Honestly, picking Arnold Ekpe to step in for Aliko Dangote as chairman surprised a few people, but it makes sense when you dig in. Ekpe has a reputation for taking things to the next level, especially in banking. I mean, he ran Ecobank during its huge expansion phase, and even kept it moving through the 2008 financial mess, which was impressive.

From what I've seen, leadership experience like that is super rare. He knows how to handle stress, grow businesses, and keep things in check—even when stuff goes sideways. Plus, he's not just a banking guy. He’s worked with all sorts of companies and even did a stint at United Bank for Africa, so he's got a feel for different industries.

Honestly, a lot of people just see "sugar company" and wonder what a banker can do. But sometimes, bringing in someone from a totally different world is a good thing. If anyone's gonna help Dangote Sugar stay strong or maybe even make it bigger, Ekpe’s the type to do it just because he’s handled way scarier stuff before. So yeah, I think the board wanted someone outside the usual sugar industry crew—someone proven at handling big businesses and big problems.