Former First Lady Patience Jonathan has described the Group President of Azikel Group, Dr Azibapu Eruani, as a “small boy” she raised and mentored before he emerged as one of Nigeria’s prominent businessmen.
Mrs Jonathan said her guidance and encouragement played a role in Eruani’s decision to pursue major business ventures at a relatively young age.
She made the remarks on Tuesday during an inspection tour of the Azikel Refinery in Obunagha, Bayelsa State. A video of the visit circulated widely on Thursday.
Mrs Jonathan said she introduced Eruani to prominent Nigerian businessmen, including Aliko Dangote and Aminu Dantata, and encouraged him to learn from them and aspire to achieve similar success.
She recalled that Eruani was the youngest among the group of businessmen she associated with at the time.
“He’s a boy that I brought up. We are always together. Although he’s the little one among us when we are friends — Dangote, Seyi, Dantata, Eruani — among us, he’s the smallest,” she said.
According to the former First Lady, she deliberately encouraged the younger Eruani to associate with established business leaders and learn from their experiences.
“I made sure he followed the Dangotes, he followed Dantata. Because I’m a woman in their midst, I made sure I told this small boy, ‘Go and follow them, and stop the grammar’,” she said.
Mrs Jonathan also recalled Eruani telling her that he hoped to attain the level of success achieved by Dangote.
“When he told me that one day he would be like Dangote, I said, ‘You’re thinking too high’. I prayed to God to grant him his heart’s desire,” she said.
The former First Lady’s comments came during the inspection of the Azikel Refinery, one of the major industrial projects being developed by the Azikel Group in Bayelsa State.
