Family and friends were treated to a rude shock, following a vicious rumour bearing the news of the death of Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

No sooner had the rumour hit the air, than the social space was thrown into a frenzied state as various phone lines, blogs and social networking sites were fired up by the buzz of the shocking and heartrending news.

An online magazine, DW-TV3, had reported yesterday that Aliko Dangote died in Germany few hours ago.

The billionaire business icon is alive and kicking. He arrived London on Friday night. He was at Aig Imokhuede’s 50th birthday party in Surrey, United Kingdom on Saturday, 24th September. His best friend, Femi Otedola, took him to the Stansted Airport where he flew to South Africa in the company of Sam Nwajoku, Niyi Adebayo and others early hours of today.

We can tell you for free that Dangote has not been to Germany in many years.

However, Dangote tweeted on Sunday that he was “Hale, hearty and alive.”