Nigerian billionaire, Aliko Dangote, on Tuesday, said that he had no interest in actively participating in politics, saying business and politics should never be mixed.
Dangote, the Chairman of Dangote Group, made this known while speaking with newsmen during a condolence visit to the Awolowo family over the death of Mrs Hannah Awolowo at the family’s residence in Ikenne Remo, Ogun State.
The business mogul said that the set of skills required to become successful in business is different from those of politics.
“I can’t be in politics because they say when you want to clap, you need two hands. If all of us in business go into politics, then who is going to create the jobs?
“We are in the private sector so we should be creating jobs. Government should be creating good policies and also ensuring that we are not taking advantage of the poor.
“They (politicians) are doing what they know how to do best and we are also doing what we know how to do best. Each is a master in its own terrain,” Dangote said.
He advised that Nigerians should not worry too much about fall in oil prices, saying that the economy would soon become stable through the austerity measures adopted by government.
“During the oil boom, when a barrel of oil sold above $100, there were too many leakages which the Federal Government is now trying to resolve by plugging them.
“When this is effectively achieved, I believe the economy will begin to regain its stability.
“However, we must begin to explore other avenues to wealth aside from crude oil, especially agriculture which we were formerly used to. We really should not be complaining.” he said.
Dangote, however, called on the Federal Government to implement policies that would attract investors and enable manufacturing sector to thrive and fast-track economic growth.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Mr Femi Otedola, another business man, was in Dangote’s entourage.
Both men described the late Mrs Awolowo as a great woman whose name would forever remain immortalised in the nation’s history.