By Promise Eze
The long-awaited inauguration of the Dangote Refinery in Lagos took place on Monday, May 22, 2023.
Buhari reportedly inaugurated the facility o n the nation’s commercial city — as bigwigs, industry players, and presidents of African countries, gathered to witness the unveiling of a $19 billion facility, set to revolutionise crude oil refining in Africa.
The landmark inauguration comes a decade after Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest businessman, announced plans for the refinery in September 2013, when he secured about $3.3 billion in financing for the project.
But what many people don’t know is that the refinery was initially meant to be sited in Ondo state before it was later moved to Lagos State under the immediate past administration in Ondo state.
A Twitter user @TheKayodeBadmus made a very interesting revelation about this recently.
He wrote:
A short story…
I hear this Dangote Refinery is about 4 times the size of the whole Victoria Island. This however isn’t the story.
Many years ago, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote dreamt of building Africa’s biggest refinery which will compete with other global producers.
He decided to situate it in the the major oil producing state in Yorubaland, Ondo.
Originally, an expanse of land was desired for the project in a place called Olokola, a free trade zone the Ondo state government was trying to develop.
Dangote had been in talks with the government of Olusegun Agagu who however lost his office to Olusegun Mimiko after an Appeal Court judgement in 2009.
Apparently, Dr. Mimiko didn’t really fancy the idea and left Dangote and his people alone to their fate.
They faced ridiculous demands from the land owners at Olokola. Unconfirmed reports also claim Mimiko might have requested for a personal bribe which reportedly infuriated Aliko Dangote but the former governor has repeatedly denied this allegations.
According to Mimiko, only Dangote can state the reason he left Ondo.
In his frustration however, Dangote expressed his desire to then Lagos Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola who swiftly advised that same project be brought to Lagos as the state will accommodate it.
Fashola is reported to have promised to do everything possible to ensure it sees the light of day.
In a twinkle of an eye, the land emanated in Ibeju-Lekki and the rest is history…the rest is absolute history.
“It is very painful that we lost Dangote Refinery to Lagos state. Very painful,” current Ondo state Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu is quoted to have said some years back.
As the WORLD commissions Dangote Refinery today, the edifice will create about 300,000 jobs while it has the capacity to harbor every single crude oil Nigeria generates.
Atleast 7 Heads of states are expected at the commissioning including President Buhari and his successor, BAT.
A short story…
I hear this Dangote Refinery is about 4 times the size of the whole Victoria Island. This however isn’t the story.
Many years ago, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote dreamt of building Africa’s biggest refinery which will compete with other global producers. pic.twitter.com/wGGVmKnleY
— Prince de Lagos💡 (@TheKayodeBadmus) May 22, 2023
