How time flies! It was exactly two years ago on Monday, December 5, when billionaire businessman, Harry Akande, breathed his last. His death, after a protracted battle with Covid-19, had, quite expectedly, sent his family, friends, associates, fans and beneficiaries into prologue mourning.
In commemoration of his passing, his family, friends and business associates held prayer sessions for him.
The late Agbaoye of Ibadanland lived a lavish and colourful lifestyle that many, including his peers in the ultra-wealthy class, fantasised about.
There used to be a myth, at a point in time, that no Nigerian could rival Akande’s charming extravagance. In fact, long before the arrival of Forbes’ Rich List or Fortune 100 on the continent of Africa, Akande was one of the first set of Nigerians to have been described with superlatives as a billionaire.
When the news of his passing broke, many, including those who only knew him through the pages of newspapers and social media, were shell-shocked. It was not because the flamboyant businessman didn’t live a fulfilled life or that he didn’t live to old age, but it was because his colourful lifestyle even beat a kingly living.
The late international businessman cum politician, it was gathered, had some unfulfilled dreams, despite his wealth, power and influence.
Till his death, Akande never gave up on his ambition of ruling Nigeria- his love for his country was the motivating factor for his adventure into partisan politics which made him contest the presidential election unsuccessfully in 2007. He was said to be working quietly at contesting the 2023 presidential election. But he could not achieve this before he breathed his last.
Despite his pedigree as a first-class business strategist, Akande’s major bid to introduce a new vista of business ideas into his home country suffered some disappointments.
