The African Odyssey of a Lebanese Immigrant

Habib Jaafar

"The book narrates the success story of a Lebanese-Nigerian businessman in the diaspora, with all the hardships he faced and the difficulties he overcame before reaching where he is today and achieving his success in Nigeria. Citing literature and wisdom, and enlightened by the memory of his founding and inspiring father, the author recounts the stages of the formation of his intellectual and cultural identity and his personality as a businessman.

The book touches upon the most important events that shaped Lebanon and the modern history of Nigeria and the events that swept through it, linking the common features of the two countries. It is packed with prominent names in literature and politics such as: Gibran Khalil Gibran, Amin Maalouf, Pushkin, Tolstoy, Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Wole Soyinka, the first African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, and His Royal Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II.

Habib Jaafar is a Lebanese businessman born in Nigeria (1955). He studied in Lebanon and earned a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from the American University of Beirut. Due to his interest in the family business, he obtained a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from the University of Houston, Texas, USA. He also holds a PhD in Arabic and Islamic Studies from the American University in London, United Kingdom.

Habib is a prominent businessman interested in various businesses and industrial sectors in Nigeria and Lebanon. He is in the process of establishing a chair for Christian-Islamic relations at Notre Dame University (NDU) in Lebanon, and he laid the cornerstone for the construction of the Ali Habib Jaafar Sports Center, dedicated to the memory of his father, in his ancestral home. He has also established an educational fund in Nigeria for the benefit of the weaker segments of Nigerian society.

Habib is a member of the boards of many organizations in Nigeria and Lebanon, most notably the Wole Soyinka Foundation, the Lebanese-Nigerian Initiative, and Lucid Investment Bank.

Habib's epic embodies a global citizen who presents his vision for the future, in addition to speaking about the journey of his ancestors clearly and in vibrant colors. Beyond industry and commerce, the author takes us on a journey into the heart of history, poetry, tales of nomadic tribes, and human friendships. This is a unique book for readers interested in what drives humanity to seek meaning and discovery.
Muhammadu Sanusi II
Former Emir of Kano and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria"