President and Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, at the weekend in South Africa, won two prestigious African focus awards, known as “African Business Leader of the year and African Entrepreneur of the Year 2011” awards.
With the award, Dangote is internationally recognized as the greatest African entrepreneur and the leading businessman in the continent.
In the Africa business leaders category, Dangote currently the Forbes’ African richest man led two other business leaders; Adrian Gore, the Chief Executive Officer of Discovery Holdings, South Africa and Jubril Adewale Tinubu, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Oando Nigeria Plc.
For the African Entrepreneur of the Year 2011, Dangote came ahead of two other nominees; Leo-Stan Nnamdi Ekeh, Chairman and CEO of Zinox Technologies, Nigeria and Bharat Thakrar, Director and CEO, Scangroup Limited, Kenya.
It was explained that, “Captains of industry from within and outside the African continent witnessed the ceremony as Dangote was announced winner of the inaugural awards after leading three other finalists, including another Nigerian, to emerge the winner in the two separate categories of the award organized by the All Africa Business Leaders Award (AABLA), in collaboration with the prominent cable television CNBC.”
He was named the winner after the screening exercise that produced the finalists who were revealed by a high profile panel of judges headed by Dr. Yunus Suleman, Chairman of KPMG, South Africa.
AABLA explained that Dangote emerged the winner of the two awards after thorough and rigorous screening exercise among about 100 shortlisted business persons within Africa from where he was nominated as the winner from the three finalists.
Announcing the winners at a colourful ceremony held at the Sandton Sun, Johannesburg.
It was stated that the organizers described Dangote as an exemplary entrepreneur and real business leader in Africa and beyond, hence his nomination as the final winner. The award ceremony, the guest admitted, was a success as they said they were leaving the venue better inspired and more motivated to achieve more, having listened to the success stories of the various award winners.
Founder of AABLA and Vice Chairman for ABN Group, Rakesh Wahi said his vision for the awards is for it to continue to serve as a platform to discover the business leaders who are creating a culture of entrepreneurship, developing best practices and carving out powerful and sustainable models of business in the global economy. Meanwhile Maria Ramos, Group CEO, ABSA Group, South Africa, emerged the Africa Business woman of the year in the women category coming ahead of two other finalists.
By ALBAN OPARA
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