EPL? The 2 articles on Football provides the
answer.
We are as usual, open to suggestions on how we can
improve on the content of the magazine and we look
forward to receiving your contributions.
Enjoy!

Toni-Anne Uwaifo

The birth of Ibese Cement Plant

IFRS: Dangote embraces new financial accounting

and reporting standard

Dangote donates N100m to Lagos flood victims

Dangote wins African Business Leader Award,

now greatest African entrepreneur

10

Sports

19

Milestones

21

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Corporate News

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

The birth of Ibese Cement Plant

Our vision is to be the number

one in the world
The new world-class $800million Dangote Cement Plant at Ibese in Ogun State
is due for commissioning soon. Tracking down the Group Executive Director,
Business Development, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, who is the key driver of the
project for an interview, was no easy task as he is always on the move. Finally,
after several postponements and constant phone calls to his PA, we managed
to secure an appointment with him. He agreed to meet the Dangote News
Editorial Team at his Ikeja office on a Wednesday afternoon. The interview did
not start until 9:30pm, a time when most people would probably be thinking of
going to bed after a hard day's work. But for him, work is a hobby. Even his
personal staff appear to have imbibed this trait as they were still as fresh as if
they had just resumed for the day's work, when we met them at his office. This
strong sense of commitment is perhaps one of the secrets of the Dangote
success story. Mr. Edwin, who has spent 20 years in Dangote Group, was at his
best as he took us on a journey into how the Ibese Cement project started, our
vision to become the number one (1) player in the global cement industry
and the future plans of the Group. He also talked about his personal life and
revealed some things that most people do not know about him in this no-holds
barred encounter, which we reproduce in his own words.

In the beginning

f you look historically, former President

Olusegun Obasanjo came up with a
number of policies to safeguard the
economy, including clearing of foreign
debt burden, opening up of the telecom
sector, strengthening the financial
institutions and encouraging the
manufacturing activities specifically
through import substitution policy. These
policies encouraged us to invest in local
manufacturing of cement with the
abundant availability of limestone and
other raw materials and, fuel in the form of
natural gas. He put up policies in place to
ensure that these investments are
protected by allowing only those
manufacturing cement to import cement

into the country and that, once local

capacity is developed to an extent,
importation of cement will no longer be
allowed. Apart from us, infact, several
others were encouraged to invest in
cement manufacturing, including Lafarge
and the Flour Mills of Nigeria.
Some of our investments came into Ogun
State, which naturally has a lot of
limestone deposits. The limestone belt
runs through Shagamu, Ewekoro and Ibese
up to Onigbolo, in the Republic of Benin.
So we looked at both at Shagamu and Ibese
and in fact, we laid the foundation stone
several years back with President
Obasanjo at Ibese. We were also looking at
that time at Calabar. It so happened that
when we signed the first contract in
Obajana; we signed for four different

plants. We signed for two lines in Obajana;

one line in Calabar and one line in Ibese,
the current site of our cement plant.
Subsequently, we realised that the access
road to the Calabar limestone was not so
good, and we also know that it rains a lot
there. So we thought that we should
prioritise our investment instead of going
into the four different cement plants and
invested in Obajana.
We started with Obajana. One of the
reasons we started with Obajana is
because of its central location and its huge
deposits of excellent quality limestone.
The next stage when we decided to
expand, obviously, was to look at Ibese,
which we consider a strategic investment
because of its proximity to Lagos, which is
closer to the port and has a large captive
market.

Capacity
The two lines in Ibese today have a
capacity of 3 million metric tonnes per
annum each, making the total capacity of
Ibese to be 6 million metric tonnes per
annum. We are starting three additional
lines immediately, two at Ibese and one at
ROTOR PACKER

VIEW CEMENT PACKING AND DISPATCH

Contd on page 4

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The birth of Ibese Cement Plant Contd from page 3

will be at par with the Indonesian plant the biggest in the world.

Solution to scarcity

CEMENT SILOS

INSIDE VIEW CCR/ LAB

Obajana, for which we have signed the

contracts. Our plan is that, as from the
year 2014, Dangote will be putting up
one cement plant every year between
Ibese and Obajana.
By the end of this year, we are looking at
having a total capacity of 19 million
metric tonnes per annum in all our three
cement plants at Gboko, Obajana and
Ibese; and 20 million metric tonnes per
annum by the first quarter of next year,
because Gboko will add one more million
metric tonnes per annum. A breakdown
gives: Obajana, 10 million metric tonnes;
Ibese, 6 million metric tonnes and Gboko
3 million metric tonnes. The total
envisaged capacity for this year will
therefore be 19 million metric tonnes.

POWER PLANT MAIN CONTROL ROOM

European standard was 50 mg/Nm3. In

fact, our actual emission is around 15
mg/ Nm3. So, our actual emission is far
lower than the European standards. We
have made the plant to be highly
environmentally friendly. We have
invested in ultra-modern robot
technology for strict quality assurance
and we also have high quality products.
Our energy efficiency is also one of the
highest in the world.
Today, the capacity of the Obajana
Cement Plant is more or less equal to the
biggest plant in Egypt, and by the end of
the year when we produce 10.0 million
metric tonnes; it will be the biggest in
Africa and, when we complete line 4, it

Investment cost
The cost of building our Ibese Cement
Plant is going for about $800million. It is
not a simple investment on a cement
plant because you have investment in the
power plant and investment on mines.
Apart from that, we use very expensive
ultra-modern technology in building our
plants. This ensures efficiency in our
processes, which meet the highest
standards anywhere in the world. We are
investing in technology. We are also
investing in environmental friendliness.
The Nigerian standard for dust is 250
mg/Nm3; we have invested in a plant that
guaranteed 30 mg/Nm3, even when

Today, the capacity of the

Obajana Cement Plant is
more or less equal to the
biggest plant in Egypt, and by
the end of the year when we
produce 10.0 million metric
tonnes; it will be the biggest
in Africa and, when we
complete line 4, it will be at
par with the Indonesian
plant - the biggest in the
world.
4

When I came to Nigeria in 1991, I used to

buy cement from Ashaka. We used to pay
and wait for three to four months
minimum before our order could come.
Even when we started cement terminals
in the year 2000, customers used to pay
and wait for 11/2 months. But today, from
1st January 2011 up to middle of last
month, we normally had one week sold
position. This means that if there is a little
bit of a slowdown in sales, we have build
up stocks in the warehouse. But the
forces of demand and supply determine
the price of any product in the market.

Pan-African expansion
I don't want to sound immodest but our
vision is to be the number one in cement
production in the world. The first step is
to be the number one in Africa. By the
time we finish all these plants we are
putting up, we will have 48 million metric
tonnes per annum capacity by the end of
2014. This will give us the opportunity to
export our excess capacity. We are going
into at least 14 different African
countries. Primarily, our vision is to build
integrated cement plants. But if you look
at the West African belt, we don't have
limestone in many of the countries. So
we are going to build cement terminals
and cement grinding plants in those
countries without limestone. We can
build production capacity here in Nigeria
because we have abundant limestone,
gas and the manpower. Apart from these
14 countries, we are also exploring
opportunities in others such as Angola,
Mozambique, Kenya, Algeria and Egypt.
We are looking at setting up cement
plants in Iraq and Kazakhstan as well.
People do not grow if their vision is not
very large. We believe that the sky is the
limit for us to grow. But we have to get
our strategies right. The only thing we
have to be careful with is acquisitions.
Today, some of the cement makers are in
trouble because they went and bought
companies at expensive prices with
Contd on page 5

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The birth of Ibese Cement Plant

GTG 1,2&3

borrowed money. So, acquisition is one

area where you can go wrong and also
buying businesses through borrowed
funds. You would recall what happened a
few years ago when people, who bought
shares from the booming stock market
with borrowed money from the banks,
lost their investment when it collapsed.
So far, our borrowing has been very
limited and we normally plough back
everything we generate into the business.
That is helping us a lot. We could not have
had a $1.2billion investment in Obajana if
we had not set up a proper payment
structure for the plant.
We are also extending our activities across
Africa because the market is very good
even though it is regarded as a high risk
environment. But the high risk also gives
high returns if you know how to manage it.
There is one area we are being careful
about and that is to manage our growth.
We grow to a certain extent and then
stabilize our investments. These assets
have to be properly managed. We rapidly
expanded between 1997 and 2000. Up to
2002, we consolidated all these assets and
at that time, I was in charge of all our
manufacturing businesses. We took about
two years before we decided that we will
go into Obajana. Between 2000 and 2002,
it was only consolidation. The same thing
we did with Obajana and Gboko. We built
up the plants, consolidated before we
launched into the next stage of growth.
We consolidate before we grow.

CSR
We have it as a matter of policy to embark
on robust corporate social responsibility
(CSR) projects in all the areas where we
operate. We did it for our host community
in Obajana and Gboko. We will do the
same thing for our host community in

Contd from page 4

CEMENT MILL

Ibese. We will build boreholes for water

supply; provide scholarship schemes for
the children of our immediate
communities; and we will build a school
and upgrade the existing clinic in the
community. We also plan to roll out a
micro-credit scheme for the community.
We have these schemes existing in Gboko
and Obajana. Our President has a vision to
uplift the society with his wealth through
creation of employment.
Foray into petrochemicals and fertilisers
Another area we are looking at is
petrochemicals and fertilisers. If you look
at the whole of Africa, apart from the
fertiliser plant in Egypt and South Africa,
there is no other fertiliser plant. So, there
is a huge market opportunity for us both
within and outside Nigeria. Fertiliser will
definitely be another success story. We
have signed agreement for the setting up
of two fertiliser lines in Edo State. When
completed, the plant will be the largest
capacity plant in the world. That is where
we are in fertiliser.

But the petrochemical complex will be

totally focused for export because there is
no major plastic industry in Nigeria. We
are going to produce products for the
export market. We have abundant gas in
Nigeria which is a primary input for the
petrochemical industry. If you look at
petrochemical complex, there are two
basic operations: one is gas-based and the
other is oil-based. Gas is available in
limited countries. So those operating
petrochemical complexes in countries
where you have gas immediately have a
price advantage.

From trading to manufacturing

I joined the Dangote Group in 1991. At
that time, the Group was into trading and
wanted to move to manufacturing. In
those days, we were exporting agro-based
commodities and importing finished
products. Dangote's name was renowned
in the sugar trading market because of the
volumes we used to buy. The focus of the
business was buying in large quantities
and paying cash. So we get it at a very low
price and then sell at a low price and make
good margin because of the huge volume.
I have been with the Group for the past 20
years. I have had the opportunity of
setting up virtually all our factories. This is
one of the reasons why I find my job as a
hobby. I put up a new textile plant in Kano
and sack factory here in Lagos. I also put
up the sugar refinery, the flour mill, pasta,
noodles, cement terminals and cement
plants. I handle all the projects in the
Group. So it has made my work very
interesting.

We will build boreholes for

water supply; provide
scholarship schemes for the
children of our immediate
communities; and we will Human capital issues
build a school and upgrade When you run a business, you should be a
good leader. But when it comes to
the existing clinic in the decision-making, you should be as sharp
community. We also plan to as a judge. If a judge has to take a decision,
roll out a micro-credit scheme it must be seen to be impartial to build
for the community. We have confidence. If somebody has to be
hanged, for instance, then the judge has
these schemes existing in to
take that decision. If he does not, he is
Gboko and Obajana. Our not applying the law and he is being
President has a vision to uplift partial.
the society with his wealth When it comes to decisions, I like to be
t h r o u g h c r e a t i o n o f very firm. If one of my staff is doing a very
Contd on page 6
employment.
5

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The birth of Ibese Cement Plant

Contd from page 5

good job and the other fellow is not

pulling his weight, and I treat them
equally, the one that is hardworking will
get de-motivated. So, I don't treat
people equally. I believe in the principle
of giving incentives and motivating
people who work hard and not
accepting inefficiency. I normally adopt
a policy of zero tolerance for inefficiency.
But I also realise that everybody is not
equal. I can't say for instance, that I will
have only highly efficient people but I do
eliminate inefficient personnel. I always
try to lead by example.
I remember in 1992, when one of my
staff bought a crate of coke from the
factory and the guy added N15. I buy
coke in my house and I know the price. I
told my driver to go and check. It was
discovered that the guy asked the seller
to give him a blank receipt and he added
N15. The man had to go. For me, it was a
question of moral integrity. It was not a
question of how much he stole. I have
zero tolerance for people who are
corrupt.
To build a company is like building a
house. When some blocks are not good,
you just throw them away; others that
are slightly broken can be used by
chiseling and shaping it and fitting it at
an appropriate place; and the good
ones, you can always rely on. The house
is complete when all the men are there
to run the plant efficiently. So we keep
watching to know the people that are
not efficient and encourage those that
are efficient till the whole edifice is built
up. So I am firm when it comes to taking
decisions. We have to have the right
team in place.
Almost half of my textile workers, who
worked with me in Dangote Textiles,
Kano, in 1991, are again with me in our
Obajana Cement Plant today. After we
shut down the Kano textile factory,
many of them came to me. I know them
by name because they are highly
efficient workers. Even my driver, who
worked with me in 1992, is now working
with me today. Once you have the right
people, don't let them go. But if you

have to let them go, keep a track of

them.
For instance, I am in charge of the
continuous improvement activity
including ISO 9000, OHSAS
18000, ISO 22000, etc. in of all
the plants in the Group.
There was this good
staff of mine,
who worked
with me
i
n

Almost half of my textile

workers, who worked with
me in Dangote Textiles,
Kano, in 1991, are again
with me in our Obajana
Cement Plant today. After
we shut down the Kano
textile factory, many of
them came to me. I know
them by name because
they are highly efficient
workers. Even my driver,
who worked with me in
1992, is now working with
me today. Once you have
the right people, don't let
them go. But if you have to
let them go, keep a track of
them.

NTM. His name is Sani Mikhail. I sent him

to Turkey and India for training. One fine
day, he came and told me he wanted to
leave. I let him go because he got
another good job. I told him that I would
get him back if I am able to match his
new salary. After three years, when we
were doing well at Kano, I called him
back. Today, he is back with me, and has
implemented ISO in our various plants.
So, when you have good people, don't
let them go.

Personal life
At a certain point in my life, I realised
that working is a hobby. In the last three
months, I don't think my staff have
closed any time before midnight
because we are close to completing
these projects. So, work for me, is a
hobby, a means of relaxation.
Fortunately, for me, I have a boss, who
shares the same philosophy.
I have been a trade union leader in my
younger days, and throughout my career
till I became managing director. I
passionately believe in causes and I have
led strikes in my school and I have led
shut-downs at my work places but for
the right reasons ie. in the sole interest
of the respective factories and not for
any benefit for any of the staff members.

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atta i n e d g l o b a l re co g n i t i o n .
Embracing a single set of world-wide
standards and financial reporting
language that will be recognised in
the international marketplace will
further boost DILs image.

IFRS: Dangote embraces new financial

accounting and reporting standard
By Toni-Anne Uwaifo

A
A

s part of our commitment towards

maintaining world-class
standards in all that we do,
Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) has
formally joined the growing list of global
companies that report under the new
International Financial Reporting
Standards (IFRS). We believe that this will
further enhance our status as a global
brand.

IFRS is a globally accepted set of

accounting standards and interpretations
established by the International
Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and
used by several advanced countries and
global companies.
Furthermore, in September 2010, the
Nigerian Accounting Standard Board
(NASB) - the government regulatory
agency responsible for defining the rules
with which organisations prepare their
accounts and financial statements,
announced the adoption of IFRS in the
country. This pronouncement has ushered
in a new era of accounting and reporting in
Nigeria.
The NASB explained that Nigeria will move
away from Statement of Accounting
Standards (SAS), the current framework
and rules guiding the ways companies
prepare the accounts and financial
statements, and adopt a new framework

called IFRS. The NASB added that this

would put Nigeria in the league of other
advanced countries, which have adopted
the IFRS.
In order to facilitate a seamless transition
of Nigeria companies to the IFRS
framework, the NASB introduced a
roadmap to guide the process. The
roadmap mandates all listed companies
and significant public interest entities
(PIEs) to comply with the new IFRS
framework for period ending 31
December 2012.
In the light of the changes brought about
by this NASBs pronouncement, as well as
our commitment to global standards, DIL,
as a proactive corporate parent, has taken
immediate steps to ensure all its listed
entities (Dangote Cement Plc, Dangote
Sugar Refinery Plc, Dangote Flour Mills Plc
and National Salt Company of Nigeria Plc),
comply with the NASBs directive before
the deadline.
DIL management is partnering KPMG, one
of the leading global advisory firms, to
assist in making the process of transition to
the new framework seamless and timely.
The move to become IFRS-compliant is
necessary because some DIL listed entities
such as Dangote Cement Plc, which is now
a Fortune Global 2000 company, have

As DIL entities also expand across

different countries in Africa and
other parts of the world, IFRS will
p rov i d e a sta n d a rd i s e d a n d
comparable basis for financial
reporting amongst these entities. In
addition, these listed entities will be
able to compare their financial
performance with international
competitors to demonstrate clear
leadership.
This conversion will also attract foreign
investors into our business and grant easy
access to foreign capital markets such as
the London Stock Exchange (LSE), where
IFRS reporting is a requirement. It will in
addition, enable us to comply with the
local regulation and the Securities and
E x c h a n g e C o m m i s s i o n s ( S E C )
requirements.
The conversion to IFRS framework will
represents a fundamental change in
accounting and financial reporting of DILlisted entities including the way we record
our transactions, interpret our contracts
with our suppliers, customers and bankers
and relationships within the Dangote
Group. In addition, the transition will have
far-reaching implications for our
information systems, business processes,
performance management and ultimately
the people that manage these systems and
processes - YOU. The impact will not be
restricted to only finance and accounting
functions but will also impact several
departments across the Dangote Group.
The IFRS conversion exercise has been
tagged Project Foster. The Project
Foster team will subsequently disseminate
additional, relevant information on the
specific impact of the conversion on
Dangote Groups staff and expected role of
each staff in our forthcoming publications.

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Dangote donates N100m to Lagos flood victims

By Omowumi Akinmoladun
earthquake here and there. The flood
in Lagos came about as a result of
heavy torrential rain that should have
spanned three months, but which
happened in a day.

DD

angote Group donated

N100 million to the Lagos
State Government to assist
in the rehabilitation of the victims of
the recent flood disaster in the state.

President of the Group, Aliko

Dangote, made the donation when
he led a team of the management of
the Group to the Marina, Lagos
Government House in September. He
informed Governor Babatunde
Fashola of Lagos State, who received
the Dangote entourage that the
gesture was to complement the
governments efforts in resettling the
victims of the devastating July 10
flood. Dangote called on other wellmeaning Nigerians and publicspirited organisations to assist the
government as it cannot meet the
needs of the society all alone.

Fashola, who disclosed that the state

has increased its budgetary allocation
to the ministry of environment, to
enable it to tackle environmental
issues, said Lagos will host an
international conference of Mayors
on Climate Change soon, to share
experiences with other cities.
In his remarks after receiving the
cheque, the governor thanked
Dangote and his team for the
unsolicited donation.
The donation he has made today
demonstrates the high degree of his
public spirit, he said. The strength
of our nation lies in giving back to the
society to help the needy. So many
contributions to the state from him
never get publicised.
The governor, who said the disaster
was unavoidable, added: We have
taken too much from nature and the
reaction is the damage we are
experiencing and it is too much. The
only thing we could do is to develop
strategies to contain it. The effect of
the global warming is much. All over
the world, we could see the effect of
the climate change; flood and
8

He said the state is constructing

resettlement centers at Epe, and
Alimosho, adding that all the state
was putting up was mitigation and
adaptation strategy.

The strength of
our nation lies in
giving back to the
society to help the
needy. So many
contributions to
the state from him
n e v e r g e t
publicised.

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and Gombe States.

The displaced persons in Bauchi received cash and
relief materials worth N40.22 million; those in
Gombe got N9.38 million in cash and materials;
while Kaduna victims, who had earlier received
some materials, also received N317.10 million
cash.
The relief materials donated to each of the victims
included a full range of consumer products of the
Dangote Group such as Danvita, pasta, noodles,
sugar and salt, spaghetti. The items also included
support kits like mosquito nets, tarpaulins,
wrappers, cooking pots, plastic buckets, blankets,
tooth paste, tooth brush, petroleum jelly and
others.

Helping post-election violence

victims back on their feet again
By Francis Awowole-Browne

PP

retty Zainab Kabiru, just like any other girls

of her age, had tall dreams in life. At 15, she
was already learning sewing, a vocation
she had become quite proficient in. By the time
she was 17, she was given out in marriage and was
living happily with her husband and other
relations in Zonkwa, in Zonkwa Local Government
Area of Kaduna State. By the time she was 20 year
old, she was already a widow, nursing two kids.

Her last child was about three months. But before

the child turned four, she had become a widow.
Her husband and other relations had been cut
short in their prime. Their home was not spared; it
was one of the houses razed in the bloody rage
that followed the last April Presidential election.
Zainab and her two children have been displaced
and she is now one of the 65, 000 persons taking
refuge in many of the camps scattered across the
states in the North, created in the aftermath the
post-election violence.
Zainab with her second baby at her back, was met
sewing in the hall and when pressed for her
feelings, she summoned courage to speak in
halting English: I am not happy at all, we stayed
with people at our house; here we are just
isolated. My husband and my relatives were killed.
I was with my kids when the problem started;

The gesture is in line with the Foundations

commitment to assisting victims of crisis, Iya
added. We are giving out items consisting of
food, clothing, and shelter because they are the
basic needs of man. We are also making a cash
donation to help the victims to settle down to
normal life.

somehow we escaped to the police station. They

protected us, before we knew it we have lost
everything. It was from the Police Station that we
were relocated to the Hajj camp over four months
ago. Life has not been the same again. We have
not been seeing anybody.

As a responsible corporate citizen, Dangote

Foundation, the vehicle for the Groups social
responsibilities felt compelled to lend a helping
hand to the people who have suffered
psychological and emotional torture occasioned
by the post-election crisis."

It was in this pitiable condition of feeling

abandoned that the Dangote Foundation, the
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) vehicle of
the Dangote Group, moved in to provide succour
for them.

However, he reiterated that the relief materials

were not intended as compensation for the losses
suffered, but to assist in complementing the
governments efforts at ameliorating the pains the
victims are going through.

Smiles returned to their faces when Dangote

trucks drove into the camp. It started with the
distribution of 6,000 cartons of Dangote noodles
to sustain them during the Ramadan. Mr. Ahmed
Iya, the Executive Director of the Foundation
explained that items that had already been given
out to some other displaced persons included;
textile materials, salt, sugar, tooth-paste, toothbrush, trays, bowls, water bottle, toilet soaps,
petroleum jelly and tarpaulin.

Obviously elated at the gesture of the Foundation,

Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State commended
Aliko Dangote, describing him as a Nigerian, who
has the spirit of human kindness. He noted that
the Dangote Group has spent billions of naira in
humanitarian service in Nigeria and across the
world.

At the end of the distribution exercise, Dangote

Foundation expended N356 million to lift the
victims in three states of Bauchi, Gombe and
Kaduna. They comprise 2,265 families in Kaduna;
and 273 and 67 families, respectively, in Bauchi

NEWS

Award

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

Dangote wins African Business Leader Award,

now greatest African entrepreneur

PP

resident and Chief Executive

Officer of the Dangote Group,
Alhaji Aliko Dangote, in far away
South Africa, won two prestigious African
focus awards: African Business Leader of
the year and African Entrepreneur of the
Year 2011 awards.
With the award, Dangote is
internationally recognized as the greatest
African entrepreneur and the leading
business man in the continent.
In the Africa business leaders category,
Dangote currently the Forbes' African
richest man led two other business
leaders; Adrian Gore, the Chief Executive
Officer of Discovery Holdings, South Africa
and Jubril Adewale Tinubu, Chief
Executive Officer and Managing Director
of Oando Nigeria Plc.
For the African Entrepreneur of the Year
2011, Dangote came ahead of two other
nominees; Leo-Stan Nnamdi Ekeh,
Chairman and CEO of Zinox Technologies,
Nigeria and Bharat Thakrar, Director and
CEO, Scangroup Limited, Kenya.
Captains of industry from within and
outside the African continent witnessed
the ceremony as Dangote was announced
winner of the inaugural awards after
leading three other finalists, including
another Nigerian, to emerge the winner in
the two separate categories of the award
organized by the All Africa Business
Leaders Award (AABLA), in collaboration
with the prominent cable television CNBC.
He was named the winner after the
screening exercise that produced the
finalists who were revealed by a high
profile panel of judges headed by Dr.
Yunus Suleman, Chairman of KPMG, South
Africa.
AABLA explained that Dangote emerged
the winner of the two awards after
thorough and rigorous screening exercise
among about 100 shortlisted business
persons within Africa from where he was
nominated as the winner from the three
finalists.
Announcing the winners at a colourful
ceremony held at the Sandton Sun,
Johannesburg, the organizers described
Dangote as an exemplary entrepreneur
and real business leader in Africa and

Happy Ntshingila (Chief Marketing and Communication Officer, ABSA), (middle) is Anthony Chiejina, Group
Head, Corporate Communications Dangote Group receiving the award for African Business Leader of the year on
behalf of the President, Aliko Dangote and with them (left) is Roberta Naidoo (ABN, Special Assistant to the MD).

beyond, hence his nomination as the final

winner.
The award ceremony, the guest admitted,
was a success as they said they were
leaving the venue better inspired and
more motivated to achieve more, having
listened to the success stories of the
various award winners.
It would be recalled that earlier this year,
the ABN Productions announced the
launch of AABLA in an attempt to identify
and honour Africans who are making a
difference through innovation and
inspiration in their industrial sectors.
Founder of AABLA and Vice Chairman for
ABN Group, Rakesh Wahi said his vision for
the awards is for it to continue to serve as
a platform to discover the business
leaders who are creating a culture of
entrepreneurship, developing best
practices and carving out powerful and
sustainable models of business in the
global economy.
Meanwhile Maria Ramos, Group CEO,
ABSA Group, South Africa, emerged the
Africa Business woman of the year in the
women category coming ahead of two
other finalists.
Other winners and their awards included
the Young Africa Business Leader of the
Year, which was won by James Mworia,
CEO, Centum Investment. The CNBC Africa
Business Success in Africa Award went to
Sim Tshabalala, Deputy CEO, Standard

10

Bank Group
Sim Eshabalala, the Deputy CEO, Standard
Bank Group went away with Leadership in
A r t s A wa rd , w h i l e t h e L i fe t i m e
Achievement Award was won by
Raymond Ackerman, Founder, Pick 'n Pay.
Amongst the honoured guests in
attendance at the ceremony was MEC for
Economic Development; Qedani Dorothy
Mahlangu, Director General Sibusiso Xaba
of the Department of Arts and Culture,
retail pioneer, Raymond Ackerman.
In his response, Dangote who was
represented by the head of the group's
corporate communications, Mr. Tony
Chiejina, expressed his appreciation to
God and organizers of the award for
considering him for the honour despite
the available array of African businessmen
who are also projecting the continent in
good light to the outside world through
their business investments.
He assured that the two awards would
spur him to strive harder to do more
investment within the continent as the
only potent means of dealing with the
scourge of poverty through provision of
gainful employment to Africans.
With the presence of the Dangote group
in 14 African countries, the business
mogul said the conglomerate would
continue to tap into the African potentials
and use it to transform the continent to
the benefit of all.

NEWS

The Crucible

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

The landlord of
Union Marble House
What was the first thing you did as you arrived for work this
morning? You probably pressed the elevator button, waited for it
to arrive; you hopped in, rode to your floor, got out safely and
went about your business of the day without further thought to
the inner workings of the elevator system. Some take the elevator
countless times daily, while others choose to use the stair case.
Whatever the case, if you work at Union Marble House, Falomo,
Ikoyi, Lagos, chances are that you would have used the elevator
at one point or the other
Well, meet Mohammed Yahaya who speaks the language of the
elevators. He knows the elevators and they know him. In this
interview with Toni Anne-Uwaifo, he tells us how he came to be
known as the landlord of Marble House, a typical day in the life
of a lift operator and much more

Can we get to meet you sir?

I am Mohammed Yahaya, the lift operator
for Dangote Group here in Marble House.

Let us start from the nickname. You are

popularly known as landlord around
here, how did you get that name?
(Laughs) People call me landlord
because I have been working here from
the day this building was opened to the
public in 1989, till date. And I am as
acquainted with the building and all its
facilities like the back of my hand.

Really? You mean Dangote Group has

been here since 1989?
No, not Dangote! Well, let me tell you a
little about Marble House, and then you
may understand what I mean. This House
was originally built for Continental
Merchant Bank (CMB) around 1984 1986. It was not known as Union Marble
House then. I joined CMB as lift operator

in 1989. Then, this

building was a rare
edifice and one of its
kind in terms of the
quality of materials
used and its design.
There were not very
many high-rise
buildings in Lagos
then. There was a garden right in front of
the building (at the present day car park
for Directors and the President) with
peacocks strutting around. People even
used to come and take a tour of facilities in
the building.

And you were working as a lift operator?

Yes, the elevators were running
excellently then. We even had intercoms
inside all the elevators, in case of
emergencies. You see, a person like the
late Chief M.K.O Abiola used to be one of
the frequent faces around here. Then
came 1996, when Continental Merchant
Bank joined the list of failed/distressed
banks and was promptly closed by the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The
building was deserted and became like a
ghost town. However, I still continued to
come to work, because the Nigerian
Deposit Insurance Company (NDIC)

officials were around. Those days were

dreary! At the end of 1996, NDIC
liquidated the bank. The House was later
sold to Union Assurance Trustees, a
subsidiary of Union Bank. And that was
how it came by its present name Union
Marble House.

So how did you join Dangote Group?

Well, even after the closure of CMB, I
continued to work as a lift operator after
the new owners Union Assurance
Trustees had taken over because of my
familiarity with the elevator systems in
the building and also because they were
impressed by the efficient and jovial way I
went about my job. One day in late 2001,
the President/Chief Executive, Dangote
Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, came to
inspect the building. He told me he
wanted an office that was structurally
sound and strategically located on the
island. I showed him around the building,
giving him a tour of the facilities. He was
impressed with what he saw. During his
subsequent visits to the House, he came
to know of my history with the building.
He was particularly impressed with my
diligence and assured me of a job with his
organisation when he relocated to the
House. When Dangote Group eventually
Contd on page 12

11

NEWS

The Crucible

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

The landlord of Union Marble House

moved here in 2002, I joined the
organisation, once again as the elevator
operator.

What is a typical workday like in the life

of an elevator operator?
A typical work day is eventful and tasking.
When I get to work, I inspect the machine
room at the rooftop to ensure the
elevators are in sound working
conditions. Then I ensure that all the
elevators are clean, odourless and the
fans installed in them are in good working
conditions. After that, I remain at the
ground floor to monitor the various
elevators to ensure there are no glitches. I
also listen for the elevator bell, which
signals distress for any of the lifts. Once
the particular elevator is identified, I
quickly rush to see what form of
assistance is required. If it is power
problem, the problem is resolved
automatically when the generating sets
c o m e o n . I f i t i s t h e e l e vato r
malfunctioning, I use the release key to
open the elevator doors manually.
Sometimes, the lift is stuck halfway
between two floors. That isit is neither
on one floor or the other. In that case, I
cannot open the elevators because the
walls are covering the doors. So, I use the
inner ladder to get in and manually use
the levers to pull the elevator to a floor, so
we can have access to the elevator doors.
Your answer brings me to my next
question, lets says there is no power
outage but the elevators suddenly stop
working, and I am trapped in the
elevator. What should I do next?
I am very glad you asked this question.
The next thing to do if you are trapped in
an elevator is to look for buttons in the
elevator with the bell sign, when you
locate the button, press the button. The
button triggers an alarm which tells the
elevator operator there is distress in one
of the lifts. The elevator operator traces
the particular elevator and goes with his
release key to manually open the lifts.

Contd from page 11

Personally, I also advise people who ride

elevators regularly to have their mobile
phones on them. There have been
instances where the alarm bell
malfunctioned and did not ring. So, it is
safe to have your phone on you so that
you can call someone else in the building,
who will alert the elevator operator about
your plight. Whatever you do however, do
not panic!

Wow! That is an impressive record, how

do you manage that?
Well, we have the management of
Dangote Group to thank for that. You see
these elevators are supposed to be
managed by Union Properties. But they
are usually slow in responding to calls for
maintenance or repairs of the elevators,
so the General Service Department,
which is the department my operations
fall under, intervenes and carries out
repairs by themselves instead of waiting
for Union Properties. This intervention
performed by the Group has resulted in
the optimal performance of the
elevators. The elevators are old and need
to be changed, Union Properties has
promised to replace them. Well, we are
still waiting.
You sound so enthusiastic about your
job. So, tell us, do you enjoy this job?
Yes, I derive a lot of satisfaction knowing
that the service I render contributes in its
own little way to the success of the
organisation.

You have worked as an elevator operator

for over 20 years. During this time, have
you had any incident or casualty
resulting from an elevator incident in
Marble House?
I am very pleased that in all my years of
working here at Marble House, we have
not recorded any deaths or injury relating
to or arising from the use of the elevators.
Really? What about trappings, has there
ever been an occasion when someone
was trapped for say, a day?
Never! It has never happened here in
Marble House, even though the building
is almost 30 years old, the longest
duration of someone been trapped in the
elevators here is less than 2 hours.

12

So tell us a little about yourself

I am from Bajoga Local Government in
Gombe State. I came to Lagos in 1983
after completing my secondary education
in Gombe. My wife and I have lived in
Lagos since that time, so this state is like a
second home to us. I have four
childrentwo boys and two girls. The
eldest is a girl, Aisha, and she is currently
studying at the University of Maiduguri.
Before we go, can you share with us
safety tips on using elevators?
Always have a mobile phone with you. If
an elevator stalls, dont panic. Use the
distress button with the bell sign on it.
And please do not press the elevator
buttons multiple times as this could
damage the elevators.
Thank you for your time, sir.
It has been my pleasure.

NEWS

Super Subs

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

Dangote Noodles fetes Nigerian Children

13

NEWS

Sonnies World

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

Living in Lagos
Sonnie Evbota of Dangote Cement, Head Office looks at the humorous side of living in Lagos

PP

erhaps, I am the only one who

belongs to the school of thought
that believes 24 hours is barely
enough for one to conclude ones tasks in
one day. What with putting in 12 hours at
work (I doff my hat for Alhaji, President of
Dangote Group who puts in 15); another
two hours crossing the Third Mainland
Bridge to Surulere; one hour explaining to
madam and the kids (if they are still awake)
why you are just coming in when Mr. B in the
opposite apartment has been home since
6.00 p.m.

Another hour is spent taking your bath and

rushing dinner that was prepared about
5.00 p.m. The resultant constipation has
given rise to more pot-bellied men in
circulation these days. You hit the sack
thereafter with one eye open because of
the threats of bombing in the country.
You sleep in a hurrythat is if the noise
from the I-better-pass-my-neighbour
made-In-China contraptions allows you to.
When you are about engaging gear into
drive for deep slumber, the voyage to
dreamland is cut short by your alarm clock.
You manage to wake up and rush to the bath
tubif you live in an apartmentor queue
up for the matchbox convenience if you live
in one of those face-me-I-face-you
apartments. PHCN, still with no legs to
stand on, or knee caps to crawl on, is at its
usual best. You rush out in a hurry to
commute in the ubiquitous danfo buses
(now you know why we forget our caps and
ties).

nothing. The bus conductors have the funny

habit of joining male and female passengers
without sense (some couples in Lagos met
through this arrangement, I was told). And
if you want to receive a synopsis of your life
history added to the already messed up
morning, dare to confront the uncouth
conductors.
The next baptism is the gridlock that may
take hours even on a very good day. It could
be worse if your danfo is right behind one of
those ungainly mechanical contraptions
called molue with mobile chimneys instead
of exhaust pipes (Fashola has brought in
some sanity now with BRT).
You manage to get to the office and you are
faced with the option of having to wait for
the elevators to come on or take the stairs
to your office. While you are still trying to
catch your breathif you opted for the
latterthe gentlemen in black walk up to
you demanding to see your ID cards, ties
and hats/cap. The exchanges between the
security men and the defaulters are better
left for another day.
You take a trip to the water dispenser to
lubricate your alimentary canal. Lo and
behold, that is when the water vendors
decide to apply the handbrakes! Still
smarting from that experience, you engross
yourself in your work as if there is no

You get to the bus stop and your first

baptism is the pungent odour emitted by
the igbo smoking touts demanding union
fees from the danfo drivers. The first insult
you receive from the conductor is enter
with your sense. I no get sense ooo! I go
join you if you no get sense o! Not to worry,
the ensuing match-making costs next to

tomorrow. To keep the medulla oblongata

functioning at optimum levels, we

patronise those seedy joints, whose

inhabitants believe hygiene is only a word in
the dictionary, for lunchparticularly those
of us who cannot wait for the caterers who
arrive at 1.30 pm on a very good day.
The vicious cycle ends and you hit the road
again. Thank God for those air-conditioned
Fashola buses that keep pick-pockets at bay
till you alight at your bus stop. While in
traffic, you come face to face with traffic
urchins who sell epa, guguru and kulikuli
without NAFDAC registration numbers or
expiry dates, and the LASTMEN, who rather
than control traffic, prefer to lay ambush for
traffic offenders. They have since mellowed
down, no thanks to the recent High Court
judgment. When you want to settle down
for a smooth rideif you have a caryou
come face-to-face with the RRS olopas who
want to know what you have even in your
wallets.
After all the hustle and bustle, we take our
cases to God on a Sunday after doing the
household chores on Saturday. You could be
lucky to belong to one of the new
generation churches where dress codes are
imposed, otherwise, you are seated beside
one of those descendants of Jezebel.

14

NEWS

Staff of the Month

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

The Fire Fighters

By Toni-Anne Uwaifo

TT

hey are not your regular fire fighters.

They are actually Dangote Group's
security personnel. These 14 men (whose
photographs are shown below) worked hard to
th
put out the fire on the 5 Floor of Union Marble
House.
It all started when Michael Onyega, who is
th
stationed on the 5 Floor, detected smoke
during his routine half-hour inspection of the
offices on the floor on Saturday, May 7th 2011 at
about 5:45pm when he was about to change
duty with the security personnel on the night
watch.
He quickly alerted other security personnel who
all tried various means to put out the fire as one
of them, Adamu Kemsalem, hurried off to the
Ikoyi Fire Service Station to get help. While
Kemsalem was away, the other security
personnel broke the glass window to the
affected office to enable them to have access to
the office as the keys to the office were
unavailable.
They used the fire extinguishers available to
douse the fire and succeeded in putting it out
before the Fire Service men arrived. The fire
service men later traced the cause of the fire to
faulty electrical sockets. Items destroyed in the
inferno include: tabletop fridge, microwave,
laptops and several other office equipment.
The entire security men on duty that day worked
hard to ensure that the fire did not spread to
adjoining offices or to other floors and for their
hard work and efforts we highly commend them
and enjoin all staff to emulate their courage.

Aliyu Mohammed Gombe

Abubakar Umar

Emmanuel Anyebe

Musa Bukar

Charles Odumodu

Michael Onyega

Adamu Kamselem

Aminu Iliya

Ayuba Bebeji

David Ochigbo

15

Suleimon Mohammed

Udosen James Hope

Mohammed Lawal

Hassan Zourkaleyin

NEWS

Security Tips

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

Security Tips
By Joshua Madami
When using public transportation
When using a commercial bus, be
sure to have your transport fare out
and ready before you leave your
home or the office.

Plan your route to use the busiest,

best-lit areas. This is very
important, both to get on and off
the bus.
If you must wait, stay near the
attendant's stand or in the best-lit
area available.
Keep your purse, shopping bags,
packages, etc, on your lap, in your
arm, or between your feet not by
themselves or on an empty seat,
when you are inside a bus.
Seat near the driver, but not right
next the door.
Don't let yourself doze off on a bus.
It can make you a target!

While in your car

Always lock your vehicle and take the
keys, even if you will go for a short
period of time
Keep your car in good running
condition, and keep the tank at least
one quarter full
Lock doors while driving
If your car breaks down, raise the
hood and place emergency reflector
meters away from the car
Don't just accept help from just
anybody
Be watchful especially of people with
rough bags
Don't give lift at night, especially to
ladies
Control your car keys jealously; never
leave identification mark on the
keys. Such marks help thieves to

locate or identify your car

Try to plan your visit to an ATM

Guard your number plates

carefully by making sure they
are properly fixed to the cars to
avoid falling off

Safety on foot
Safety is very important as life is
precious
Be cautious whenever you are
taking a walk
Choose busy streets
Avoid going through vacant lots,
alleys, or other deserted areas
At night, walk in well-lit areas
whenever possible
Take a friend or neighbour along
for company, when walking or
jogging
Get to know the neighbourhood
and neighbours where you live
or work
Carry your purse/wallet close to
your body and keep firm grip on
it
Avoid pickpockets by carrying
your wallet in an inside coat
pocket or front trouser pocket

Using an ATM

during the day, rather than after

dark
Choose an ATM location that is in a
busy public place
Avoid withdrawals in isolated
areas
If at all possible, take along a
friend who can watch the
surrounding while you are
conducting your transactions
Pre plan your transactions
carefully, and don't spend too
much time at the machine
When you make withdrawal,
quickly place the money in your
purse or pocket and leave as soon
as you finish the transaction
Watch out for suspicious looking
people waiting around they may
not really be customers
If someone offers to let you go
ahead of them decline politely
and leave

God will save us all.

-Madami is the CSO/Investigation Officer
at the Head Office

16

NEWS

Book Review

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

Defeat may test you; it need not stop you. If at first you dont succeed, try another way. For every
obstacle, there is a solution. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. The greatest
mistake is giving up.

The mark of a successful man is one that has spent an entire day on the bank of a river without
feeling guilty about it.

Borrow money from a pessimist-they dont expect it back.

Laughter is the shock absorber that absorbs the blows of life.
I have learned that everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth
occurs while you are climbing it.

Did you realise that opportunities are never lost? Thats because someone will always take the ones
you miss!

If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in the dark with a mosquito!

17

NEWS

Leisure (Jokes, Quotes & Cartoons)

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

Compiled by Toni-Anne Uwaifo

Jok es
View from the casket
While my parents were making their funeral arrangements, the cemetery salesman pointed out a plot that he thought they would
like. You'll have a beautiful view of the swan pond, he assured them.
Dad wasn't sold: Unless you're including a periscope with my casket, I don't know how I'm going to enjoy it.
With Regular Use--Mel Roberts
When asked her opinion on punctuality, an applicant for an office job assured me she thought it was extremely important. "I use
periods, commas, and question marks all the time," she said.
Genes--Jonathan Katz
They've just found a gene for shyness. They would have found it earlier, but it was hiding behind a couple of other genes.
Not so Helpful-The elevator in our building malfunctioned one day, leaving several of us stranded. Seeing a sign that listed two emergency phone
numbers, I dialed the first and explained our situation.
After what seemed to be a very long silence, the voice on the other end said, I don't know what you expect me to do for you; I'm a
psychologist.
A psychologist? I replied. Your phone is listed here as an emergency number. Can't you help us?
Well, he finally responded in a measured tone. How do you feel about being stuck in an elevator?

18

NEWS

Sports

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

Cristiano Ronaldo
vs
Lionel Messi:
Whos better?
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are perhaps two
of the best strikers in the world today. Both currently
play for the two top teams in the Spanish La Liga:
Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively. While they
are both prolific goal scorers, Nefertiti Ohimain, who
works with Projects, looks at what would likely
happen should Messi and Ronaldo for some
inexplicable reason, switch teams.
They are generally regarded as two of the best
footballers in the world today. They also play for
two of the best teams in the world. Goalkeepers
sincerely do not look forward to games against
them because of their penchant for scoring goals.
Lionel Messi, who plays for Barcelona FC of Spain, is
currently the World Footballer of the Year. On the
other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is also prolific
goal scorer, plays for another Spanish giant Real
Madrid CF. He is considered one of the best strikers
in the world today. Messis club, Barcelona, are also
regarded as the best team in the Spanish La Liga,
and the world currentlya position once
comfortably held by Real Madrid.
A look at their pattern of play shows that Barcelona
are a team dependent on passing and possession
system, orchestrated by their world-class
midfielders: Xavi Hernandez and Andreas Iniesta.
These two feed Messi with
strategic passes, which he
converts to goals. Messi fits in
well with this system. Messi
re c e nt l y m a d e h i sto r y i n
Barcelona by emerging joint
second highest goal scorer with a
tally of 194 goals. He tied with
Hungarys Laszlo Kubala, who
made waves in the 1950s.

allowed to be selfish with the ball. He shares this

selfish gene with ex-French international and
Arsenal top striker, Thierry Henry.
However, suppose for one minute that Messi
switched teams and position with Ronaldo, what
would happen?
Ronaldo would for a start, have to learn to share the
balland this might not go down well with him, like
most selfish players. But he would flourish well in
Barcelona with Xavi and Iniesta behind him
because he is a clinical finisher.
Though, Messi on the other hand, is a top goal
scorer for Barcelona, the reason for his success is
perhaps, the superior midfield that he plays with at
Barcelona. Check out his games with the Argentine
National Team: he has not had the same goal
scoring success. This suggests that Messi may rely

more on his teammates than Ronaldo does. Unlike

Messi, Ronaldo has been highly influential in the
Portuguese National Team. If both players swapped
teams, I think Messi could score less goals, while
Ronaldo could have more due to the reasons cited.
Ronaldo could have been the Worlds Best Player if
he were on this fantastic Barcelona team because
he would have a better supporting cast. That would
have made him more dangerous! Messi might not
be as successful in Real Madrid, because many of
his goals are facilitated by the support from his
teammates.
One also has to consider the fact that Ronaldo has
been tested in three different leagues; Portuguese
League (Sporting CP: 2002 - 2003); English Premier
League (Manchester United FC: 2003 2009); and
Spanish La Liga (Real Madrid CF:2009 till date). He
can therefore fit into the Barcelona team or any
other team.
It is doubtful if the same can be said
about Messi, who has been with
Barcelona virtually all his football
playing life.
But the question is still open: If
Ronaldo and Messi swapped teams,
who would do better? Ronaldo or
Messi? Barcelona or Real Madrid?

But with Real Madrid, Ronaldo is

19

NEWS

Sports

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

The craze
for EPL
Tunde Adenuga of Dangote Cement
(Head office) writes on the attraction for the
EPL among Nigerians.

he English Premiership League (EPL)

is perhaps the most interesting
league in the world today. There are
20 clubs in the EPL, which parades high
profile footballers from all over the world.
A number of professional African
footballers feature on the EPL. A few of
them include Didier Drogba (Cote DIvoire);
Michael Essien (Ghana); and Mikel Obi
(Nigeria). All three of them play for Chelsea,
currently one of the top two clubs in the
EPL. Chelsea appears to be a great favourite
among Nigerian football fans, perhaps due
to the large number of Africans in the club.

However, even though Manchester United,

another top club in the EPL and the richest
in the world, does not have Nigerians on the
team, the Red Devils, as they are often
called, have a huge fan base in Nigeria.
Another club that has large followers in
Nigeria is Arsenal, popularly referred to as
the Gunners, while Liverpool also has a lot
of fans.
At social gatherings, in the office and even
within the family setting, EPL is often the
major subject of discussion, particularly
when there is a match in the offing, or one
had just taken place. These have helped to
make the EPL to become more popular
among Nigerians. Despite the
heterogeneous nature of the Nigerian
society, in football, Nigerians appear to
speak one language.
We have different fanatical fans of the EPL

in Nigeria where you often find stickers and

emblems of Manchester United, Chelsea,
Arsenal and Liverpool, on cars. Some even
go as far as buying the jerseys for their
children with the names of their favourite
stars boldly inscribed on the back of the
shirts.
EPL is unique in several aspects, which
make it different from the other European
leagues such as the Spanish La Liga, the
Italian Seria A and the German Bundesliga.
One of the things that make it unique is the
fact that it is a huge money-spinner. It has
got to a level where even parents will want
their children to choose football as career,
based on the weekly wages of a football
player, who earns 150,000 pounds weekly,
apart from extra bonuses.
The fact that a large number of Africans play
in the EPL compared to other European
leagues, also make it popular among
Nigerians. In addition, EPL offers
prospective investors an attractive
proposition such that even if a club is at the
verge of running bankrupt, buyers and big
money spenders scramble to acquire such
clubs.
For instance, Malcolm Glazier, an American

20

bought Manchester United some years

back, when the club was facing financial
crisis, even though the diehard English fans
did not exactly like the idea. Roman
Abramovich, a Russian, owns Chelsea
Football Club. At a time, it was widely
re p o r te d i n t h e m e d i a t h at o u r
President/Chief Executive, Aliko Dangote
was interested in buying Arsenal.
Companies are also into sponsorship of the
EPL. Some of the big brands include: AIG,
Samsung and Emirates.
But the EPL is not without its critics in
Nigeria. For instance, while some Nigerian
stars in the EPL do well at club level, it
seems they are not able to replicate the
performance in the National Team, the
Super Eagles. This has led to calls for a
second National Team made up of local
players by some critics of the EPL, who feel
that Nigerians are giving too much
attention to it to the detriment of the local
league.
Despite criticisms, Nigerian fans and brands
will continue to devote attention to the EPL
until perhaps, the local league is developed
to such a point that it can begin to compete
favourably with the EPL and other top
leagues around the world.

NEWS

Milestones

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

GCOO GED,Logistics & Distribution

clocks marks birthday

50

Mr. Olakunle Alake, our Group Chief Operating Officer (GCOO),

attained the proverbial Golden Age on August 11. In our usual
tradition, top management and staff of Dangote Group as well his
friends and well-wishers outside the Company, gathered in his office
to celebrate the colourful occasion with him.

Our Group Executive Director, Logistics and Distribution, Alhaji

Abdu Dantata, was a year older on September 24. Management
and staff of the organisation trooped out to his office to felicitate
with him and to wish him well in his future endeavours.

Marked on October 13.

Marked on October 14.

21

NEWS

Milestones

The Quarterly newsletter of the Dangote Group

GM, Admin
& Estate
celebrates
birthday
The GM, Admin and
H R , M r. N k e m
Osuagwu also
marked his birthday
on June 28 and was
treated to a party by
staff and wellwishers.

Mr. Mufutau Okeowo of the Admin. Dept.

Dangote Group HQ. gives gratitude to the
Almighty ALLAH (SWT) for His Blessed Gift of a
new baby girl to the Okeowo family. The baby
was born on the 9th of June, 2011 and named:
BALQIS ENIOLOHUNDA OKEOWO.

Mr Eno Ema Okon of Borkir Intl Ltd. took former

Miss Uto Ekong to the altar on11th September,
2011 at Christ for the World Mission, Uyo, Akwa
Ibom State. Dangote News wishes them a happy
married life!

We are pleased to welcome to the Dangote Group

Mr. Maryoud Elsunni who has recently joined as
Executive Director (Eng. & Ops) at Dangote Sugar
Refinery.

Maryoud Elsunni
joins
Dangote Group
Its a girl!!!!

A conjugal bliss

Prior to joining us, he was head-Technical, Sugar

Project of International Fine Food Company
(IFFCO), United Arab Emirates.

Bilikisu Adedejis twins

mark birthday

Taiwo Muyeenat Adedeji and Kehinde

Muyeebat Adedeji, twin daughters of Mrs.
Bilikisu Adedeji of DFM, celebrated their 10th
birthday on August 29 2011

22

Basirat celebrates

A k i n o l a B a s i ra t o f o u r I m p o r t
Documentation Unit in Head Office,
celebrated her birthday on 24 t h
September, 2011. With her is Roees, her
son.