Islanders Magazine

MEET THE POWERFUL LADY WHO MARRIED TWO CLOSE FRIENDS, DANGOTE & BAUCHI GOVERNOR

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote is like rich kids in dad’s car doing anything for kicks in all matters of the heart, particularly dating.

Before the business fueled tear-up between him and the CEO of Forte Oil, Femi Otedola, whispered hints suggested that they knowingly dated the same woman, who they described in idle chatter as Chanchangi.

The lady was nicknamed after Chanchangi airlines after likened to her bedroom antics to that of the airline’s aircrafts while in flight.

If that was man-talk, what was serious was that the Forbes 23rd richest person in the world, and Bauchi State governor, Mallam Issa Yuguda are close friends and business associates and at one time or the other married the same woman.

Mallam Yuguda was the MD/CEO of Inland Bank (now part of FCMB) and also headed NAL Merchant Bank (now part of Sterling Bank).

Yuguda has one of d biggest cargoes in the coast of Guinea. In his asset declaration form he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau in 2007, the then newly elected governor’s worth totaled about N48billion.

He has increased the shipping line to about 30 carriers including between six to nine yachts. His company handles ship transport for the Dangote Group.

Yuguda’s recent attempts to grant his bosom friend a thousand hectare of land at the Kafin Zaki Dam for commercial sugarcane farming was frustrated by other north-east governors whose states equally have claim to the river.

Impeccable source told usthat Yuguda’s third wife, Hajia Mariya was once Dangote’s wife.

Daughter of second republic senator, Alhaji A.D Rufai, Hajia Mariya’s first marriage was to former GM of Arewa Hotel, Alh. Lele Muktar in 1985. Their relationship was torn apart beyond repair within two years, and she later married Dangote between 1998-2000.

Once a commissioner for women affairs in Bauchi State and presently a director in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Hajia Mariya became Yuguda’s wife when he was Minister of State for Transport.

Blessed with three children, Muslim, Amir and Amal (pictured below) scandal rocked their marriage to its sturdy foundation in 2010. She was accused of having an affair with Yuguda’s former Special Adviser on Communications, Abdullahi Murtala Magas.