When Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, calls your book "a masterclass," and WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala declares it "important," you know you've created something extraordinary.
When Femi Otedola announced an August 18, 2025, launch for his memoir, few expected the cultural moment that followed. “Making It Big: Lessons from a Life in Business” is a tight, 286-page chronicle of reinvention—tracking his arc from academic struggles to a $1.3 billion wipeout and a formidable comeback.
Eight years in the making, it’s already earned heavyweight endorsements from Aliko Dangote, Ngozi Okonjo‑Iweala, and Akinwumi Adesina—positioning it as a landmark African business memoir.
At 62, Otedola’s story is less about pedigree than pivots. The son of Sir Michael Otedola, he left school early, ran Impact Press at 25, and seized an opening in Nigeria’s newly deregulated diesel market—ultimately controlling a dominant share through Zenon Petroleum while supplying blue-chip clients.
His stake in Forte Oil peaked above $1.2 billion in 2008. Today, as chairman of Geregu Power and First HoldCo, his portfolio spans energy, finance, logistics, and real estate. The memoir strips away myth, foregrounding discipline over legacy.
A Chorus of Heavyweights
- Aliko Dangote calls it a masterclass in turning obstacles into opportunity—“a front‑row seat” to a high-stakes entrepreneurial life.
- Ngozi Okonjo‑Iweala underscores its rarity: few African business leaders document lessons with this clarity for the next generation.
- Akinwumi Adesina deems it essential reading for leaders, policymakers, and young founders.
- Arunma Oteh praises its brutal honesty—especially Otedola’s decision to step down as CEO to save his empire.
Vulnerability as Strategy
What separates this book is its willingness to name names and own failure. Otedola recounts a 2 a.m. tongue‑lashing from President Olusegun Obasanjo after diesel deregulation roiled supply—then details the 2008 crisis that drove his debt to $1.218 billion.
When oil plunged and the naira slid, he lost more than $1.3 billion. His response—relinquishing the CEO title and rebuilding—turns personal crisis into a pragmatic playbook: survive first, then scale.
Philanthropy With Teeth
The memoir frames giving as a strategy, not optics. His $14 million gift to Save the Children UK in 2019 targeted education and healthcare for conflict‑affected children in northeast Nigeria.
Subsequent multimillion‑dollar investments in Augustine University reflect a clear thesis: education as infrastructure for development. The throughline is responsibility matched with outcomes.
The Launch, Engineered
The rollout matched the content’s ambition: global availability across major retailers and African markets, a dedicated site, and high‑visibility hand‑offs to peers like Abdul‑Samad Rabiu.
It’s both a literary event and relationship capital—storytelling leveraged to build alliances.
Culture Shock: From “Nepo vs LAPO” to Mass Debate
The announcement ignited a viral conversation about privilege versus perseverance. Rather than duck it, Otedola leaned in—amplified by public support from his daughters, DJ Cuppy and Temi Otedola.
The blend of family milestones and professional revelation kept the book at the center of a broader values debate.
Why It Matters Now
Africa’s inequality and volatility demand leaders who can navigate policy, currency, and infrastructure headwinds. This book offers three hard-won tools: political literacy without naivety, crisis response without ego, and philanthropy with measurable intent. It’s less a victory lap than a manual for operating in real‑world conditions.
Bottom Line
“Making It Big” is rare for its candor and useful for its specifics. It argues, convincingly, that transparency about failure is a competitive advantage—and that African business narratives are strongest when they trade polish for truth.
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