Folorunso Agbelusi, the Vicar and Archdeacon of Ikoyi Anglican Communion, has appealed to Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, not to abandon his plans to establish a steel company in the country.

Speaking at an event attended by Dangote at Our Saviour’s Church, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, he urged the entrepreneur, who sat alongside other dignitaries, not to be deterred by naysayers.

"I want to address our brother, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who is here with us, and to plead with him not to go back on any good plans he has for Nigeria. Sir, that investment in steel you have been considering, please, don’t abandon the idea. Nigeria is counting on you. Your investments are not just for this generation. Don’t abandon the country...", the vicar and archdeacon said.

Aside from Dangote, others at the event included the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun; the Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia; and the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Joseph Sanusi, among other dignitaries.

They gathered to celebrate the 90th birthday of elder statesman and cultural icon, Mr. Frank Abiodun Aig-Imoukhuede.

Recall that Dangote had previously announced that he would no longer proceed with his plans to invest in building the steel plant in Nigeria because of alleged frustrations he experienced with government officials while trying to get his $20 billion refinery and petrochemical complex to start production.

Dangote was particularly upset by the decision of government regulatory agencies to push for fuel importation despite his refinery's capacity to meet domestic consumption with excess for export.

However, Dangote did not have the opportunity to respond to the cleric. The lack of investment in Nigeria’s steel industry is one of the reasons the nation’s industrial base has not grown.