Billionaire Femi Otedola recounts how his struggle with academics pushed him out of the classroom and into the world of business, where he would eventually build his fortune.
INVESTIGATION: Commissioned by Buhari, Nasarawa’s ₦15 billion airport joins Nigeria’s white elephant projectsSPECIAL REPORT: Poor infrastructure, long distance hinder schooling in Abuja communityCitation cartels and the sham of academic publishing, By Usman IsyakuWhen disorder is applauded and distress ignored: A mental health reckoning, By Margaret Uddin OjeaherePT Health Watch: What you should know about Tuberculosis, why it...
After finishing primary school, the young Mr Otedola proceeded to Methodist Boys’ High School, Lagos. His academic struggles continued there. “My parents’ thinking was that all my siblings were boarders, and they seemed to be doing well,” Mr Otedola writes. “They thought this change would help turn around my attitude towards academia, but nothing changed.”
Despite his mother’s protests and tears, Mr Otedola abandoned school to work full-time in his father’s printing business. He rose quickly, becoming managing director of Impact Press in 1987 at the age of 25. “That was a significant break for me. I invested my money in buying cars for sales and marketing outreach and moved on to the next phase in my nascent professional life.”
“I served as my dad’s sales exec up until 1991, when he started his Lagos State gubernatorial campaign. It was a run for office — ultimately successful — that I had initiated.”
Nigeria Latest News, Nigeria Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Billionaire who has known Femi Otedola since childhood speaks on memoir, Making It BigMaking It Big, due for release later this month, chronicles Mr Otedola’s journey through successes, setbacks, and recoveries in business.
Read more »
Bookshops where you can get Femi Otedola’s Making It BigThese are the bookshops where you can get Femi Otedola's book, Making it Big.
Read more »
Femi Otedola officially releases much-anticipated memoir “Making It Big”At its heart, 'Making It Big' is a call to dream boldly, turn crises into opportunities, and build enterprises that create lasting impact.
Read more »
How I lost $898m to Naira devaluation, oil, stock market dips — Femi OtedolaFemi Otedola, a Nigerian billionaire businessman, has opened up on how he was hit by misfortune in 2009. He said the sharp drop in oil prices, combined with a naira devaluation from N120 to N167 per dollar in 2009, led him to lose $480 million and $258 million, respectively.
Read more »
I still call my mum to ask how long to boil riceDJ Cuppy, a popular disc jockey and daughter of Nigerian billionaire, Femi Otedola, has revealed that at 32, she still calls her mother to guide her when cooking. The singer revealed she still calls her mum, Mrs Nana Otedola, to ask how long it takes to boil rice despite her being successful in other spheres.
Read more »
Dangote, Okonjo-Iweala, Adesina praise Otedola’s Making It Big as book goes on saleMr Otedola’s Making It Big is expected to resonate with entrepreneurs and anyone interested in leadership, resilience, and the African business landscape.
Read more »