Former First Lady of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan, has said she played a significant role in mentoring the Group President of Azikel Group, Dr Azibapu Eruani, from his early days as a young businessman to becoming one of the country’s prominent entrepreneurs.
Patience Jonathan made the disclosure during an inspection tour of the Azikel Refinery in Obunagha, Bayelsa State, on Tuesday. A video of her remarks surfaced online on Thursday.
The former First Lady recalled that Eruani was the youngest among a group of prominent businessmen with whom she interacted, including Aliko Dangote and Aminu Dantata.
According to her, she encouraged Eruani to associate with established business leaders and challenged him to dream big.
“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.
“But 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.’
“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.
Patience Jonathan also recalled Eruani’s efforts to secure approval for his refinery project, saying the process began during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
She said Eruani and others had approached her after deciding to apply for refinery licences, but she initially doubted whether the application would be successful.
“During the Buhari administration, he and others came to me and told me they were going to apply for a refinery. I told him, ‘Eruani, your brother, the President, did not give you a refinery. Is it the APC government that will give you one?’ I prayed it would happen.
“But later, they came back and told me they had been given three refineries,” she recalled.
The inspection tour coincided with the arrival of the Crude Distillation Unit for the Azikel Refinery, described as a major milestone in the development of the approximately $1 billion project.
The 25,000-barrel-per-day facility is a privately owned hydro-skimming refinery designed to process condensate into products including petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and kerosene.
Upon completion, the facility is expected to rank among Nigeria’s major full-slate refineries and become a significant privately owned refinery in the Niger Delta.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Samuel Ogbuku, who participated in the inspection, commended Eruani for his persistence in pursuing the project.
Ogbuku recalled attending the refinery’s groundbreaking ceremony about eight years ago, describing the project as a potential catalyst for investment, employment and economic growth in Bayelsa State.
He urged residents, particularly young people, to take advantage of the economic opportunities expected to emerge from the refinery and its associated businesses.
The NDDC chief also commended the Bayelsa State Government for improving road infrastructure leading to the refinery site and called for continued support for the project.
Governor Douye Diri, represented at the event by his deputy, Peter Akpe, has also consistently supported the refinery project, which is expected to create hundreds of jobs and contribute to industrial development in the state.
Other dignitaries present included the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Bubaraye Dakolo; Vice President of Azikel Group, Presley Asemota; and Isaac Yalah, among others.
