Every now and then, an idea sticks so stubbornly that the moment you commit it to paper, it takes a life of its own. Perhaps that’s the whole essence of the written word. Words that convey great ideas have great power. They can change people’s lives in ways that cannot be easily imagined. When it is written, the intergenerational value is preserved. I write this with a context in mind. For societies that do not progress much, you would observe an enduring dilemma: those who have something to share hardly write and those who are written for don’t read.
Some weeks ago, I read A Good African Story: How a Small Company Built a Global Coffee Brand (2014) by Andrew Rugasira. At the time of purchase, what caught my attention was the part of the title – “A Good African Story.” I do not intend to review the book; however, I was pleased that the author devoted some space to identifying the unique challenges of African entrepreneurs (with global outlooks and aspirations) within the context of the prevailing impacts of pre-colonial and post-colonial histories. For example, in Chapter 1, he asks the question: What’s wrong with Africa? He attempts a response guided by the contributions of scholars and his own lived experiences as a young man growing up in Uganda during the heat of military dictatorship and the scourge of ‘African bigmanism.’ While the book is an insightful read, I am always impressed by people’s efforts in sharing their stories. My view is that those who have achieved great things should give back. They should write. This way, those who intend to achieve a similar feat may find some guide or better still, some inspiration. The contributions of African entrepreneurs can make some significant difference in this respect. Those who have done this should be commended and celebrated. There is no doubt that we need a more robust indigenous African capitalist class as well as a more indigenous intellectual equity on the African experience.
In Nigeria, many of our successful people often do not consider writing their memoirs as a form of “giving back.” They may grant a few interviews, deliver a few speeches or do other things, but not write a book. Here’s a point Rugasira makes: “The Forbes list of ‘African Billionaires’ in 2012 celebrates sixteen of the continent’s business titans – not one of them has published a memoir about their incredible success. The result is that future generations of African entrepreneurs are denied the pride and inspiration that would come from these highly motivating stories. We must change this.”
I agree.
Since that was over a decade ago, I decided to crosscheck what obtains today. On the Forbes’ 2024 list, there are 19 billionaires in Africa. Four of them are Nigerians, viz Aliko Dangote (1st), Mike Adenuga (5th), Abdulsamad Rabiu (6th) and Femi Otedola (19th). For obvious reasons, I am interested in the Nigerians on the list. As of today, none of our billionaires has written his memoirs or biography. That is not good enough.
On the surface, ‘billions’ speaking, a few things may count as progress when comparing then and now. In 2012, there were 16 African billionaires; today, there are 19 of them. It is some progress but we have the potential for much more. We need to race faster on the journey to creating a robust indigenous capitalist class (in Nigeria and Africa) driven by genuine value creation, innovation and a sense of mission beyond profits.
A few things about our billionaires.
One, Aliko Dangote GCON, is number-one in Africa and has been so for the last 13 years. Dangote is a household name in Nigeria and elsewhere on the continent. When musicians here sing of their grand aspirations, it is the Dangote model they hold up. They want to be like him or Adenuga or Otedola. Two, they are some of the biggest philanthropists around. Some of them own foundations and have made significant contributions to support initiatives in education, health and so on. These efforts are commendable. Three, all four of them are over 60 years old: Dangote (67), Adenuga (71), Rabiu (63), Otedola (61). They have literally nothing to prove to anyone.
In the Nigerian social lingo, we can say that they have ‘arrived.’ These people have done well for themselves. Nonetheless, I hold the view that their wealth, individually and collectively, is only a fraction of what is possible.
Why do I think these Nigerians need to write their memoirs? The answer is simple: so that their successes may be replicated. The best way to share success is to share the seeds, not the fruit. The seeds are the How-I-did-it insights: the vision; planning; failures; disappointments; persistence; bounce-backs; support systems and so on. These are all important ingredients in the making of a successful person. Success in life, depending on how that is framed, is not exactly predestined. It comes as part of a package for those who dare to do the impossible. Life comes with its own twists and turns; a journey that is hardly ever traversed in a linear direction. To that extent, no one formula works for all situations. The dynamics at play in people’s lives are different. There are some factors within our control – for example, the choice of discipline over indolence. In the same vein, there are also factors that are not necessarily within our control. For example, the luck of meeting someone in the right place (and time) or a painful experience (personal or otherwise) that helped one to focus on what is truly important.
My point is: there are some lessons we learn on our own and there are others that life teaches us. A blend of the two makes life more meaningful. Through the stories of great achievers, we see the interplay. We see the values that made the difference. Those who appreciate this truth of life and have achieved great things in their own lives should share. They should write. Simple.
Writing books also helps these people address issues honestly, including details of poor judgements made or actions taken in bad faith or due to insufficient information at the time. Some effort may be devoted to clear the air on certain controversial events that were mismanaged or to provide clarity on their position on other non-business related issues. The idea should be to tell it as it is. Honesty counts. In this respect, writing these books is another effort in mentoring at scale. No ‘billionaire’ is ever going to be able to meet everybody in person. But his book can reach them, and his story can touch them. That’s priceless if you ask me.
Of course, not only billionaires (on the Forbes list) should write. There are other Nigerians who have done very well in their areas of endeavour. Many of them give back to society through their foundations and in other ways. Within the context of the point I have tried to make, I cannot discount the efforts of some of these people who have written tell-it-all memoirs of their life’s journey. I recently read Babs Omotowa’s account in From Storeroom to Boardroom: How integrity and courage shape global business (2021). He previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG). There are many others I have read through the years.
Generally speaking, the writing culture should be encouraged across the board. Those who have made history or have made themselves and their country proud should write their memoirs. Nigeria, as a society in transition, needs more of its actors in business, education, public service and other spheres, to write. When General Colin Powell became the National Security Advisor in 1987, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1989 and Secretary of State in 2001, his being the first African-American to serve in those capacities was history in itself! Reflecting on his privileged public service career, he co-wrote his memoirs titled It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership (2012). I remember Alex Otti’s (now governor of Abia State) moving tribute to him, upon his passing, in a piece titled General Colin Powell’s Last Command (published November 8, 2021). He had obviously read Powell’s memoirs and learnt his own lessons. That is how it should be.
We can never have a surfeit of these literatures. The next transformational idea can be sparked by a life story. Let those who have gone ahead write for those coming behind. We need more ordinary people doing extraordinary things in different areas of endeavour in Nigeria and around the continent. It is those that seek that find. The rules have not changed. When the young ones come seeking, let them find something. Dangote, Adenuga, Rabiu and Otedola, get to work!
•Akinnuga is Executive Director, The Adeyinka Adesope Foundation, Lagos.
