DANGOTE'S WEALTH NOT ORDINARY
As a teenager, Aliko Dangote he began to work for his uncle, Sani Dangote and it was said of him that he served diligently. Sometime in 1977 and after his 20th birthday, he approached his uncle and master and told him about his plan to establish a business outfit which would trade in cement, sugar, rice, pasta, salt, cotton, millet, vegetable oil and other products. His uncle provided a loan of N500,000 but gave a caveat to Aliko to return the loan within a deadline of three-months(this was the practice at the time).
Dangote first of all relocated to Lagos in June 1977, the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, also, he then began to travel around Nigeria to develop a strong distribution channel for the quick and efficient delivery of his products. A few years earlier, the Benin Airport had been constructed. This served as one of his routes to the Niger-Delta or South-South area of Nigeria.
Benin, formerly known as the City of Blood was then experiencing a great revival through 39 year old Benson Andrew Idahosa, a Bini man, who was established as a young Christian in the Assemblies of God and now pastored the Church of God Mission. Idahosa who had recently returned from a missionary school in America had established strong links with a number of pastors such as Gordon Lindsay, Jim Bakker and T.L Osborn among others.
Tommy Lee Osborn, one of the greatest evangelists in modern times had first responded to Benson Idahosa’s letters in 1962. Subsequently, a solid relationship was established over the years resulting in Osborn’s visits with his wife, Daisy to Benin on a few occasions, either for his crusades or specifically to Idahosa’s Church.
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Of all the visits however, one specific visit in the late 1970s was very unique. T.L and Daisy Osborn had stayed late ministering at the Miracle Centre of Church of God Mission just opposite the Airport. They therefore went late to catch their flight to Lagos which was supposed to be a connecting flight from Johannesburg to France, England and then the USA.
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By the time Idahosa took his guests to the airport, they were told that the last flight for the day was overbooked. Not one seat was available, the passengers had boarded and the flight about to take off.
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Not only that, the jetliner had begun to taxi towards the runway. Benson Idahosa’s new mercedes sped towards the tarmac and screeched to a halt in front of the plane. Benson Idahosa came out and waved at the pilot frantically. The plane stopped and the steps were lowered as the pilot came down to know what the issue was. I He was finally given a seat and let into the plane.
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Benson Idahosa stopped the first man in in the aisle of the plane. He asked him “young man, what is your name and what do you do?” “My name is Aliko Dangote and this is my assistant” the young man replied. “I am a trader, a businessman”. Impressed. Benson Idahosa responded “The World will get up for you” the mostly Christian passengers responded “Amen”. “My God will bless you! God will take you and your business beyond Africa and bless you beyond measure”.
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Just before descending the steps, Idahosa turned and raised his hands with tears in his eyes, praised the Lord and blessed the remaining passengers for their patience. They all broke out in spontaneous clapping. See you on ‘Redemption Hour’ this Sunday evening he said. They clapped as T.L and Daisy Osborn boarded for the subsequent flight. The world has since stood up for that twenty something year old man.