Farouk Martins Aresa @oomoaresa
\nDangote became the richest man in Africa by being smart, enterprising, and influencing
\nAny Party In Power. He met money at home as one of those sons of Dantata, one of the
\nrichest men in Nigeria. Dangote turned millions into billions by being well educated and
\nexposed to the intricacies of politics and the business world. Though each time he was
\napproached to go into politics, he shied away. Why would he join a party when he could
\ncontrol any of them from a distance?
\nThis is a man that spent some of his life abroad, studied and participated in their
\nbusiness process and even got burnt. He withdrew back into Nigerian business which
\nhe was more familiar with, to increase the wealth and fortune of the Dantata families.
\nHaving got to the point of becoming a billionaire and the richest Blackman in the world,
\nwe can all agree that this is an accomplishment of enormous value worthy of respect
\nand praise he is getting today.
\nUnfortunately, he wants to explore the world Market again. This time putting much more
\nmoney than any black man at stake, made solely in Africa. Dangote needs not be
\nreminded of the uphill battle he faces as a Blackman in the world of international
\nbusiness and markets. Especially, European and American markets that are rigged in
\nfavor of the privileged big boys. There was this Nigerian on 60 Minutes some years ago
\nthat made a huge bet and won big on the Wall Street Stock Market. They refused to pay
\nup, based on the excuse that his financial leverage or backing was not solid.
\nWell, Dangote is not only bankable, he is also a billionaire with enough smart and
\nintelligence to make it even bigger by opening offices in Europe and America. If that is
\nall it takes, Dangote may become the biggest African abroad since Musa Kanka Musa
\nand the Queen of Sheba, the richest humans on Earth of all time. He knows the risk he
\nfaces but sometimes most rich black folks get a little complacent in Europe and America
\nthinking they can play by the same rules.
\nUnfortunately, if all it takes is African riches and intelligence, Africa would be ruling the
\nworld and not be the face of poverty today. In that case, it is incomprehensible why a
\nman with so much equity would fall into the same trap that doomed the dreams of many
\nAfricans overseas. While it may be true that some of us may exaggerate the vestiges
\nand repercussion of discrimination, only a naive Blackman would not be prepared for it.
\nThose of us that have witnessed the biggest and most successful black men and
\nwoman pulled down for various reasons also point to those still doing well without the
\nsame form of harassment faced by other successful Africans, African\/Americans or
\nAfrican Europeans. Indeed, any African that wants to be successful would not allow the
\ndifficulties of facing discrimination to stop him.
\nYet, no Blackman or Black woman has succeeded better than Dangote outside Africa.<\/p>\n
price for success involve many sacrifices many Africans are willing to pay. The
\nproblem is when you get to a stage when you think nobody can touch you. Some
\nAfricans even think they are protected by all the rules and laws that protect white folks.
\nIt is a big mistake that have spelt their downfall. After all, most of us think that since we
\nhave paid our dues with blood and sweat, we should be free like anyone else.
\nThis is how African children in Diaspora feel growing up thinking they have as much
\nright as their white friends. We have to be factual without damaging their confidence:
\nthe system isolates them for discipline even if they are not doing anything different from
\ntheir white friends right from the day they enter kindergarten to when they finish college
\nand join the workforce. Discrimination against blacks is real throughout. But children
\nhave an inmate view of fairness and younger folks, a stronger view of right and wrong.
\nSo, what do you need to tell a grown man like Dangote that he does not already know?
\nComplacency! It catches up with us when we least expect it. The message to young
\nblack males from the personal encounters of Four Star General Colin Powell (Pre. Bush
\nSecretary of State) with the Police in America until they realize his statute and pay their
\nrespect: is to remain calm and expect some indignities. Mark Foreman, the policeman
\nduring O.J Simpson trial said any black man driving a Cadillac without a three-piece suit
\nwas a suspect.
\nThese facts are necessary to drive home the point that no black man or woman no
\nmatter how highly placed, would get the same treatment in business as the privileged
\nwhite boys in control of every nook and corner of transactions especially in high places
\nthat control European and American wealth. The game has never changed in hundreds
\nof years. While there is more transparency, odds against Africans has never vanished!
\nThe first observation Dangote would notice is the difference between the African
\nBillionaire on regular business visits and the African Billionaire hustling for more
\nbusiness opportunities to take them by storm or sneakily like European explorers. Even
\nhighly recognizable personalities like Oprah and the new black Princess of England with
\na new baby called derogatory name, would tell you their stories. There is no place on
\nearth more comfortable for a rich black man or woman than Africa. Olohun!
\nIt is so easy to forget the treatment you get outside Africa if you have returned home;
\nonly to visit Europe, America and Asia once a while or regularly on business trips. Even
\nthen, the demeaning treatments from Immigration and Custom would make you wonder
\nif you are really \u201call that\u201d or worth the trouble. Suspicion of money laundering, cash in
\ndiplomatic bags and in the planes, with or without personal knowledge of African head
\nof states, has eroded any benefit of doubt accorded to African diplomats or billionaires.
\nMore troublesome, it has lent credence to the suspicion of every black doing very well.
\nThose with foreign passports are not exempted from shabby treatment based on the
\ncolor of their skin. We can blame drug and human trafficking but those heinous crimes
\nare easily committed by the big white boys than Africans. Africans are not the only ones<\/p>\n
committing crimes but more of their innocent people suffer ignoble treatment as a result. It is
\none of those penalties you take into consideration when traveling abroad.
\nNevertheless, Dangote is a grown experienced man that has made a great deal of money in
\nAfrican countries. It would be a cold day in hell if Dangote returned to Africa with nothing after
\nbeing dispossessed by the big white boys he decided to play with. When they see a rich African,
\nthey see gold, diamond, uranium, cobalt, etc. as an opportunity to make a killing. He might
\nbecome another prodigal African son that lost his hard-earned money abroad!
\nBiko Dangote, think about Black Walls Street of the Tulsa Race Massacre where the city\u2019s black
\ndistrict of Greenwood was considered one of the most affluent African American communities
\nin the United States for the early part of the 20th century.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Farouk Martins Aresa @oomoaresa Dangote became the richest man in Africa by being smart, enterprising, and influencing Any Party In Power. He met money at home as one of those…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":57161,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71304","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-opinions"],"yoast_head":"\n