Citizen TV news anchor Jeff Koinange enjoys a close relationship with many high-level statesmen, one such person being the richest man in Africa, Aliko Dangote.
During a past show at Hot 96, Jeff narrated how he put up a spirited fight for Dangote in which he had to call the CNN president.
Jeff had flown to Nigeria to do a feature about the businessman which was supposed to air on the international media station.
They both met at Dangote's house in Lagos and after breakfast, they drove to the airport and boarded his private jet.
They spent the day touring the businessman's many investments and talking about how he had built his vast wealth. The activities spilled over to the next day.
The whole time, Jeff was taking footage that would be used to make his story. He compiled the videos and sent the final product to CNN headquarters where it was aired on a segment called Inside Africa.
The producers, however, refused to play the video on the main news program and Jeff didn't understand why.
"I waited an hour, two, three, the next day, nothing. I said what's going on guys, I thought it was a pretty decent story, everything was double checked by editors, how come you didn't play the story?" Jeff asked.
"Ah that's a Nigerian story, there's no way he could have made the money legitimately," he was told.
Unsatisfied, the journalist called the CNN president to protest how his colleagues had dismissed the story.
After taking a look at Jeff's story, he called back and told Koinange, "We're gonna play that story all day tomorrow and the next day because it's true, Aliko Dangote is the real deal."
