Mrs Alakija has now surpassed the queen of all media, Oprah, as the richest black woman in the world by a whopping $500million. According to Forbes, she is Africa’s first self-made billionaire she has reinvented the term ‘entrepreneur’ and put the term ‘afropreneur’ on the map! For her to become the richest woman black woman in the world is true inspiration that there is no room for mediocrity and that hard work truly pays off.
She started her climb on the ladder of financial domination when she opened up her fashion house – Supreme Stitches. Soon enough she was dressing Nigeria’s high society including former first lady Maryam Bandandiga and eventually Supreme Stitches became a household name. Many people saw her venture into fashion especially at that time (late 1980’s) as a big risk firstly because the African fashion industry was practically non-existent, additionally because her educational background was in secretarial studies.
In 1993 she ventured into oil production once she had controversially been awarded an oil exploration licence by the government. I say controversial because many site her close relationship with the first lady at the time (Maryam Bandandiga) as the real reason she got the competitive licence. Oil has become her main source of income through her company Famfa Oil Limited where she also serves as executive vice chairman.
Besides her passion for fashion and oil she has published many books and prides herself at being well versed on the trials and tribulations of marriage, which she counsels people on. Above and beyond all of this she is a philanthropist, through her many charity networks she has played special attention to widows and orphans working tirelessly to empower them. She does this through sponsorship for education, providing residence for those that require it as well as through training. Mrs Folorunsho Alakija is the perfect example that anything is possible if you put your mind to it, and you can give back at the same time too.
Photo Credit: Forbes
Leyla Ismaily
