How Ooni of Ife Removed Over 19 Shrines to Enable Dangote’s Factory Construction — Aliko Dangote

Nigerian businessman and founder of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has revealed how the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, played a crucial role in enabling the construction of his factories by personally intervening to remove over 19 shrines located on the project site.

Dangote made the disclosure in a viral video shared on Friday via The Cable’s X page, while speaking at the launch of the Aliko Dangote Foundation’s N100 billion Annual Education Support Fund. He explained that although land had already been acquired for the factories, construction could not begin because the area was occupied by multiple shrines, which workers were afraid to approach.

According to him, progress only became possible after the Ooni of Ife stepped in and handled the situation himself. Dangote said the traditional ruler personally visited the site and ordered the immediate removal of all the shrines, clearing the way for construction to commence.

“I think I must thank the Ooni of Ife for making us able to go in and build our factories. What happened was that when we arrived, there were over 19 shrines at the site. Nobody was able to even go near them to do anything. Ooni only went there; he went there personally. He stood right there and said, ‘Remove all of them, anything that they wanted, let the gods come and talk to you.’ He did that one day,” Dangote said.

He expressed deep appreciation to Oba Ogunwusi, noting that the factories would likely not have been built without the monarch’s decisive support. Dangote described the intervention as a simple but critical act that made a lasting difference to the project.

“Your Royal Majesty, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, because without the simpler acts of yours, I don’t think we would have actually been able to do this and it’s not a coincidence. So thank you very much,” he added.

At the same event, Dangote announced the launch of a N100 billion annual education support programme aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s education sector and expanding access to quality learning across the country. He said the initiative, which is projected to cost N1 trillion over the next decade, would support students at various levels through targeted schemes.

Dangote stated that beneficiaries of the programme would be selected through a transparent, merit-based process. He also announced partnerships with key institutions, including the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, the National Examinations Council, and the West African Examinations Council, to ensure accountability and fairness in implementation.

The businessman further revealed that he had committed 25 per cent of his personal wealth to the Aliko Dangote Foundation, a pledge he said would extend beyond his lifetime.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was also present at the event, flagged off the Aliko Dangote Foundation Education Scholarship Initiative. He commended Dangote’s commitment to education and urged stakeholders to recommit to building a future where every Nigerian child has equal opportunities to succeed.

Shettima described education as a shared responsibility and praised the initiative for its potential to transform lives, stressing that true legacy lies in the opportunities created and the lives impacted rather than titles or offices held.