The Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has said he is not troubled by the fact that he does not have a son, downplaying the significance of a male heir to the survival of his business empire and the preservation of his family legacy.
He stated that his three daughters are capable of taking over the Dangote Group, as one of them could eventually lead the conglomerate.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE News on Tuesday, Africa’s richest man said he believed his daughters could exceed his achievements and take the company to a higher height.
Dangote’s daughters, Halima, Fatima and Mariya, already hold top positions within the conglomerate, and they continue to take up more senior roles as the group continues to expand and develop its succession structure.
Dangote said their involvement in the family business was of their own accord, not due to external pressure from him or anyone else.
Asked whether he could see one of his daughters taking charge of the group, Dangote said, “I think, yes, I can see one of them. I’ve been watching all of them, so I can definitely see one of the three that can actually lead.
“They are very, very interested in the business. I’m not forcing them to come and be part of this business, no. They are very interested, and they enjoy it. One of them can be better than — I never expected to perform this much. But I’m sure they’re highly educated, so they will be more creative. So most likely, they might be even taking the company to the next level”
Asked if he believed all three daughters were capable of achieving this, Dangote replied, “All of them.”
Asked whether there is a part of him that still desperately wished for a son, particularly given the social pressure and traditional expectations surrounding male heirs in Kano, Dangote said it was inconsequential to him, noting that if he had a male child, he may be the one to bring shame and dishonour to the family and destroy his business.
“Sometimes you can pray for God to give you a son, but that son might be the one to bring down the name of the family. Sometimes when God doesn’t give you something, don’t push. I don’t think a son would have done something better than these three daughters that I have. That one, I think, you know, it’s not my priority,” he said.
Dangote noted that having a male heir did not necessarily guarantee the preservation of a family legacy and his business empire, adding that even if he had a son, he did not think he would have done better than the three daughters.
“God controls everything. And for me, really, sometimes, yeah, you can pray for God to give you a son, but that son might be the one that would tear down the name of the family. So sometimes when God doesn’t give you something, don’t push. Even if I had a son, I don’t think the son would have done better than these three daughters that I have,” He noted
However, Dangote said his wider succession plan and goal were not simply about handing over the conglomerate to a family member, but ensuring that the company was well run and managed, citing successful global brands and companies who continue to do well after their founders stepped down or died.
“I want this company to be run professionally. I want to have the highest level of governance. We want to make sure that we make it very difficult for any family member to come and destroy anything,” Dangote said
