The Sunday Mail
Ms Josey Agbeniyi, nee Mahachi, is not an open book.
Considering the way in which the local media went into overdrive and zoomed in on her when she lured Africa’s richest man, Mr Aliko Dangote, to Zimbabwe last year, one can be forgiven for assuming that they already know whatever there is to know about this phenomenal 32-year-old woman.
Nothing can be further from the truth.
While she testifies that her success as a businesswoman and host of “Click Africa”, a magazine show that airs on MNet’s Africa Magic, is borne out of perseverance and the choice to be a goal-getter, Ms Mahachi has also revealed that she is a prayer warrior.
“I was not born a businesswoman or a TV presenter. I did not even know l would manage to convince Mr Dangote to visit Zimbabwe to look for investment opportunities, but l made a choice and went for it,” she said in Harare on Friday evening at an event to celebrate International Women’s Day.
The day is marked annually on March 8 to celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and across nations.
“Sadly, almost every successful woman has been labeled all sorts of names. I have heard people say that ‘she slept her way to the top’ whenever a woman succeeds. Society needs to let go of this notion,” she said.
“What many people do not know is that l work with my husband (Mr Jide Agbeniy) and we do everything together.
“We fasted and prayed for two weeks for Mr Dangote to set his feet in Zimbabwe. It was a white fast and we would break at 6pm and eat fruits.”
Mr Dangote is ready to invest billions in Zimbabwe after he met President Mugabe at State House on August 31, 2015 after being ruthlessly pursued by Ms Mahachi.
Zimbabwe Investment Authority chairperson Mr Nigel Chanakira said late last year that the Dangote Group had been issued licenses for three projects worth $1,2 billion: US$500 million for a cement plant, US$400 million for electricity generation, and US$300 million for coal mining.
Since then, the company is understood to be seized with preliminary activities such as geological surveys with technocrats from Dangote Industries Limited, led by the group’s chief strategist Dr Abhu Mukhtar, shuttling between Harare and Lagos to look at the site for cement manufacturing and associated quarries and mines.
Mr Dangote’s net worth is estimated at US$17,2 billion by Forbes magazine.
