Dangote’s billionaire colleagues waiting for him on Twitter

Dangote’s billionaire colleagues waiting for him on Twitter

Some people have been posing as the President/Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, on the two popular social networking sites, Twitter and Facebook.

Many fans of the richest man in Africa are eager to meet him on social media, but they are deceived into believing that they are already communicating with him on the micro-blogging service.

Although the Dangote Group has an account on the social service via the handle, @DangoteGroup, none of the handles is being used by the mogul.

For instance, one of the Twitter handles bearing Dangote’s name is @AalikoDangote. The person behind the handle simply describes him/her self on the service thus: “The word ‘impossible,’ is NOT in my dictionary! Follow me (on Twitter) and I’ll show you the way to success.’’

When a Twitter user, who uses the handle @chiomaa_challenged the impostor on the social service some weeks ago, the fraudster says, “I don’t have to make you believe anything.. Happy New Month & Have a nice day!’’

Those impersonating Dangote on Facebook may be having fun engaging in fraudulent activities as a handful of lovers of the industrialist visit the various fake accounts in search of jobs.

On one of the fake accounts, Aliyu Kawu posted, “Sir, my dream in life is to work with Dangote Group and since 1998 to 2012, I have attended several interviews with the company. Please, help me!

Another Nigerian on a different fake Facebook account says, “I’m a biochemist, I want to use this medium to say that if an opportunity is given, I will improvise a new technique that will ensure the production of high quality sugar with a low cost.’’

However, some billionaires in the stature of Dangote around the world, whose identities are being faked, now appreciate the need to embrace the new media.

For instance, the fourth richest man in the world, Warren Buffet, who is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Berkshire Hathaway, an American multinational conglomerate holding company, shamed dozens of impostors two months ago when he claimed a spot on Twitter.

The 82-year-old had once professed an aversion to technology with a reported admittance that he didn’t know how to check his voicemail, now tweets via @WarrenBuffett.

When he joined the service he said in a post, “Warren is in the house.’’

Buffet’s second and last tweet was on an article published on cnn.com on why he believes women are key to America’s prosperity.

Although Buffett has yet to become a regular and sustained user of the micro-blogging service as only two tweets could be credited to him on the social service, he has moved to curtail significantly the activities of impostors.

People who have genuine activities to do with him on social media can reach him directly on his verified handle. He currently has over 500,000 followers on the social network.

Other billionaire converts to the service are American business magnate, Bill Gates, and Chairman and CEO, News Corp, Rupert Murdoch.

Bill Gates has since been using the platform to propagate the work of his foundation and his sundry areas of interests. As if forming a billionaire clique on Twitter, when Buffet joined the social network, Gates retweeted his first tweet to millions of his followers.

Media mogul, Murdoch, also joined Twitter in January 2012 at the age of 80, with the Twitter founder, Jack Dorsey himself, announcing on the social service: “With his own voice, in his own way, @RupertMurdoch is now on Twitter.”

If there’s any well-known African businessman who should be on Twitter, it’s probably Dangote. Like many of his impostors have been doing; posting great and concise inspirational quotes on the social service, could encourage the younger generation who continue to yearn to interact and learn one or two secrets of his success on social media.