Aliko Dangote, Nigeria’s most eligible bachelor and poster boy for Nigeria’s exceptionalism, mourned the death of his friend, banker and the co- founder of Access bank, Herbert Wigwe, intensely when he passed earlier this year.
The loss was personal and painful for him.
That was why he was at Wigwe’s service of songs at the Eko hotel, which lasted for 7 days, and he travelled to Isiokpo, the home town of the Wigwe, to witness the lowering of his friend’s body to the grave.
Few people comprehend the depth of Aliko’s grief, but the truth was this:
If Herbert Wigwe were to be alive today, the drama between Aliko Dangote and this government would not have reached this level.
Wigwe could have used his vast access to Aso Rock and his relationship with the current power brokers to solve the problem for his friend Aliko.
2 months ago, at the last Afreximbank’s Trade and Investment Forum in The Bahamas, Dangote paid a glowing tribute to his late friend Herbert Wigwe, who he said was instrumental to the success of the refinery today.
He was right.
Note that he didn’t mention the name of his bestie, Femi Otedola, during his glowing tribute to the late Herbert at Bahamas, and the reason was not far-fetched:
No other living person played the behind-the-scenes role that Wigwe did in order to make sure that the Dangote refinery project did not fail.
At the peak of COVID, Dangote refinery, which was at the construction stage, had issues with funding.
Guess who pulled the string and hustled to secure additional funding to ensure the project’s continuation.
Herbert Wigwe
Wigwe was more than a banker and a friend to Dangote; he was an ally and a fixer who would have fixed problems like this present drama that Dangote is facing with the NNPC and the oil cabals.
Looking at how intractable the problem has been, I know that Dangote must have missed his friend so much.
He must have been missing him because the late Herbert Wigwe was a man of value who solved difficult problems for his numerous friends.
I’m just thinking about this, and I’m reminded why it is important to be a man/woman of value to your friends.
Pay attention to other people’s lives.
See how you can make their lives easier.
It is not about what you want to gain from this person; rather, how do you make his/her life easier?
Trust me
Becoming a person of value is the fastest way to win the hearts of those you call your friends, as well as forge meaningful relationships.
This is also an effective way to influence others.
They recognise your value and dependability.
Human beings are, by default, selfish by nature, but the only reason why a person of influence like Aliko Dangote will call you his friend is when you, as his friend, offer value and results.
With this knowledge, he can open a gate in his heart and then give you the grandest seat to sit on.
Oh! If Femi was here, he would solve this problem for me.
If Adanna were here, I wouldn’t be facing this challenge today.
If not for Chijoke, this project would not have been a reality.
May our friends say this of us.
But more than anything else,
Invest in relationships.
Invest in people.
Pay attention to people’s lives.
The return on investment can change your life.
My life is a living testimony.
