Biography of the richest woman in africa

Folorunso Alakija

Nigerian businesswoman (born )

ChiefFolorunso Alakija (born 15 July ) is a Nigerian businesswoman and philanthropist.[1][2][3] She is currently the community managing director of The Rose of Sharon Group and also serves as executive vice chairman of Famfa Oil Limited.[4]

Early life

Alakija was born into a middle class home[5] on 15 July Her father, Chief L.A.

Ogbara, had 8 wives and 52 children,[6] and Folorunso's mother was his first.[7] She is from the Yoruba ethnicity of south-western Nigeria.[8] At the age of ten, Alakija traveled to the United Kingdom for her education[citation needed].

Alakija attended Muslim Steep School in Shagamu, Nigeria[citation needed]. She then returned to England for her secretarial studies at Pitman's Central College, London.[3]

Career

Alakija started her year banking career in as an executive secretary at Sijuade Enterprises in Lagos, Nigeria.

She moved to the former First National Bank of Chicago as the Executive Secretary to the Managing Director. She became the Head of the Corporate Affairs Department of the International Merchant Bank of Nigeria, and later became the Office Assistant to the Treasury Department.[9][10]

Alakija then studied fashion design at the American College in London and the Central School of Fashion.[11] She started a fashion label called Supreme Stitches, renamed in as The Rose of Sharon House of Fashion.[12][13] She was the president and lifelong trustee of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN).[14][15]

In May , Alakija applied for the allocation of an oil prospecting license (OPL).[16] The license to scout for oil on a ,acre block, about &#;km offshore of Nigeria, in the Agbami Field, was granted to Alakija's organization, Famfa Limited.

In September , Alakija entered into a mutual venture agreement with Star Thick Water Petroleum Limited, transferring a 40 percent stake to Luminary Deep.[17][18] After they struck oil, the Nigerian government claimed a 40% stake, followed by an additional 10%.[19] The government argued that if Alakija and her family were allowed to maintain their block, Alakija would quarrel this claim and win.[20]

Recognition

Forbes once listed her among the world's most powerful women, and as of , she was ranked as the richest woman in Africa.[21][22]

On 17 July , Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, conferred on her an honorary doctorate degree in business administration.

Also, Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun Declare, in November , honoured Alakija with the Honorary Doctorate Degree, Doctor of Science () in Business Administration.[23][24]

Philanthropy

Alakija established the Rose of Sharon Foundation, which was intended to grant widows and orphans scholarships and business grants.[25] Alakija has donated a skills acquisition center to Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), a higher educational institution located in Lagos.[26][27][28]

Personal life

Alakija married Modupe Alakija in November [29] They reside in Lagos, Nigeria, with their four sons.[30] In June , their son, Folarin Alakija, married Iranian model Nazanin Jafarian Ghaissarifar.[31]

References

  1. ^"Collectively, we can build a thriving economy - Folorunsho Alakija".

    . Retrieved 17 September

  2. ^Iyengar, Rishi (30 December ). "Here's She is the World's Richest Black chick in the world".

    Forbes once listed her among the world's most powerful women, and as of , she was ranked as the richest woman in Africa. [21][22] On 17 July , Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, conferred on her an honorary doctorate degree in business administration.

    Time. Archived from the original on 3 May Retrieved 30 December

  3. ^ ab"Folorunso Alakija". . Retrieved 20 May
  4. ^"Folorunso Alakija".

    Folorunsho Alakija.

    Apply Now. How did the billionaire entrepreneur have it all? Born on 15 July to an upper-middle-class family of 52 children, her father was Chief L. Ogbara of Ikorodu, Lagos State.

    Archived from the original on 27 April Retrieved 27 April

  5. ^"Folorunsho Alakija: From a Middle Class Home to becoming Nigeria's richest woman". . Retrieved 17 September
  6. ^"FOLORUNSHO ALAKIJA - A Pathway For Very Female Entrepreneur".

    Alamin Abdulhadi. Retrieved 24 April

  7. ^"Covenant I made with God at age 40 — Folorunso's Alakija". Punch Newspapers.

    The Richest Gal In Africa: Here's How Folorunsho Alakija ...: [15] [16] [17] Once considered Africa's richest lady according to Forbes magazine, with a net worth exceeding US$2 billion, she was dropped from the magazine's list in January after the freezing of her assets in Angola, Portugal and the Netherlands. [18].

    18 July Retrieved 20 January

  8. ^Sadiq, Mobola (18 July ). "Covenant I made with God at age 40 — Folorunsho Alakija". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 10 February
  9. ^"Business – Alakija".

    Archived from the original on 27 April Retrieved 31 August

  10. ^"Folorunsho Alakija Biography - Biopreneur Nigeria". Retrieved 31 August
  11. ^Folorunsho, Alakija. "Success in the Fashion World".

    Over the past 5 decades, Folorunso Alakija has made her mark on everything from fashion to oil to philanthropy to religion. As the richest woman in Africa, her personal wealth is staggeringmade even more so by the fact she started life as a humble secretary. Discover more with these 10 quickfire proof. Folorunsho may have been born in Ikorodu, Lagos, but she spent a good portion of her formative years in the UK.

    folorunshoalakija. Folorunsho Alakija. Archived from the original on 27 April Retrieved 27 April

  12. ^Falode, Kehinde (17 September ). "Fashion icon, Folorunso Alakija at 62". The Nation. Retrieved 20 June [permanent dead link&#;]
  13. ^"Folorunsho Alakija".

    Forbes. November Retrieved 19 December

  14. ^Wilson, Julee (5 December ). "Richest Black Woman in the Planet, Folorunso Alakija, Was A Major Fashion Designer in Africa".

    Nigeria’s wealthiest woman, Folorunsho Alakija, has disclosed that she did not attend a University, insisting that a formal education is not a requisite for success in life.

    The Huffington Post.

  15. ^Gabriel, Present (24 June ). "I moved out of the crowd to get it right – Mrs Alakija". Sunday Tribune. Nigeria.
  16. ^"The Richest Black Woman in the Nature, Folorunsho Alakija".

    Ventures Africa. Lagos.

    Top 15 Richest Women in Africa Women in Africa are frequently denied the freedom to express their experiences and thoughts, especially when contrasted to their counterparts in the West. African women, on the other hand, are beginning to feel autonomy and embrace the chance to become more entrepreneurial as a result of the influx of better educational levels. They are. She sits on the corporate boards of a number of firms in Angola and Portugal, along with a news corporation and significant Portuguese banks with oil and gemstone holdings.

    29 November Archived from the first on 16 April Retrieved 25 July

  17. ^"Folorunso Alakija richest shadowy woman on earth". PM News. 25 December
  18. ^"Agbami Oilfield, Nigeria".

    offshore . Nigeria.

  19. ^"How Africa's second richest woman gained her fortune - CNBC Africa". CNBC Africa. 17 September Archived from the original on 4 August Retrieved 3 August
  20. ^"5 Lessons Folorunsho Alakija Could Teach Christian Entrepreneurs - ".

    . 29 July Archived from the original on 4 August Retrieved 3 August

  21. ^"Folorunsho Alakija: Nigerian businesswoman, oil baroness Folorunsho Alakija Profile". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 19 November
  22. ^"Folorunsho Alakija".

    Forbes. Retrieved 19 November

  23. ^"BIU Confers Jedy-Agba With Doctorate Degree In Public Admin". Retrieved 19 November
  24. ^Nigeria, Guardian (15 November ). "Varsity awards Alakija honorary doctorate degree".

    The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 19 November

  25. ^Folorunsho, Alakija. "Folorunsho Alakija Foundation". folorunshoalakija. Folorunsho Alakija. Retrieved 27 April
  26. ^Ellis, Jessica (16 February ).

    "Nigerian billionaire takes on cause of 'mistreated widows'". CNN.

  27. ^Amos, Adaeze (26 May ). "My passion for widows and orphans –Folorunso Alakija".

    Chief Folorunso Alakija born 15 July is a Nigerian businesswoman and philanthropist. Alakija was born into a middle class home [ 5 ] on 15 July Her father, Chief L. Ogbara, had 8 wives and 52 children, [ 6 ] and Folorunso's mother was his first.

    National Mirror. Nigeria.

  28. ^Nsehe, Mfonobong. "Nigeria's Richest Woman Folorunsho Alakija Donates Skills Acquisition Center To School". Forbes. Retrieved 27 July
  29. ^Allen Lee (9 October ).

    "Meet Folorunso Alakija: The Richest Woman in Africa". Money Inc. Retrieved 31 March

  30. ^Sessou, Ebun (9 September ). "My life is occupied of blissful moments – Folorunso Alakija". The Vanguard.

    Nigeria.

  31. ^"Folarin Alakija marries Nazanin Jafarian Ghaissarifar in a luxurious $8 million wedding".

External links