Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, Africa’s most influential and its second
richest woman, is a colourful character whose life is littered with the
most beautiful things money can buy. What’s more, she enjoys by
immersing herself in the hub of social whirl and tasting from the table
high society ladens with roller coaster fun. Every moment, practically
every minute, of the third richest Nigerian (after Alhaji Aliko Dangote,
with $14 billion and Dr. Michael Adenuga, Jnr., worth $7.5 billion on
Monday, July 18 morning) is spent ensconced in delightful pursuits.
Here are some of the intimate secrets of 65 year old Folorunsho Alakija:
- There is a luxury private jet (Bombadier Global Express reportedly
worth $46 million) in the hanger for the use of the fashionable woman.
And during special occasions of her friends, she puts the jet at their
beck and call. Another more luxurious and far more expensive jet was
speculated to have been ordered by the Ikorodu, Lagos born former
fashion designer.
- She loves good cars, and for her 60th birthday bought two special
Mercedes Benz limousines setting her back by N84 million. She has all
manners of cars in her garage, and bought four Mercedes Benz G-wagon for
her son (for N88 million).
- She travels large, and understandably so.Those who have seen her at
the airport, even long before she bought her private jets, were
astonished at the number of suitcases she checked in. The Louis Vuitton
luxury range of portmanteaux, with the famed designer logo adorning
them, left many speechless.
- Loves wondrous homes. And in Victoria Island, her plush mansion is
the object of dreams. Her Hyde Park London (United Kingdom) flats, at
number 1, make us all swoon. It was reported that the billionaire bought
five apartments in the luxury block for $123 million.
- Passionate about her foundation. Long before she became this popular
and serenaded, Alakija has paid intense attention to her foundation,
empowering widows and helping the less privileged. Her Rose of Sharon
Foundation means the world to her.
- Runs a bible reading class and prayer group. Those who are familiar
with her maintain that she organizes weekly bible reading classes and
prayer session at one of her places, especially in Surulere (Lagos).
- Gives cakes and other items during Christmas, especially to those
who support her causes, including media houses. She even pays courtesy
calls to some of the establishments that promote her foundation. - Would go miles to support friends. She is known not to be a deserter
in her friends’ hours of need. She always stands up to be counted. And
for social events, she attends all engagements organized by close allies
and even acquaintances.
- Never wears aso ebi. The popular uniform adorned at social events,
usually bought at a premium by guests, called aso ebi, is not favoured
by the dame of means. Whenever you are organizing any event with aso ebi
she politely tells you her stand. What she does is adorn the colours of
the event.
- Spreads her wealth by not having preferred vendors for her events.
Her events are rotated among vendors, from planners to suppliers of food
and drinks and decorators. She clearly tells all that she wants as more
people as possible to make money from her.
- Loves flamboyant, painstakingly attended to drapes. Her attires are
colourful, flamboyant with frills and embellishments. She is not one to
embrace simple and plain togs. This dress sense is from her days as a
famous and adulated designer known as Supreme Stitches and later Rose of
Sharon.
- She has her signature head gear. Her gele are always delicately perforated and embellished, with frilly edges.