The grandeur of Harrods and the exclusivity of Mayfair became the playground for Nigeria’s former oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who allegedly funded an "extravagant" life of luxury with bribes from oil tycoons. A London court has heard explosive details of how the woman once known as the most powerful female politician in Africa transformed into "Sharon D," a big-spending VIP who bought £370,000 (KES 47.7 million) worth of furniture without blinking.

Prosecutors at Southwark Crown Court laid bare the mechanics of the alleged bribery ring. They described a "life of luxury" bankrolled by Nigerian businessmen Kolawole Aluko and Benedict Peters, who were allegedly rewarded with lucrative oil contracts from the state-owned NNPC. In return for the keys to Nigeria’s oil wealth, they reportedly picked up the tab for Diezani’s high-end cravings, from Alexander McQueen rugs to chartered jets.

Retail Therapy on a corrupt Scale

The details are staggering. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-21)In a single visit to Harrods in 2013, Diezani—accompanied by Aluko and a security detail—ordered thousands of pounds worth of designer rugs. At Vincenzo Cafferella, a decorative arts store, she was so frequent a customer that staff knew her simply as "Sharon D." One invoice for lamps and tables alone came to over £370,000. To put that in context, that sum could build a fully equipped health center in a rural Nigerian community.

At Thomas Goode, a Mayfair china shop, she would reportedly arrive with an entourage, sweeping through the aisles. A shop worker recalled her remarking, "I dont even know why Im buying this, I havent got the room for it." [...](asc_slot://start-slot-23)It was consumption for consumption’s sake, fueled by an endless stream of illicit cash.

• The "Cash for Keys" Operation: The prosecution detailed how cash was literally ferried to her. In one instance, a driver picked up £100,000 (KES 12.9 million) in cash from a bank in North London to deliver to her flat. This was pocket money in the grand scheme of the alleged looting.
• The Wiretaps: The jury heard recorded conversations where the facade cracked. In a 2014 call, a furious Diezani confronted Aluko, threatening to bring everyone down with her. "I will be happy to escort all of you to jail along with myself... youll be shocked what I will do," she allegedly screamed. "I will come out and tell the Nigerian people this is what happened."

The Day of Reckoning

Diezani, now 65, sat in the dock denying all five counts of bribery. But the trail of receipts, flight manifests, and driver testimonies paints a damning portrait of excess. The trial is not just about one woman; it is an indictment of an era where Nigeria’s commonwealth was treated as a personal credit card by the elite.

“She lived like a queen on the back of a pauperized nation,” remarked a Nigerian activist outside the court. As the trial continues, the question is not just whether she is guilty, but how many others like "Sharon D" are still shopping in Harrods while the Niger Delta burns.