One of the richest woman in Africa, 63 years old Folorunsho
Alakija made this revelation, yesterday, August 27 while giving a motivational
speech to the students of the University of Lagos during the 2014 UN
International Youths Day in Lagos.
While speaking to the students;
Alakija opened up about her background she said: “I come from Ikorodu, Lagos
state. I am married to a dashing young lawyer of 70 years of age and we have
four grown up gentlemen and grandchildren. It has not been a rag to riches
fairy tale. It has not been an overnight phenomenon like some cases which you
find here and there all over the world. For as long as I can remember, I had
always wanted my own business.
Hard work, I am trying to
tell you how I got to where I am if you want those billions. Hard work,
diligence, persistence; there are days where you nearly gave up but I chose not
to give up.”
It would have been easy to
compromise but I chose not to and I stayed focus. I could have stayed a
secretary as my father desired according to his plan for me but I had bigger
aspirations. I dreamt big. God strengthened me and gave me wisdom. I had a
passion and burning desire to succeed. Being a secretary, a banker, a fashion
icon, a cooperate promoter and printer, a real estate owner, an oil magnate,
that I can assure you was no easy feat. Firm belief that what is worth doing is
what doing well or not doing at all.
I took charge of my life
with the tools I have shared with you. I chose to become born again at the age
of 40.
I chose to make a covenant
with God that if he would bless me I would work for him all the days of my
life. I chose to hold on to the cross and look up to him every step of the way.
Today additional accomplishment includes a wife of almost 40 years, a mother,
grandmother, ministry, counselling, outreach, NGO Rose of Sharon Foundation for
widows and Author, writer, author of several inspirational books.
All I say to the glory of
God. So I am 63 and I am not yet done. So what is your excuse? I never went to
a University and I am proud to say so because I don’t think I have done too
badly. You do not have to have a University education to be able to make it so
count yourselves privileged to have that education as part of the feather in
your cap” she said.
Billionaire oil mogul,
Folorunsho Alakija who is reportedly worth $2.5billion is the chairman of Famfa
Oil.
In May 2014, she was listed
among Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women in the World for 2014.
In 2013 Folorunsho Alakija
defeated Oprah Winfrey to become the richest black woman in the world.
Alakija started her career
as a secretary in a bank in the mid1970s,
she then studied fashion in London and returned to Nigeria to start a
label, Supreme Stitches. But her biggest break came in oil.
In 1993, her company, Famfa
Oil, was awarded an oil prospecting license, which later became OML 127, one of
the country’s most prolific oil blocks, by then-president Ibrahim Babangida.
Alakija also has a charity
called the Rose of Sharon foundation that helps widows and orphans by
empowering them through scholarships and business grants.
Folorunsho Alakija is
happily married and blessed with four sons: Rotimi, Dele, Ladi and Folarin.
Inspiring
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