Late Chief Harry Akande: The Multi-millionaire in Pounds & Dollars

The late Chief Harry Akande from Ibadan was a multi-millionaire in dollars and Sterling in the 1970s. He made his money from engineering and international construction projects. Before Aliko Dangote emerged he was one of the few billionaires in Africa.

A few people asked what did he do in Nigeria.

Examples:

Usually, we complain about people who take contracts from the government but don’t build anything.

He left being a millionaire from success abroad in America and the United Kingdom came home and did many projects.

Below are a few list

* He built Oyan dam which added 9 Mw capacity (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyan_River_Dam)

* He built Ryan Dam

* He brought skill sharing from General Electric to Naija

* He brought business partnership with Balfour Beatty (top 10 largest construction companies in the Uk) to Naija. In 1976, his company in association with Balfour Beatty Engineering of UK was awarded the irrigation studies contract in Bagel-Zungu, Balanga, Kaltango and Katini.

* He was involved in the development of Balanga Dam and irrigation skim. irrigation makes it possible for people to farm land in an area by supplying water to it.

* He built a 1000 bedroom hotel in the Bahamas

* He built a hospital in Antigua

* Tried to build the car park outside Murtala Mohammed airport we recently got a Chinese company to build in the 1980s. Was opposed by corrupt officials. 

* Tried to build a Hilton at Murtala Muhammad in order to improve our reputation to foreigners landing. Was opposed by corrupt officials. 

* For many projects he completed in the 1970s and 1980s, the Nigerian government didn’t pay him and he died being owed millions 

* He also did other projects in Rich countries 

* 1988 - AIC secures African Development Bank (ADB) finance the sum of $70 million for Bauchi Township Project setting the precedence for many subsequent schemes.

* 1989 - AIC secures $120 million ADB finance for the Benin City and Warri Effurun 35mgd water supply project.

* 1991 - AIC appointed to oversee the complete rehabilitation and refurbishment of Nigeria’s National Arts Theatre.

* 1994 - AIC appointed consultants for the reconstruction of the Ibadan –Ilorin highway .136km of four –Lane dual carriageway ADB financed.

* AIC undertakes Investment Feasibility Study for Pointe–a-Pierre Refinery in Trinidad.

* 1995 - the Keffi /Akwanga and Doma Water Supply Scheme, engineered and Supervised by AIC completed ADB financed at $165million

Unfortunately, a few people called him useless due to their ignorance about his achievements. Do you think the African Development Banks hands over $165mlion to useless people?

We need fewer “Ki ni e mu wa fun wa” attitudes and more people that actually deliver the services they are paid to deliver.

In case you don’t know building a dam in Nigeria costs $100m to add new power generation. No one, in general, delivers new dams. Only serious companies.

We've mentioned this man so you can go and do your own research. You cannot always assume that someone else will always use their entire free time to spoon-feed you the history of our Yoruba high achievers.

As a Yoruba man or woman, we should study our high achievers and try to emulate them or outdo them in excellence.

“Deliver results, don’t just complain” is what I think we can learn from people like him.