Success rarely starts with resources. More often, it starts with a defining moment, a shift in perspective that opens a new path. It could be a moment of dissatisfaction with where you are. A moment of asking yourself if there is more to your potential. A moment when you choose to step into unknown territory, despite having no map.
For Folorunso Alakija, that moment came not from a grand plan, but from a willingness to explore beyond the familiar. Early in her life, she journeyed from Ikorodu to the UK to study, first secretarial skills at Pitman’s Central College, and later, fashion design at the American College and the Central School of Fashion in London.
She returned to Nigeria and launched a small tailoring business called Supreme Stitches, which later evolved into the revered Rose of Sharon House of Fashion. Through creativity and persistence, she became a respected force in Nigeria’s fashion scene, making her mark in a male-dominated industry.
Yet, fashion was only the beginning. In the early 1990s, she applied for and secured an oil prospecting license on a vast offshore block. That bold step paved the way for the creation of Famfa Oil, where she now serves as the executive vice chairman, overseeing significant oil interests in Nigeria.
When production began, government officials attempted to claim a larger share of the license. Refusing to back down, Alakija fought through complex legal battles and prevailed, securing the agreement that defined her stake in one of Nigeria’s richest oil assets.
From the early days of fashion to her leadership role in Famfa Oil, Alakija made strategic, well-considered decisions. She expanded her portfolio into printing, real estate, and philanthropy, launching Digital Reality Prints, Dayspring Property Development, and the Rose of Sharon Foundation, which supports widows and orphans through grants and scholarships. She is also an apostle and founder of the Rose of Sharon Glorious Ministry International, where she leads with faith and purpose.
Today, Folorunso Alakija is recognized as one of the wealthiest women in Africa, celebrated not just for her wealth, but for what it reveals: a resilient mindset. She stands as living proof that true success goes beyond capital. It is rooted in the right mindset – a steadfast belief in your vision, unwavering discipline in your actions, the courage to forge ahead when the path is unknown, and the patience to see your journey through to the end.
Her story reminds us that wealth begins when you move beyond comfort, step into uncertainty, and commit to the long game. This is how a fashion designer became an oil magnate and how vision can turn into legacy. Cultivating this mindset lays the foundation for lasting success and true abundance.
