The Igbos are very traditional people, there is a strong pull towards preserving inherited ethos and values (also known as omenani or odinani). This manifests in the continued celebration and sustenance of cultural festivals and feasts such as Mmanwu or masquerade festivals. Ndigbo still observe traditional marriage rites such as Ime ego (bride price) and Igba nkwu.

Ndigbo are known to be deeply religious, while majority may have converted to Christianity, others are still practising Igbo traditional religion. The kola nut still remains a significant aspect of Igbo culture; as Ndigbo would say, ‘He who brings kola brings life’. Titles and title taking are still propagated in Igbo communities. In Igbo land, people are known and greeted mainly by their titles rather than by their given names hence Ndigbo will say – Nke onye chiri, ya zaa (let each person answer and uphold his title). It is common for Ndigbo, particularly titled and elderly men to speak using proverbs.

While some may argue that the culture of respect for elders is waning as a result of the swagger life style of nouveau rich Igbo men and women and including politicians, respect for elders is still very much observed by many in line with the admonition by one of Ndigbo’s most revered sons, the late Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Owelle of Onitsha and Nigeria’s first President who had cautioned that “those that do not respect greatness will never live to be great”.

Amongst the Igbos are also to be observed strong bonds of kinship and brotherhood as evidenced in the maintenance of cultural groups, town unions and community development associations (CDAs) in distant lands where Ndigbo reside. Perhaps this may be a way of fostering the Umunna, Igwebuike and Nwanne di na mba philosophy (unity and strength in togetherness). Though Ndigbo may be widely travelled, they do have a strong home coming mentality.

Some negative aspects have also been observed about Igbo culture, these have now been massively exploited by non-Igbos in Nigeria’s political terrain to create a divide and rule situation that has led to Ndigbo’s perennial search for credible leadership. Many argue that Ndigbo love money but I will argue rather that this is just a mis-interpretation of the highly ambitious and competitive spirit of the Igbo man which finds credence in the almost spiritual understanding that Onye ruo, ya rie. By their nature, Ndigbo are very hardworking and enterprising. Another is the saying, propagated by Ndigbo themselves that Igbo enwe Eze. This belief that Ndigbo have no central leader is far from the truth as it at the same time contradicts the Igbo belief that Onye fee eze, Eze eru ya (Give honour to the deserving and you shall also be honoured). These prejudices, real and imagined may have unwittingly made Ndigbo objects of envy and fear by their Nigerian brothers and sisters.

Ndigbo have always relied on self-help and self-enterprise in their business endeavours. This perhaps may have been as a result of the victim mentality created by the losses they suffered during the Nigeria-Biafra civil war. Olanrewaju Akinpelu Olutayo in his paper, The Igbo Entrepreneur in the political economy of Nigeria (African Study Monographs, 20(3): 147-174, September 1999) writes that “One major and unique trait of the Igbo entrepreneur is the courage, perseverance, and determination with which they carry on in spite of the bad experiences and losses during the Nigerian civil war from 1967 to 1970”. This in-group survivalist thinking may have served Ndigbo right in post-civil war Nigeria when the exigencies of the time required that one only trusted people of his race.

The post-war era witnessed many successes especially amongst Igbo business men who despite the trauma and losses still managed to build large enterprises relying on self-help. Augustine Ilodibe was easily Nigeria’s biggest transporter with his Ekene Dili Chukwu transport business. There were others that built large scale contracting and construction enterprises such as R.O. Nkwocha, D.O Nkwonta and F.G.N Okoye, all from Enugwu-Ukwu. Others thrived in industry and real estate such as John Anyaehie, Nnanna Kalu, Chief Ferdinand Anaghara, Louis Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Onwuka Kalu. Those that focused on commerce (import and export) thrived as well, such as G.E Chikeluba and his partners at the GMO Group. Unfortunately, most of these worthy pioneering Igbo sons have all passed on and the estates and business empires they left behind have also crumpled. Ndigbo should learn their lessons from some of these experiences. The world over, many businesses which began as family businesses such as Ford, Daimler Benz etc have since become publicly owned enterprises. When new shareholders and investors are allowed to come in, they bring in new ideas and capital thus enhancing further the chances of survival.

Source: businessdayonline.com

Igbodefender.com’s Comment: The Igbo penchant for success, that is spoken about in this article is as a result of Equianoism, that formular of Igbo cultural practices that have made the Igbos a hard working culture for thousands of years.

A business needs an accomodating and vibrant market receptive to its offers. The two - business and market - become a dynamics that preserves success and buoyancy to exchange and relations.

I therefore want to say that Igbo business is successful because the markets in which such successes are readily evident were also instrumental and are therefore worthy of acknowledgment and recognition. This market relevance can be best evaluated by comparing against them against markets that closed itself and blocked the spread of the new enterprise, therefore resulting in retarded growth for Igbos.

If your success is high in West and North, far higher than it is in East, then you also have Yorubas and Hausas to thank for partnering with you and creating the dynamics that gave you that outgrowth, but you need to review the conditions in your own homeland for why the dynamics are not working for you as greatly.

Freed, what a fantastic article!! I have always thought Igbos were specially made ppl by God. When I think of the kind of institutions we created and operate,the words we use and how it reflects into our life,our inventions that other tribes dont have like months and days of week and more.
Indeed Igbos are culturally hefty tribe. Nwa di Igbo mma kenelu unu ncha.

Negro_Ntns:

A business needs an accomodating and vibrant market receptive to its offers. The two - business and market - become a dynamics that preserves success and buoyancy to exchange and relations.

I therefore want to say that Igbo business is successful because the markets in which such successes are readily evident were also instrumental and are therefore worthy of acknowledgment and recognition. This market relevance can be best evaluated by comparing against them against markets that closed itself and blocked the spread of the new enterprise, therefore resulting in slow growth for Igbos.

If your success is high in West and North, far higher than it is in East, then you also have Yorubas and Hausas to thank for partnering with you and creating the dynamics that gave you that outgrowth, but you need to review the conditions in your own homeland for why the dynamics are not working for you as greatly.

Cheap attention seeking OLODO! Who stopped you guys from trading and investing into other areas since you own the most vibrant market. Have you forgetten our ppl were enviously and brutally murdered by the Nigerian government and their British slave masters over the fact that we dont wanna be in one country with you lots
Instead of you to acknowledge that IGBOS pass man you dey here dey fight your inferiority complex!! You guys think you will just come and run us down and think we will be down forever,too bad. We are just getting started; I admonish every Igbo man and woman not to forget to tell their children the atrocities the British slave masters used the north and YORUBAS TO COMMIT ON THE IGBOS!!

Chineke me chionu! Onye ochi!

you keep beating your chest on Igbo enterprise but failed to see that you are at the mercy of your host market. Your entrepreunarial spread is not an ideal or a philosophical planting but rather an outcrop of the need to survive. You are feeding in the hands of Yoruba and Hausa people. When they chase you in North, what happens to your entrepreneurial bravado? You relocate it to West. The day is coming when both North and West will chase you, then what will you do with that entrepreneur shiyyt, take it to dry East?

If you are truly creative and entreprenurial this is time to establish a Eastern trade post matching in scale and broadness and as a alternative to draw the tribal manpower and resources back to your homeland.

You are no match for the Ijebus, the Ekitis, the Hausas when it comes to mercantile and exchanges. That's old money and knowledge when it comes to intra continental trading and guess what. . . . . they operated from their homebase, not from another man's land.

Negro_Ntns:

A business needs an accomodating and vibrant market receptive to its offers.  The two - business and market - become a dynamics that preserves success and buoyancy to exchange and relations. 

I therefore want to say that Igbo business is successful because the markets in which such successes are readily evident were also instrumental and are therefore worthy of acknowledgment and recognition. This market relevance can be best evaluated by comparing against them against markets that closed itself and blocked the spread of the new enterprise, therefore resulting in slow growth for Igbos.

That is actually true, and the Aro Confederacy is a case-in-point of this. Many people, when they think of Arochukwu, think of exceptional businessmen with a strong trade kingdom, who were able to open trade doors for themselves, which is very true. But they often don't consider that the Aro Confederacy built it's entire trade empire upon highly active markets with already established connections to the coast.

It's sad that potentially meaningful topics always turn into a battle of East versus West.

Odumchi, thats true. NRI listen to what your brother say here, you ragamuffin! You take positive commentary and turned into dirt throwing bash fest, you rascal.

odumchi:

It's sad that potentially meaningful topics always turn into a battle of East versus West.

Abi.  What was the need of Negro_nths wahala?  Bad belle dey too much.  It's a shame Nri_priest took bait to negro's stupidity.  mscheww.

Freed

Great write up.  It was an interesting read and on top of that, a well thought out article.

Hmmn. It would be cool to be armed with a real time statistics of the economic power of the so called "out of igboland" businesses and our vibrant onitsha, nnewi and aba mkts which we've always (mischievously or innocently) ignored. Great write up, though the writer forgot the mention government's role in the collapse of some of the aforementioned business empires.

Abi. What was the need of Negro_nths wahala? Bad belle dey too much. It's a shame Nri_priest took bait to negro's stupidity. mscheww.

Who made this statement? I say who said the above statement SPEAK UP!!


You all should reflect deeply about what Ify said: it dovetails directly into what I asserted. So does Chinenye's response.

Negro_Ntns:

Who made this statement? I say who said the above statement SPEAK UP!!


You all should reflect deeply about what Ify said: it dovetails directly into what I asserted. So does Chinenye's response.

What will you do? I, ONE_NAIRA, MADE THE ABOVE STATEMENT as stated when I made the actual remark or can you not see my name next to the remark.

What ify wrote does not assert to what you wrote. It more of a contradiction of what you wrote but I guess you saw what you wanted to see. To specify more if you compare and contrast the Igbo business in Onticha, Asaba, Nnewi, Aba or even Enugu to the business in Lagos or outside of Igbo land, those back home are thriving more than those outside of home especially Anambraians which in respect contradicts with your belief that without Hausa land or Lagos Igbo business wouldn't thrive. Even that assertion has no basis due to history. Prior to the Igbo introduction to Yoruba or Hausa, they were known and documented as Business minded along with Ibibio, Benin and Ijo such behavior created Onticha, Igwe Ocha and Nsukka. On top of that, the Igbo in Lagos, the North and in Igbo land are pushing for Biafra, of course that shows you how much they believe they can thrive with or without such region to migrate to when competition become unbearable in Igbo land. For your information, people migrate to region where there is little to no competition especially if that region has potential but the indigenes aren't taken advantage of such potential hence the reason behind Asians, Europeans and Lebanese are all over Africa despite their region being a more advanced area than ours; Its simple business 101. People expand their business in areas with little to zero competition with great untapped potential, the vice versa can also be applied to this assertion. There's a saying in my hometown which goes like this, If you can't make it in Asaba, try Onticha, if you can't make it Onticha, try other Anambra region, If you can't make it in Anambra, try PH, if you can't make it in PH, try Enugu, If you can't make it in Enugu, try Imo, if you can't make it Imo, try other Igbo land region even areas with little potential, if you still can't make it any Igbo land, then try Lagos, if you can't make it Lagos, then try the North, if you can't make it in the North then you are useless. To put in a greater aspect the saying translates to if you can't make it in an area with a lot of competition (Igbo land), try an area with moderate competition (Lagos), if you can't make it in an area with moderate competition then try an area with very little competition (north) if you still can't make it then you are a disgrace to our people.

Personally I would love for the Yoruba in Lagos to start outdoing the Igbo in Lagos maybe then we can hear word on NL. I've yet to read a thread with interesting topic without the usual "You are thriving because you are in my region despite Lagos being the only region Igbo are in Yoruba land" stupidity some spew. I would love for once to read a topic similar to this without someone such as you destroying the topic even before it starts. Out-do the Igbo in Lagos so we can hear word so far all its showing is fake chest-beating with very little to show and such behavior is tiresome.

What a fool! what a tree-top-hopping baboon!! what a mono-balled homosapien!!!

Mumu, I can read and I saw that was your statement.

First, let's clear something off the ground. . . . in fact I tell you what, forget about it. First of all, onye ochi for replying and telling me you wrote the statement. Then second. . . next time when you address you make certain you prefix "CHIEF" in front of my name. There will be consequences and repercussions and lamenting if your a s s dare call me Negro without prefixing Chief in front. Do you hear me? Ewu!


Now, let's talk about your response. If Anambra market is open and promoting to Igbo business, if Aba is welcoming and embracing of Igbo business, if Umuahia endorses and encourages Igbo business, if Ughelli is a buoyant platform for Igbo business, then. . . . . . .the recognition of the success and the acknowledgment of the expansion and ingenuity of Igbo entrepreneurship is equally borne by these many market localities.

Now, ragamuffin, tu comprehend? Replace umuhaia, aba, onitcha and put lagos, kaduna, kano. . . the statement and argument is globally valid.

Which of my assertions in that regard, seconded by both Chinenyen and the gorgeous Ify, did you find too complex to sink down?? Remeber to address me as Chief in your response, you rascal!!

Negro_Ntns:

What a fool! what a tree-top-hopping baboon!! what a mono-balled homosapien!!!

Mumu, I can read and I saw that was your statement.

First, let's clear something off the ground. . . . in fact I tell you what, forget about it. First of all, onye ochi for replying and telling me you wrote the statement. Then second. . . next time when you address you make certain you prefix "CHIEF" in front of my name. There will be consequences and repercussions and lamenting if your a s s dare call me Negro without prefixing Chief in front. Do you hear me? Ewu!


Now, let's talk about your response. If Anambra market is open and promoting to Igbo business, if Aba is welcoming and embracing of Igbo business, if Umuahia endorses and encourages Igbo business, if Ughelli is a buoyant platform for Igbo business, then. . . . . . .the recognition of the success and the acknowledgment of the expansion and ingenuity of Igbo entrepreneurship is equally borne by these many market localities.

Now, ragamuffin, tu comprehend? Replace umuhaia, aba, onitcha and put lagos, kaduna, kano. . . the statement and argument is globally valid.

Which of my assertions in that regard, seconded by both Chinenyen and the gorgeous Ify, did you find too complex to sink down?? Remeber to address me as Chief in your response, you rascal!!

NEGRO of course if you can't back what you claim, result to Insult. The usual Nairaland behavior of idiots. Your usual bigotry actual allows you to believe your statement above actually makes sense, whom am I to destroy your beautiful dream world. For your information the married Ify did not second your assertion but like I stated you'll put meaning in whatever you want to satisfy your ignorant beliefs. I've no interest anymore to engage in this inferiority complex some Yoruba display on Nairaland thus I'll let you wallow in your ignorance.

How you forget so quick to add the Chief in front of Negro, you rascal!!   

Does marriage depreciate Ify's gorgeousness?   Women generally should be apopreciated for their beauty, married or single. . . . so I dont know the purpose of throwing her "marriage" in it.   

Besides, you still failed to properly understand the dynamics of a market/business relationship.  The entrepreneur is putting forward a energy, a manifest when he enters into a market.  The market is a matrix. . . it can accept and bring fruition out of the energy or it can re_tard and kill the energy from growing.  So where success resulted from the energy, you cannot praise the entrepreneur alone without also acknowledging the  benevolent value of the matrix.   Whether that matrix is located in Aba, Enugu, Ondo, Ibadan, Kaduna, Zaria, London, Tokyo, New York is immaterial. . . . . because for everyone of these places, there are also locations in which the entrepreneurship failed to plant successfully and therefore we do not attribute the failure to the entrepreneur but solely to the bad location or market. 

Do you deny this??

complex that's the main problem with yaribas,instead of them to put their heads down and learn from igbos,they want to act like they are better on that field,this people are something else i swear,by the way, business is not something you sit in your room on a laptop and write essay all over the place, is a practical thing,yaribas don't have business brain, am sorry,they always have complex with igbo entrepreneurship, that's  why after the war some yaribas died on H.B.P cos igbos came back and take over the market again,doing the war some thought that Nigerian army have killed all the igbos in the east,when we came back open up our business,with a little setback cos of the war,including biafran money awoloko stole from us to feed them,still we surpass them,world are giving us credit for that less than 20yrs will became one of the richest in the country.GODS PEOPLE UMU IGBO, 

@Negro_ntns.

What you say is not far from the truth only that your motive for those points is wrong.
But i wil not 4get to thank mr.freed for a wonderful writeup such as this.

My little contribution to this thread is on why we igbos couldnt develope eastern trade(business) to the heights.
1)During 1980s and early 1990s eastern business is the best in africa.Though we extend our tentacles accross africa
yet none is to be compare with eastern business boom.
Note:but after the above mentioned period nigeria government destroyed our trade boom for the fear of the unknown.

2)cus of the competition in the east many that can't compet has to relocate since there are lesser competitors outside eastern teritories.
this is no problem even the chinese and indians are doing the same now.

3)The police and soldiers invented a lot of arm robbery in the east so as to destablise us. tell me what we can do despite relocating.

Note: mopol,police and customs check points from abuja to lagos, abuja to kano ect compared with lagos to east. the different is so so much.
one will wonder why and the answer is cold war, its still on against the east even after all has been taking away from the easterners.

i must admit that every tribe in the world has virtues and also weakpoints.

most of other tribes in nigeria are better than us(igbos) in so many ways while
we(igbos) are better than them in so many ways too.

we are all unique entities,and all thanks to God for that.

Look other tribe are too ignorant to the point that if not because of internet they will never no that onicha have the biggest market in west Africa,people don't know the kind of money in anambra state, i can tell you is too much, am a witness,why do you think every police and customs in Nigeria pray to get transferred to anambra? see the reason


http://www.elombah.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9088:how-corrupt-nigeria-police-personnel-illegally-enriched-the-force-with-over-n5348billion&catid=31:general&Itemid=69

The title thing is very true, we can see it everywhere even on faceless Nairaland they fight for title. My friend's father owns a block of 3 bedroom flat, there are about ten flats on the property and majority of them are rented by Igbos, at my last count there is only one Yoruba family.

Early this year, they sent word to my friend's father saying they want to hold election for estate chairman. I was like, what the hell? If there is going to be estate chairman is not logical that it is the owner of the estate that will be the chairman but the man just laughed and said they can go ahead with their election.

Come and see them on inauguration day, even Obama the first black President of the US did not have as much airs as the man that won the election. Before a week was over, he already printed out business card with Chairman of So So Estate, everywhere he goes they call him Chairman, Chairman, Chairman. It would be funny, if it weren't so sad because I think there's an underlining patheticness to the whole thing.


About the business and Money making aspect, I agree 100%. You can say anything about the Igbos but you can't deny they are resourceful but I also agree with Negro_Nations that the Igbos can't take all the credit for their success in the business world, you should also credit the other non-Igbos who were accommodating. What is the point of having all the business sense in the world if there isn't a conducive environment to put it to work.

The author of the article missed the one part, he forgot to add that Igbo hate giving other people credit. They and they alone are the best. They are the only ones who is brilliant. Na them only be the strongest, the fastest, the biggest, the richest, every other tribe is nothing compared to them and anyone who tries to challenge them on these issue is only jealous of them. They may think they are showing pride in their tribe but they don't know they are showing the inferiority complex feel deep down. In my humble opinion, we won't be having a lot of tribal issues if other tribes can understand the real motives behind their self aggrandizing. They don't mean to insult other people, they are just trying to make themselves happy and everyone has a right to be happy.

Igbos are now taking their hold on businesses beyond the shore of Nigeria. Visit other African countries to attest to this fact. My advice to them is to be glad they are criticized, as it is a proof of advancement.

Did Equiano the famous Igbo slave traded in Lagos to regain his freedom?

Facts About IGBOS

(1) If not the hard work of Igbos, that tribe would have been wiped out by hunger

(2) Igbos are brave , Intelligent and do not steal other poor ppl's wealth (except those Igbos corrupted by other tribes they grew up in eg OUK),

(3) They do not employ only their brothers( unlike  Y)

(4) They are  willing to turn your town to their village if you are a lazy dog waiting for mannas to fall from heaven in your land.

(5) They will make money in your backyard, buy your land, build house and employ you as their gatemen .
ask hausa ppl in Kano
( 6)  They like to show off and flaunt it when they got it(Owo), but when they dont have they maintain and work harder
Thats All I know about the Igbos

alasibanz:

Igbos are now taking their hold on businesses beyond the shore of Nigeria. Visit other African countries to attest to this fact. My advice to them is to be glad they are criticized, as it is a proof of advancement.

D[b]id Equiano the famous Igbo slave traded in Lagos to regain his freedom?[/b]

bolded very correct, Equiano was enslaved as a young boy and passed through a variety of experiences, many of them horrible; but he managed to acquire enough learning and independence to become a major voice advocating an end to slavery. His Narrative, written in English in 1789, immediately became a sensation, and has remained a classic source for our knowledge about the European slave trade from the point of view of the slave.he wrote to UK parliament telling them to stop slavery,1767-1773  Equiano returns to England a free man but spends most of his life at sea, working as a
sailor, and even a captain. This includes travelling to explore the Arctic where it is very
cold and icy and witnessing the eruption of a volcano – Vesuvius – in Italy.
1773-1777, Equiano becomes a Methodist.  
He helps set up a plantation in Central America, buys slaves for it and organises them.
Later, he comes back to London to campaign  for the abolition of slave. that is an igbo man right there.

Equiano, like Cugoano and Clarkson, highlighted in his letters and speeches the
benefits of trading with Africa in goods instead of human beings,

Even as an Igbo, I suspect Yorubas and Igbos are the ones pulling down Nigeria. All I see most times on NL are IgBO AND yORUBA TRIBALISTS, The NOrtherners(And for the uneducated, Northerners does not mean muslims), rarely fight and scream here.

@ Negro Ntns - You may wish to consider the fact that central trading cities such as Lagos, Kano and Kaduna are not mono-cultural in nature. It would be simplistic, i think, to suggest that an Igbo bussinessman comes to any of these centres to feed off a trading atmosphere created only by the people indigenous to such commercial hubs.

If anything, the very defining characteristic of such cities is the fact that they are a melting pot of variuous peoples and cultures - and this is teh very factor that draws enterprise to such centres. Thus, to put it simply, the Igbo man does not come to Lagos to trade because he is looking for hospitable Yoruba men to sell his wares to: he is rather looking for a market of over 18 million people that consists of people from all over Nigeria - Igbos inclusive.

Further, it is rather obvious, that there are many factors - a great deal of them federal in nature - as to why the central commercial cities became commercial hubs in the first place. The role of Lagos as capital of Nigeria for three-quarters of a century, for example, cannot be over-looked. Ditto, its aquatic location.

But there is no need to quibble on such little matters. Every nation has its principal commercial centres and markets and these centres would naturally attract enterprise from all over the said nation or even region. It's really as simple as that: and forms no reason to punctuate the praise due to our Igbo brothers for their widely acknowledged industry.

freed:

The Igbos are very traditional people, there is a strong pull towards preserving inherited ethos and values (also known as omenani or odinani). This manifests in the continued celebration and sustenance of cultural festivals and feasts such as Mmanwu or masquerade festivals. Ndigbo still observe traditional marriage rites such as Ime ego (bride price) and Igba nkwu.

Ndigbo are known to be deeply religious, while majority may have converted to Christianity, others are still practising Igbo traditional religion. The kola nut still remains a significant aspect of Igbo culture; as Ndigbo would say, ‘He who brings kola brings life’. Titles and title taking are still propagated in Igbo communities. In Igbo land, people are known and greeted mainly by their titles rather than by their given names hence Ndigbo will say – Nke onye chiri, ya zaa (let each person answer and uphold his title). It is common for Ndigbo, particularly titled and elderly men to speak using proverbs.

While some may argue that the culture of respect for elders is waning as a result of the swagger life style of nouveau rich Igbo men and women and including politicians, respect for elders is still very much observed by many in line with the admonition by one of Ndigbo’s most revered sons, the late Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Owelle of Onitsha and Nigeria’s first President who had cautioned that “those that do not respect greatness will never live to be great”.

Amongst the Igbos are also to be observed strong bonds of kinship and brotherhood as evidenced in the maintenance of cultural groups, town unions and community development associations (CDAs) in distant lands where Ndigbo reside. Perhaps this may be a way of fostering the Umunna, Igwebuike and Nwanne di na mba philosophy (unity and strength in togetherness). Though Ndigbo may be widely travelled, they do have a strong home coming mentality.

Some negative aspects have also been observed about Igbo culture, these have now been massively exploited by non-Igbos in Nigeria’s political terrain to create a divide and rule situation that has led to Ndigbo’s perennial search for credible leadership. Many argue that Ndigbo love money but I will argue rather that this is just a mis-interpretation of the highly ambitious and competitive spirit of the Igbo man which finds credence in the almost spiritual understanding that Onye ruo, ya rie. By their nature, Ndigbo are very hardworking and enterprising. Another is the saying, propagated by Ndigbo themselves that Igbo enwe Eze. This belief that Ndigbo have no central leader is far from the truth as it at the same time contradicts the Igbo belief that Onye fee eze, Eze eru ya (Give honour to the deserving and you shall also be honoured). These prejudices, real and imagined may have unwittingly made Ndigbo objects of envy and fear by their Nigerian brothers and sisters.

Ndigbo have always relied on self-help and self-enterprise in their business endeavours. This perhaps may have been as a result of the victim mentality created by the losses they suffered during the Nigeria-Biafra civil war. Olanrewaju Akinpelu Olutayo in his paper, The Igbo Entrepreneur in the political economy of Nigeria (African Study Monographs, 20(3): 147-174, September 1999) writes that “One major and unique trait of the Igbo entrepreneur is the courage, perseverance, and determination with which they carry on in spite of the bad experiences and losses during the Nigerian civil war from 1967 to 1970”. This in-group survivalist thinking may have served Ndigbo right in post-civil war Nigeria when the exigencies of the time required that one only trusted people of his race.

The post-war era witnessed many successes especially amongst Igbo business men who despite the trauma and losses still managed to build large enterprises relying on self-help. Augustine Ilodibe was easily Nigeria’s biggest transporter with his Ekene Dili Chukwu transport business. There were others that built large scale contracting and construction enterprises such as R.O. Nkwocha, D.O Nkwonta and F.G.N Okoye, all from Enugwu-Ukwu. Others thrived in industry and real estate such as John Anyaehie, Nnanna Kalu, Chief Ferdinand Anaghara, Louis Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Onwuka Kalu. Those that focused on commerce (import and export) thrived as well, such as G.E Chikeluba and his partners at the GMO Group. Unfortunately, most of these worthy pioneering Igbo sons have all passed on and the estates and business empires they left behind have also crumpled. Ndigbo should learn their lessons from some of these experiences. The world over, many businesses which began as family businesses such as Ford, Daimler Benz etc have since become publicly owned enterprises. When new shareholders and investors are allowed to come in, they bring in new ideas and capital thus enhancing further the chances of survival.

Source: businessdayonline.com

Igbodefender.com’s Comment: The Igbo penchant for success, that is spoken about in this article is as a result of Equianoism, that formular of Igbo cultural practices that have made the Igbos a hard working culture for thousands of years.

What a misconception, ? People are greeted by Title and not Name, needless that is the Genesis of arrogance, lack of respect for elder.

Nice Thread

We now know our Ibos better,

NDI IGBO KWENU!!!! i'm a proud igbo boy and i will always be even in my next life. My question is, why are the YORUBAS always attacking the igbos? we made Lagos a commercial city no doubt, so quit hating on US!!! i so fucking hate the yorubas, (tribalistic cowards). IGBO KWENU!!!!

only Negro in the house,where are the rest bigots ?

Deep Sight:

@ Negro Ntns - You may wish to consider the fact that central trading cities such as Lagos, Kano and Kaduna are not mono-cultural in nature. It would be simplistic, i think, to suggest that an Igbo bussinessman comes to any of these centres to feed off a trading atmosphere created only by the people indigenous to such commercial hubs.

If anything, the very defining characteristic of such cities is the fact that they are a melting pot of variuous peoples and cultures - and this is teh very factor that draws enterprise to such centres. Thus, to put it simply, the Igbo man does not come to Lagos to trade because he is looking for hospitable Yoruba men to sell his wares to: he is rather looking for a market of over 18 million people that consists of people from all over Nigeria - Igbos inclusive.

Further, it is rather obvious, that there are many factors - a great deal of them federal in nature - as to why the central commercial cities became commercial hubs in the first place. The role of Lagos as capital of Nigeria for three-quarters of a century, for example, cannot be over-looked. Ditto, its aquatic location.

But there is no need to quibble on such little matters. Every nation has its principal commercial centres and markets and these centres would naturally attract enterprise from all over the said nation or even region. It's really as simple as that: and forms no reason to punctuate the praise due to our Igbo brothers for their widely acknowledged industry.

GBAM GBAM GBAM!!!!!! He won't listen though