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By Funsho Arogundade
For more than two decades, enigmatic billionaire, Femi Otedola has been in the spotlight as a shrewd business magnate. Undeniably, Otedola has turned into an intriguing personality who has dealt with a case of conspiracy theories and the fifth columnists. Yet, his calm mien makes it easy to underestimate him, but that will be at your peril.
For so many years, many have subtly been probing deeply into his personal life while others eagerly wait to learn more about the man Otedola’s business ethics and secret via his memoirs. They believe it will simply be an unputdownable copy to own. That suspense is about to become reality. On Monday August 18, Otedola, self-made entrepreneur and Forbes-rated billionaire, will unveil his inspirational memoirs titled ‘Making It Big: Lesson from a Life in Business’.
Otedola chairs boards of both First HoldCo Plc and Geregu Power Plc. This position has turned Otedola into a major force in two of the country’s most important industries: energy and finance. As one of notable business leaders who oversee multi-billion naira companies that play vital roles in the Nigerian economy, his new book is expected to be a master class in attaining and maintaining a positive mindset and a reminder that it is possible to defy the odds, no matter how stacked they are against you. This highly anticipated book offers a rare and powerful glimpse into the experiences, strategies, and vision that shaped one of Africa’s most influential figures.
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Spotlight learnt that about 12 years ago, Otedola commissioned two of Nigeria’s best writers and polemicists —Kunle Bakare, publisher of Encomium and Simon Kolawole, publisher, The Cable— to help him put his ideas and business secrets into a compelling read for all. The two gentlemen —who are masters of fluid narration— have since helped Otedola to deliver a fascinating and insightful business book.
In November 2019, Otedola announced the final wrap of a series of interviews on the book conducted by Bakare and Kolawole spanning 18 months across Lagos, Monte Carlo, Paris, New York, London and Dubai. Set against a backdrop of momentous events he has lived through, Otedola reveals his ‘secret weapon’ of noticing and exploiting business opportunities much earlier than his contemporaries, building political connections and surviving the storms.
The book charts Otedola’s ambition, hard work, successes, challenges and setbacks —from making a billion, to losing a billion to making it back again— and, as one of Africa’s richest men, settling into a philanthropic role to give back to the continent.
Spotlight learnt that after a six-year delay, the 62-year old Odoragunshin, Epe-born business tycoon is finally ready to release the much anticipated business lessons book —primed to be a bestseller— for public consumption.
