Nigeria, Aug. 30 -- How does one "make it big" in Nigeria? This is the central question at the heart of Femi Otedola's memoir, "Making It Big: Lessons from a Life in Business." In a country where economic fortunes rise and fall with dizzying speed, where policies shift like the wind, and where privilege can be as decisive as talent, Otedola's story reads like both a case study and a testament. Few Nigerians embody the phrase "making it big" as completely as he does. Yet what makes the book compelling is not just the tale of dizzying ascent, but the candour with which Otedola admits his missteps, reflects on his vulnerabilities, and most importantly, extracts lessons that readers can apply in their own lives.

From the first chapter, Otedo...