High Life ……Amazing lifestyles of Nigeria’s rich and famous with LANRE ALFRED
•There is a huge gulf between the affluent and pretenders to wealth
These men are institutions on their own.
Besides their intimidating wealth and flourishing business concerns,
they jointly constitute a formidable force in any political clime.
Having attained great wealth and eminence by dint of hard work,
initiative and perseverance, they have become so entrenched in the
socioeconomic and political systems that they have become systems on
their own, with the capacity to exert considerable influence or pressure
on virtually every sector in the country with interesting results.
These men enjoy the best of a charmed
life. While their business interests extend beyond the country’s shores,
they also own impressive capital projects, residences and property in
the most exclusive neighbourhoods at home and abroad.
However, there is a huge gulf between
the affluent and pretenders to wealth. The latter depict everything that
is wrong with the aristocracy. This is because they project noise over
matter. With their arrogant manner, they pursue acquisitions far beyond
their modest means. For instance, during former President Goodluck
Jonathan’s administration, men and women that ought to patronise
commercial airlines acquired or chartered expensive private jets, just
to keep up appearances and their membership of the billionaires’ club.
Thus they filled up the runways and airport hangers with aircraft that
glistened with their wantonness and lust for counterfeit status.
Fast-forward to Muhammadu Buhari’s era, and you see a radical downturn
in the fortunes and status of these private jet aficionados.
Today, because of the steep exchange
rates and the economic recession, many of the private jet owners have
lost possession of their dazzling wings of steel. As you read, no fewer
than 31 private jets have been de-registered with the aircraft either
sold off or returned to their owners abroad. The development is
allegedly connected with the economic downturn and the high cost of
maintaining a private jet which is said to have doubled in recent times.
An average sum of $5000 (about N2.5 million at N490/$) would be needed
per hour to maintain a private jet.
Besides, the cost of fuelling the
aircraft has also increased by over 150 per cent. A litre of Jet A1 was
sold for between N105 to N115 early last year but the price has jumped
to over N250 at the moment. Also, a private jet owner pays landing,
parking and handling fees like any commercial airline – such person
would pay over-flight charges for regional or international trips. But
despite this harsh reality, we still have strong men and women who still
maintain their private jets. The likes of Dr. Mike Ishola Adenuga and
Alhaji Aliko Dangote who still maintain their top positions on Forbes
list as Africa’s richest, have two jets each, Tony Elumelu, Daisy
Danjuma, Samad Rabiu, Dapo Abiodun, Tunde Ayeni, Tunde Folawiyo,
Folorunso Alakija and few others. These are strong men at this time of
recession.
0 comments:
Post a Comment