By BODE ODESEYE

For decades, billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Femi Otedola has continued to shine brightly like a star. In his late 50’s, Otedola is the dream of every aspiring youth who wants to make an impact in life in Nigeria and beyond.

As the Chairman of Forte Oil PLC, he transformed the moribund petroleum marketing business, formerly known as African Petroleum PLC, into a thriving business organization with a mammoth staff and impressive balance sheet. He also achieved a feat as the founder of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited. Over time, his business interests have expanded to include shipping, real estate, finance and more.

Otedola’s meteoric rise in the business world is commendable. He had his eyes set on greatness and he attained it with panache. His reputation as a business genius has made him a mentor to a multitude of youths who want to achieve success like he did.

Having conquered the oil and gas industry, Otedola established the Geregu Power PLC in 2019, as its Executive Chairman. “In line with my principle of business focus, we have divested from our marketing and upstream businesses and shall from now on focus and consolidate on the gains of our power generation business, Geregu Power PLC,” he announced in June, 2019.

As a compassionate Nigerian, he takes the plights of the under-privileged to heart. His philanthropic gestures, too numerous to mention, include supporting various charitable causes of his late father, Sir Michael Otedola, the 9th executive governor of Lagos State, aside from the massive support he gives to noble causes with the Femi Otedola Foundation.

In 2005, he provided the whopping sum of 200 million naira and assumed control of the Sir Michael Otedola Scholarship Scheme founded in 1987 by his father and in 2007, he donated 100 million naira to the Lagos State Government headed by former governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, (SAN), for the upliftment of the Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Noforija, Epe, Lagos.

More recently, in 2019, he supported the Save the Children’s initiative in Nigeria, at an event organized by one of his daughters, Florence “Dj Cuppy” Otedola with 5 billion naira, (14.5 million dollars). He fulfilled his promise of giving 25,000 dollars per goal to the representatives of Nigeria’s Super Eagles after the AFCON 2019 semi-final’s match against Algeria, and in April 2019, he gave the ailing former captain of Super Eagles, Christian Chukwu, 50,000 dollars for the treatment of prostate cancer in the United Kingdom. He also extended a helping hand to the ailing Nigerian lecturer, Inih Ebong, who was an associate professor in the department of Theatre Arts, University of Uyo, diagnosed of cardiac failure.

When the Covid-19 global pandemic broke out in Nigeria, Otedola supported the Central Bank of Nigeria/Nigerian Private Sector’s Coalition Against Covid-19, (CACOVID), with one billion naira donation in April, 2020.

Otedola has bagged several awards for his tremendous impact on the society. In 2008, he was awarded as the ThisDay newspaper’s Entrepreneur of the Year and this coveted award was presented by Nigeria’s former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon.

More recently, he got the 2018 Zik Prize in Business Leadership Award; he was named ThisDay Philanthropist of the Decade, and he also got listed as one of the Top 100 Most Reputable Africans in a poll organized by Reputation Poll International, a leading global management firm known globally for its annual ranking of the 100 Most Reputable People on Earth.

Source: www.excelintercontinental.com

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