Dangote to Nigerians: Ignore Arewa Youths
- Describes them as unknown seeking for relevance
- Expresses concern over unemployment
- Laments Govt’s rhetoric on jobs creation
- Says Govt has been paying lip service to diversification since he came to Lagos in 1978
President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has urged Nigerians to ignore Arewa Youths who asked Igbo to leave the north in three months.
According to the Africa’s richest man, the Arewa Youths are simply seeking for relevance, saying that it is wrong to be speaking about the group on the grounds that the issue is not worthy of elevating to national discourse.
An online medium, TheCable, quoted Dangote as saying this in Lekki, Lagos, at the weekend.
Dangote further disclosed that he is bothered about unemployment in Nigeria and the explosion of the country’s population as a result of poverty.
The Arewa Youths had earlier stirred the honest nest when the Group asked Igbo to leave the north in three months.
But Dangote has faulted the group’s ultimatum, saying that, “Unknown people are talking about Igbo leaving the North, and we are joining them to talk about it.
“Why are we talking about it? It shouldn’t be discussed at all. Those saying it are just seeking relevance.”
Commenting on diversification of the Nigerian economy, Dangote said it is regrettable that government has been paying lip service to diversification since he came to Lagos in 1978.
He said, “Since 1978, when I came to Lagos, government has been talking about diversification of the economy which has not happened up till now. It is also sad that nobody is challenging anybody about how many jobs he or she has created.
“In reality though, it is not solely government duty to provide jobs. It is also the duty of entrepreneurs, but government at all levels must provide the enabling environment.
“When there is no jobs, people get frustrated, and I can tell you that the Boko Haram insurgency is a product of frustration. The way to go is diversification. Nigeria should diversify its economy, and take crude oil as icing on the cake.”
He also disclosed that his company, which is currently one of the top 10 conglomerates in Africa, and in the world’s top 400 will diversify the Nigerian economy.
