For those who are still in doubt that the late Baba Adinni of Yorubaland, Chief Wahab Iyanda Folawiyo was one of the wealthiest men that lived, here is an affirmation from Forbes-listed Billionaire Femi Otedola.
Otedola, who is Chairman, Forte Oil Plc, disclosed recently that late Folawiyo was the richest Nigerian that ever lived.
Otedola, who is also a billionaire, said this in an Instagram post on Thursday.
In a caption of a photo he took with Tunde Folwaiyo (the son of the deceased), the Forte Oil boss said it was the late Folawiyo that taught him entrepreneurship and he (Otedola) drove a car for the first time by his association with Tunde.
Otedola wrote, “In Malaysia with my brother, the great Tunde Folawiyo! 43 years ago his family opened my eyes to entrepreneurship! The great late Chief Iyanda Folawiyo, the richest Nigerian of all time! The first time I drove a car in 1976, Tunde availed me the opportunity! May the late Baba Adinni’s gentle soul continue to rest in peace.”
At least five Nigerians have been named as the richest of all time by various sources.
They include: Antonio Deinde Fernandez, Sir Louis Ojukwu (father of the late Biafran leader), Candido Da Rocha, Alhassan Dantata (grandfather of Alhaji Aliko Dangote) and the late Chief MKO Abiola.
The late Wahab Folawiyo, who lived from June 16, 1928 to June 6, 2008 was a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist.
According to Wikipedia, in 1957, he founded Yinka Folawiyo & Sons, which has become the parent company of the Yinka Folawiyo Group of Companies
He was born in Lagos to Pa Tijani, a wealthy local merchant, during the British colonial era. He attended the University of North London in 1951, where he read Management, specialising in ship brokerage.
Folawiyo returned to start Yinka Folawiyo & Sons, an import and export business. Folawiyo was also the first African-descended principal member of the Baltic Exchange in London.