Nigerian billionaire businesswoman and philanthropist, Folorunso Alakija, has reportedly lost her sight following health complications that began after a near air mishap.
The 73-year-old founder and Executive Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil was traveling with her husband, Modupe Alakija, when the incident occurred, leading to a significant spike in her blood pressure and subsequent vision problems. This report has not been independently verified.
In an attempt to prevent future incidents, Alakija reportedly acquired a new private jet to avoid traveling on the same flight as her husband. Despite these measures, her vision continued to deteriorate, ultimately resulting in complete loss of sight. Sources indicate that instead of seeking medical treatment, she chose to establish a church, the Rose of Sharon Glorious Ministry International, which she began hosting in her home around 2004 and was ordained as an Apostle on her 69th birthday.
Alakija’s business acumen is well-recognized; she is the founder of Famfa Oil, a company with a significant stake in OML 127, a lucrative oil block in Nigeria’s Agbami deep water oilfield. Her net worth was estimated at $1 billion as of 2020, and in 2015, Forbes ranked her as the 87th most powerful woman globally.
Her journey into the oil industry is notably linked to her relationship with the late Maryam Babangida, wife of former Nigerian dictator Ibrahim Babangida. In the late 1980s, Alakija operated a high-end fashion label, Supreme Stitches, which catered to Nigeria’s elite, including Maryam Babangida.
This connection is believed to have played a significant role in Alakija securing an oil prospecting license in 1993, which was later converted into an oil mining lease for the Agbami field, operational since 2008.
