Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola‘s Memoir, “Making it Big: Lessons from a life in Business”, on Sunday ranked 1st on the Amazon Best Sellers in the Starting a Business category, accompanied by a five‑star average rating from readers.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the book, launched on 18 August, quickly ranked 4th in Business, Biographies and Memoirs, just a day after its release.
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In the 286-page memoir, Mr Otedola, who chairs Geregu Power PLC and FirstHoldCo PLC, narrated his life journey from a modest beginning as a child to becoming a billionaire at 41.
On Amazon, Mr Otedola’s book ranked ahead of Steven Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life (number 2); Simon Squibb’s What’s Your Dream?: Find Your Passion, Love Your Work and Build a Richer Life (number 3) and Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
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Endorsements
The book has received endorsements from industry leaders, including the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; the immediate past President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.
Mrs Okonjo-Iweala praised Mr Otedola for deciding to capture his experience in a book, noting the rarity of books by African business leaders documenting their journeys.
“There are very few books by successful African business leaders documenting their journey and sharing lessons learned for posterity, but in particular for a younger generation,” she said.
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Mr Adesina described it as “a must-read” for everyone interested in entrepreneurship and leadership.
The book is a must-read for all business leaders, policy makers and young people venturing into the world of entrepreneurship and business.”
Meanwhile, Mr Dangote praised the book’s practical guidance and relatable narrative, saying it offers “useful insights for surmounting business hurdles” and is “a highly recommended read for anyone who aspires to be successful in a challenging environment.”
Cascade of revelations
In the memoir, Mr Otedola wrote about his educational background, revealing that he dropped out and did not go to university because he was continually drawn to business.
He wrote how, during a breakfast meeting in 2005, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo persuaded him to fund the completion of the National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja with a donation of ₦300 million.
READ ALSO: Femi Otedola: Grace, grit and Making It Big”, By Osmund Agbo
He also revealed an encounter he had with the late business magnate, philanthropist, and politician, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, and how the encounter with Mr Abiola shaped his perception about the interplay of money and power in the lives of politicians, business moguls, and other notable figures in society.
The memoir also recounts how he built businesses in oil and gas, shipping, power, real estate, and finance, while also navigating crippling setbacks that at times threatened his fortune and reputation.
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