Dr. Luqman Kayode Lawal who is popularly known as Kase Lawal is Texas, United States’ richest black man.
Born in Elekuro area of Ibadan South East local government of Oyo State on June 30, 1954 in Ibadan, Oyo state, he obtained his Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Texas Southern University in 1976, and his MBA from Prairie View A&M University, Texas in 1978.
Lawal, who owns six oil blocs in Kenya, was a member of the National Republican Congressional Committee’s Business Advisory Council and, in 1994, he was a finalist for the United States Business Entrepreneur of the Year. Lawal is a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.He is a naturalized American and is regarded richest oil magnate ever in Houston, Texas.
His company, CAMAC HOLDINGS in Houston, Texas comprises of CAMAC International Corporation, CAMAC Energy Inc and Allied Energy Corporation.
In a country that complains about its Government and the illegal means people seem to make money, Kase stands as a shining beacon of what a business man should be like.
A huge achievement of his was being appointed in the last administration of former President Barack Obama as a distinguished Advisory Committee member for Trade Policy and Negotiation (ACTPN) announced by the White House.
Mr. Lawal also controls six Oil Blocs in Kenya and can best be described as a perfect example of ‘a dream come true’ being successful business owner and employer in United States of America.
Lawal’s journey to stardom started some years back as an undergraduate, just like every other Nigerian foreign student aspiring to move forward in life, not once did he give up on his dreams.Presently, he is the chairman and chief executive officer of CAMAC International Corporation, the chairman and chief executive officer of CAMAC Energy Inc, and chairman of Allied Energy Corporation in Houston, Texas.
Lawal currently holds the position of chairman and chief executive officer of CAMAC International Corporation, the chairman and chief executive officer of CAMAC Energy Inc, and chairman of Allied Energy Corporation in Houston, Texas.
He is also the chairman and chief executive officer, CAMAC Holdings; vice chairman, Port of Houston Authority Commission. He serves as a member of the board of directors and is a significant shareholder in Unity National Bank, the only federally insured and licensed African-American-owned bank in Texas.
Due to his creative endowments in energy sector, Lawal has guided his oil exploration, refining and trading company to international prominence. Lawal’s expertise in the field of international energy led to his appointments by the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations to the United States Trade Advisory Committee on Africa, where he was responsible for crafting African trade policy.
Regarding the seaport, Lawal was appointed by former Houston Mayor, Lee P. Brown, to serve as a port commissioner on the Port of Houston Authority Board, while in 2001, where he rose to become the commission’s first vice chairman.
He is the chair of the port’s Small Business Development Committee and a member of the board of directors for the Port of Houston Authority International Corporation, both programmes that he helped establish. The Port of Houston ranks very high in the United States of America and it is said to be the sixth largest port in the world.
In 2005, Black Enterprise, a highly regarded magazine, voted Lawal’s business number one among black Americans, and again as the company of the year with revenue above $1.4billion.
Lawal is married to Eileen with four children: two boys and two girls based in Houston. He and his wife are founding members of major charities in both Houston and Nigeria, among which is a UNICEF initiative that they co-manage to raise $300 million to fight HIV/AIDS.
Lawal leads a diverse group of affiliate companies that comprise the second largest African-American owned company in the United States with more than 1,500 employees worldwide and approximately $1.4 billion in revenue for 2006. CAMAC’s principal business activities include energy exploration and production, crude oil/natural gas/electricity trading, and transportation services.
Source: Femi Famutimi of Heraldng
