Lifestyle
Controversy Trails Aliko Dangote’s Birthday Poster
By Gideon Ayeni
A birthday tribute intended to celebrate Nigerian billionaire and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has sent the social media on frenzy after the official banner design for his 68th birthday was mistaken for an obituary.
Dangote, who turned 68 on Thursday, April 10, received waves of goodwill messages from across the world. However, a design shared via his official X (formerly Twitter) account left many confused and amused. The poster, meant to mark his new age, featured a somber portrait of the business mogul paired with a minimalist, dark-toned layout—one that many netizens described as “funeral-themed.”
Rather than exude celebration, the banner’s muted aesthetics and lack of festive elements led several users to believe, at first glance, that it was an obituary. The confusion quickly gave way to ridicule, with social media users storming the comment section to criticize the graphic designer behind the poster.
“Why does this look like a memorial post?” one user wrote.
Read some netizens’ reactions below;
@Mayordavid_9: “I thought it was an obituary poster. This your designer no sabi work oooo.”
@TFKhaleed: “2025 and y’all can’t pay a good graphic designer to run this. Still stuck in 1998.”
@ambalium: “Pay your graphics team to unlearn and relearn design concepts. Or just sack them all and employ confam professional graphics designers. I can recommend 3 right now sharp sharp. This should not even scale approval in a big company like Dangote. Happy birthday Alhaji Dangote.”
@olu_muyiwa1: I first think say na obituary o 😂 🤦♂️
@im_osazu1: Am highly disappointed its a terrible poster for the richest Black man on earth.
Happy birthday Aliko Dangote
@adepojuademola: I swear I had the same observation. Very poor design.
Despite the unintended drama, Dangote’s milestone was still warmly acknowledged by business associates, political leaders, and admirers around the world, who celebrated his enduring legacy and contributions to Africa’s economic development.
As of the time of this report, neither Dangote nor his media team has issued a statement on the viral poster.
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