‘We’re not spoiled; we’re still proving ourselves to our father’ — Dangote’s daughters

Halima, Fatima and Mariya, the daughters of billionaire Aliko Dangote, have said their privileged upbringing did not make them entitled, noting that they still had to work hard to prove themselves to their father.

The sisters spoke during an interview with Bloomberg Next Africa, excerpts of which went viral on Saturday.

They said they preferred to remain discreet about their identities and what they owned, even when interacting with people from wealthy families.

The Dangote sisters also said they avoided flaunting their family name, wealth and personal accomplishments, adding that they did not grow up as spoilt children.

They noted, “We’re not spoiled. Anytime we meet with our co-peers, like the kids of our diaspora friends or people that we’re supposed to, we don’t, I mean, everyone has their own job. We are more, we’re quiet, in the sense that we don’t say who we are. I don’t know if it’s fortunate or unfortunate. Now people recognise us, but it was easier when we weren’t recognised.

“We had to prove ourselves, and we’re still proving ourselves to our father because he’s somebody who expects excellence in everything that you do. So, for him, it’s the best or nothing. So yes, we have to prove ourselves extra hard to him and also prove to others.”

Results

The sisters said their track records spoke for themselves, stressing that they did not particularly enjoy being active on social media.

They described their online presence as a means of expressing their personalities rather than seeking attention.

They also said they were committed to creating more opportunities for women within their father’s organisation, drawing from their own experiences as women.

“All three of us were not expressive of what we have or what we own or what we’re doing. I think, as Fatima and Maria said, the results speak for themselves—the sale of this business, the profit of this.

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“Our growth, we’re growing N100 billion. We are all in those key positions. And I mean, numbers don’t lie. So that’s what I meant. I would say a lot of challenges. First, being that we are daughters.”

Roles

They further highlighted the demands of their respective positions, explaining that their roles came with responsibilities they had to take seriously.

According to them, being the owner’s daughters did not remove the need to demonstrate their capabilities, as they still had to earn the respect of their colleagues in a workplace where women often had to work harder to prove themselves.

“So the first thing anybody would think is, because it’s a right and it’s never a right, it’s a privilege. I think three key things play into our roles. We are young Muslim women. We are from the North, which is not the norm to work all the time.

“And we look younger. I think, according to people, we look younger than our ages. So we have to prove our age, our worth. People would think, “Oh, because we’re daughters, we don’t need to. That’s when you actually need to prove yourself.”