You can invest your billions outside Igboland (the choice is yours), but if you cannot invest thousands in Igboland at the same time as you invest outside, you may be wasting your time, energy, money, brain and even your future.


From ALOYSIUS ATTAH, Onitsha (princemmy@yahoo.com)

When about 45 years ago, Chief Basil Okonkwo, a business man, left his home-state, Anambra for Azare in Bauchi State in search of greener pastures, he had lofty dreams.

Like any good father, he planned to train his children, give out his daughters in marriage and one day, retire and reap the fruits of his labour.

Providence and mother luck seemed to be on his side as God blessed the work of his hands and he prospered. As his business grew, he got married to his heartthrob, Virginia, and they were also bountifully blessed with 10 children – three boys and seven girls.

Everything seemed to be on a roller coaster for Chief Okonkwo until April, 2011, after the presidential election. His first son, Nnaemeka Christian, married with a son, was killed in Bauchi in the post- election crisis that trailed the presidential poll in the North.

The brutal killing of Nnaemeka whose wife was also pregnant at the time, shocked Chief Okonkwo and from that moment, he began to think home and made quick arrangements to send his wife and children to Anambra state.

Due to the long years he had spent in Bauchi with its accompanying connections and commitments, it wasn’t easy pulling out the entire family back home at once. Consequently, his wife and some other children first relocated while Celestine, his surviving second son, the seventh daughter, Ifeoma and Sunday his apprentice stayed behind with him because of their education and business.

In his plans for complete relocation, Chief Okonkwo came home and began the construction of a modern building in his compound that will accommodate his family and befits his status as a progressive businessman who had spent many years in the North.

Black Sunday

But all the noble plans of Chief Okonkwo were shattered on the night of 0ctober14, 2012 when gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect killed him, his daughter, Ifeoma and his apprentice, Sunday Ezechukwu. His second surviving son, Celestine, an electrical electronics engineer, would have been dead too if not by divine arrangement.

According to him, he left his father’s shop on his private motorcycle and less than fifteen minutes later, the gunmen swooped on the trio, opened fire and killed them instantly as they closed their shop and were about driving home in the family’s Peugeot 505 wagon after the day’s business.

Chief Okonkwo and his daughter were buried on Monday, October 23, amidst tears and anger. Earlier, his late apprentice, Sunday Ezechukwu from Aguleri Otu, also in Anambra state, was buried in his country-home.

Oh my daughter, my husband!

On Wednesday, when Sunday Sun reporter visited the late Okonkwo’s compound at Mkpuke village, Umunnachi, there was pin-drop silence while forlorn faces betrayed emotions of sadness, anger and confusion.

Okonkwo’s widow, Virginia and Chinyere, Nnaemeka’s widow were crestfallen even as other members of the family were brooding over the cruel fate that befell them.

Okonkwo was buried beside his uncompleted building while the late Nnaemeka’s two kids even in their childhood innocence seemed aware that things were not okay as they refused to play around with fellow children.

Madam Virginia, after much persuasion and consolation by the reporter managed to say few words.

“Oh my daughter, oh my husband! If they were sick and hospitalized, it would have been better as I would have shared in their pains and even helped out in the hospital as a mother. But look at what has happened to me. I’m still mourning my first son, now they have done their worst by killing this two in cold blood. “We are not politicians and we are not struggling for anything with anybody. But since I voted for Goodluck Jonathan in the last presidential election, my family has been shattered. This is how we have ended up. Where do I begin from here? My beloved daughter had dreams as a student, my husband also had plans to relocate finally from the North but all the plans have been shattered.”

Revenge is for God

Okonkwo’s third son, Gozie was so bitter over the situation that he queried whether Nigeria’s unity in diversity is really true.

“If this had happened to a northerner in eastern Nigeria, the whole world would shake. But look at us, nobody is asking us how we intend to start life again. I came down here after the killing of my elder brother last year, and I’m yet to adjust in the east. My father was still planning to set up something tangible for me here before they killed him too.

“We cannot kill in revenge and I don’t think whether killing ten people can pay for my father’s life. I don’t think also that it will be out of place to say that this is a premeditated action against Ndigbo but our family is now the greatest victims.”

My life has been shattered

Perhaps the most pathetic scenario during the reporter’s visit was the encounter with Chinyere Okonkwo whose husband, Nnaemeka, was killed last year. Cuddling her baby girl delivered after her husband’s tragic death, she cut the image of a woman with high potentials if fate didn’t deal her a fatal blow. Amidst sobs, she poured out her pains.

“They have finished me. When my husband was killed, I wanted to lose hope in life. It was my husband’s family that consoled me and told me they would stand by me at least for the sake of the children. My father-in-law had been shouldering the responsibility of all of us. Now, he has been murdered too in this agonizing manner. Where do we go from here?

My husband and children all died in vain

While Madam Virginia mourned the loss of her husband and two children, her greatest pain was that according to her, they all died in vain as relevant authorities have neither asked about the bereaved family’s condition nor addressed the situation that led to the deaths.

“When my first son was killed, Governor Isa Yuguda told Igbo people in Bauchi not to relocate because according to him, any state without strangers and non-natives cannot go far in development. The fury generated by their death drew the attention of the federal government. They came from Abuja and took our pictures and records but that was the last we heard anything from the state and federal governments. The most painful thing was that they asked me to takes pictures with my murdered son as he lay inside the casket. They said it was for evidence purposes that would ensure that we are compensated. But now, nothing came out of it and today, more people have been killed again in my family.

“My children ought to be natives of Bauchi State because they were all born there but look at how we ended up. Again, how can the activities of Boko Haram remain unabated while the government keeps assuring us that they are handling the situation?

A cry for help

Despite the tragic loss by the Okonkwo family, the surviving members of the family still knows that life must continue but the problem now is how to continue with no visible means of livelihood.

Urging for assistance from the federal as well as Anambra and Bauchi state governments, the first daughter of the family, Mrs Blessing Ezemanari summarized the situation thus,

“For us, it is already bye, bye to the North. My mother just came down to the village and she has not started anything meaningful. My murdered brother’s wife is also here with us with her two children. My siblings are still seeking for admission into higher schools. We appeal to Governor Peter Obi to assist us and use his position to influence other authorities to assist us.”

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/national/wiped-out-by-boko-haram-they-killed-my-son-daughter-husband-widow/

Unfortunately, the rich igbos aren't on NL.

Pathetic! He who has ear, let him hear!

Igbos will everyly invest in Igboland but not every Igbo man will invest in Igboland except the market is big enough to contain all of them. People invest where they will make a return on their investment and not necessarily because they're from there except they're running a non-profit organization. All we need is for Igbo leaders to provide the enabling environment and you'll see a lot of Igbos and non-Igbos coming to invest. You don't need to beg them to come. If there's money to be made, they'll be counted.

afam4eva: Igbos will everyly invest in Igboland but not every Igbo man will invest in Igboland except the market is big enough to contain all of them. People invest where they will make a return on their investment and not necessarily because they're from there except they're running a non-profit organization. All we need is for Igbo leaders to provide the enabling environment and you'll see a lot of Igbos and non-Igbos coming to invest. You don't need to beg them to come. If there's money to be made, they'll be counted.

Ahh another dreamer...

UncleJJ:

Ahh another dreamer...

I don't understand you...can you be lucid pls?

Igboman are scared of the fellow Igboman when it comes to money.

OYINBOGOJU: Igboman are scared of the fellow Igboman when it comes to money.

i can count many igbos recieving credit from other tribes and asians but i have never seen anybody grant a credit line to ur tribesmen. We all know who everybody is afraid of, cowardly betrayers. So the bizmen at onitsha,aba and alaba are doing their biz with u ? Why do u guys always make me turn tribalistic, i hate all this tribalism.

afam u are on point.business is not sentiment driven or emotion crowded. Name one bussinesmen who get rich stayin in a village. Guy if u are not happy wit it build ur industry in ur vilage. Business is not kalukalu but profit makin.busines is not ngo, non profit organisation. If u dont like it go hug transformer or dive into river niger.

abouzaid: i can count many igbos recieving credit from other tribes and asians but i have never seen anybody grant a credit line to ur tribesmen. We all know who everybody is afraid of, cowardly betrayers. So the bizmen at onitsha,aba and alaba are doing their biz with u ? Why do u guys always make me turn tribalistic, i hate all this tribalism.

Which other tribes? Is it news that almost any customer of a bank can get a letter if credit from his/her bank IFO a supplier outside Nigeria?

docokwy: You can invest your billions outside Igboland (the choice is yours), but if you cannot invest thousands in Igboland at the same time as you invest outside, you may be wasting your time, energy, money, brain and even your future.


From ALOYSIUS ATTAH, Onitsha (princemmy@yahoo.com)

When about 45 years ago, Chief Basil Okonkwo, a business man, left his home-state, Anambra for Azare in Bauchi State in search of greener pastures, he had lofty dreams.

Like any good father, he planned to train his children, give out his daughters in marriage and one day, retire and reap the fruits of his labour.

Providence and mother luck seemed to be on his side as God blessed the work of his hands and he prospered. As his business grew, he got married to his heartthrob, Virginia, and they were also bountifully blessed with 10 children – three boys and seven girls.

Everything seemed to be on a roller coaster for Chief Okonkwo until April, 2011, after the presidential election. His first son, Nnaemeka Christian, married with a son, was killed in Bauchi in the post- election crisis that trailed the presidential poll in the North.

The brutal killing of Nnaemeka whose wife was also pregnant at the time, shocked Chief Okonkwo and from that moment, he began to think home and made quick arrangements to send his wife and children to Anambra state.

Due to the long years he had spent in Bauchi with its accompanying connections and commitments, it wasn’t easy pulling out the entire family back home at once. Consequently, his wife and some other children first relocated while Celestine, his surviving second son, the seventh daughter, Ifeoma and Sunday his apprentice stayed behind with him because of their education and business.

In his plans for complete relocation, Chief Okonkwo came home and began the construction of a modern building in his compound that will accommodate his family and befits his status as a progressive businessman who had spent many years in the North.

Black Sunday

But all the noble plans of Chief Okonkwo were shattered on the night of 0ctober14, 2012 when gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect killed him, his daughter, Ifeoma and his apprentice, Sunday Ezechukwu. His second surviving son, Celestine, an electrical electronics engineer, would have been dead too if not by divine arrangement.

According to him, he left his father’s shop on his private motorcycle and less than fifteen minutes later, the gunmen swooped on the trio, opened fire and killed them instantly as they closed their shop and were about driving home in the family’s Peugeot 505 wagon after the day’s business.

Chief Okonkwo and his daughter were buried on Monday, October 23, amidst tears and anger. Earlier, his late apprentice, Sunday Ezechukwu from Aguleri Otu, also in Anambra state, was buried in his country-home.

Oh my daughter, my husband!

On Wednesday, when Sunday Sun reporter visited the late Okonkwo’s compound at Mkpuke village, Umunnachi, there was pin-drop silence while forlorn faces betrayed emotions of sadness, anger and confusion.

Okonkwo’s widow, Virginia and Chinyere, Nnaemeka’s widow were crestfallen even as other members of the family were brooding over the cruel fate that befell them.

Okonkwo was buried beside his uncompleted building while the late Nnaemeka’s two kids even in their childhood innocence seemed aware that things were not okay as they refused to play around with fellow children.

Madam Virginia, after much persuasion and consolation by the reporter managed to say few words.

“Oh my daughter, oh my husband! If they were sick and hospitalized, it would have been better as I would have shared in their pains and even helped out in the hospital as a mother. But look at what has happened to me. I’m still mourning my first son, now they have done their worst by killing this two in cold blood. “We are not politicians and we are not struggling for anything with anybody. But since I voted for Goodluck Jonathan in the last presidential election, my family has been shattered. This is how we have ended up. Where do I begin from here? My beloved daughter had dreams as a student, my husband also had plans to relocate finally from the North but all the plans have been shattered.”

Revenge is for God

Okonkwo’s third son, Gozie was so bitter over the situation that he queried whether Nigeria’s unity in diversity is really true.

“If this had happened to a northerner in eastern Nigeria, the whole world would shake. But look at us, nobody is asking us how we intend to start life again. I came down here after the killing of my elder brother last year, and I’m yet to adjust in the east. My father was still planning to set up something tangible for me here before they killed him too.

“We cannot kill in revenge and I don’t think whether killing ten people can pay for my father’s life. I don’t think also that it will be out of place to say that this is a premeditated action against Ndigbo but our family is now the greatest victims.”

My life has been shattered

Perhaps the most pathetic scenario during the reporter’s visit was the encounter with Chinyere Okonkwo whose husband, Nnaemeka, was killed last year. Cuddling her baby girl delivered after her husband’s tragic death, she cut the image of a woman with high potentials if fate didn’t deal her a fatal blow. Amidst sobs, she poured out her pains.

“They have finished me. When my husband was killed, I wanted to lose hope in life. It was my husband’s family that consoled me and told me they would stand by me at least for the sake of the children. My father-in-law had been shouldering the responsibility of all of us. Now, he has been murdered too in this agonizing manner. Where do we go from here?

My husband and children all died in vain

While Madam Virginia mourned the loss of her husband and two children, her greatest pain was that according to her, they all died in vain as relevant authorities have neither asked about the bereaved family’s condition nor addressed the situation that led to the deaths.

“When my first son was killed, Governor Isa Yuguda told Igbo people in Bauchi not to relocate because according to him, any state without strangers and non-natives cannot go far in development. The fury generated by their death drew the attention of the federal government. They came from Abuja and took our pictures and records but that was the last we heard anything from the state and federal governments. The most painful thing was that they asked me to takes pictures with my murdered son as he lay inside the casket. They said it was for evidence purposes that would ensure that we are compensated. But now, nothing came out of it and today, more people have been killed again in my family.

“My children ought to be natives of Bauchi State because they were all born there but look at how we ended up. Again, how can the activities of Boko Haram remain unabated while the government keeps assuring us that they are handling the situation?

A cry for help

Despite the tragic loss by the Okonkwo family, the surviving members of the family still knows that life must continue but the problem now is how to continue with no visible means of livelihood.

Urging for assistance from the federal as well as Anambra and Bauchi state governments, the first daughter of the family, Mrs Blessing Ezemanari summarized the situation thus,

“For us, it is already bye, bye to the North. My mother just came down to the village and she has not started anything meaningful. My murdered brother’s wife is also here with us with her two children. My siblings are still seeking for admission into higher schools. We appeal to Governor Peter Obi to assist us and use his position to influence other authorities to assist us.”

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/national/wiped-out-by-boko-haram-they-killed-my-son-daughter-husband-widow/

I have lost sympathy for such Igbos. One good thing yorrobbers try to teach us,but we don't get is that they consider every part of Nigeria unsafe for yoruba or their business except yorubaland! The irony is that yoruba have not suffered any pogroms in Nigeria, yet they have such native wisdom. But Igbo who have suffered and continue to suffer all these tragedies in the history of Nigeria,learn nothing and still boast about having 200 houses and businesses in Mubi, Katsina Ala or Ikare Ekiti, but don't have a hut in his home town or even state capital? Don't you see there is something wrong with such mentality in Nigeria? So let such men suffer the consequences of their incredible stupidity. I don't have sympathy for them any longer.

cjrane:

I have lost sympathy for such Igbos. One good thing yorrobbers try to teach us,but we don't get is that they consider every part of Nigeria unsafe for yoruba or their business except yorubaland! The irony is that yoruba have not suffered any pogroms in Nigeria, yet they have such native wisdom. But Igbo who have suffered and continue to suffer all these tragedies in the history of Nigeria,learn nothing and still boast about having 200 houses and businesses in Mubi, Katsina Ala or Ikare Ekiti, but don't have a hut in his home town or even state capital? Don't you see there is something wrong with such mentality in Nigeria? So let such men suffer the consequences of their incredible stupidity. I don't have sympathy for them any longer.

ok I get your point! But must you quote the whole topic? You people should pity us that use phones to browse nau! It really makes me angry when peeps have to quote a lengthy topic to make their comments! Dammit!

I sing this like a song to all my friends and relatives everyday. I can invest anywhere, but charity begins at home. Theres no problem investing wherever you like, but don't forget where you come from, don't abandon your home. WHY ARE IGBOS STILL INVESTING IN THE NORTH? What is it they are doing there that they cant do elsewhere? I cannot love someone that hates me.

This man made a big mistake, he already made it in the North, but he had no home in his village. He is the kind of men that warn their children to avoid the village bc of witches, but now wahala don come and they are now in the village managing with the witches, no house, no investments? I DON'T PITY ANY IGBOMAN THAT LOST ANY PROPERTY IN THE NORTH? WHAT ARE THEY DOING IN THE LIONS DEN? Don't be surprised thousands of Igbos are still building houses in the North even as people are running away from the place.

WE IGBOS ARE THE MOST HATED TRIBE IN NIGERIA. AS AN IGBOMAN, ANY PROPERTY YOU HAVE IN NIGERIAN OUTSIDE IGBOLAND IS AT RISK. WHERE I COME FROM, BEFORE YOU EVEN BUY A PLOT OF LAND IN OWERRI YOU MUST BUILD A GOOD HOUSE IN THE VILLAGE. WE BELIEVE THAT CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME. GOOD TO KNOW PSQUARE ARE BUILDING MANSIONS IN LAGOS, I HOPE THEY HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR IN THEIR VILLAGE AS WELL. IT IS WELL

cjrane:

I have lost sympathy for such Igbos. One good thing yorrobbers try to teach us,but we don't get is that they consider every part of Nigeria unsafe for yoruba or their business except yorubaland! The irony is that yoruba have not suffered any pogroms in Nigeria, yet they have such native wisdom. But Igbo who have suffered and continue to suffer all these tragedies in the history of Nigeria,learn nothing and still boast about having 200 houses and businesses in Mubi, Katsina Ala or Ikare Ekiti, but don't have a hut in his home town or even state capital? Don't you see there is something wrong with such mentality in Nigeria? So let such men suffer the consequences of their incredible stupidity. I don't have sympathy for them any longer.

We are igbos. We are not Yoruba. We are not awusa.
We travel, we learn, we develop.
We can't all go back to our villages because aboki refuse to leave north.
Even the jews with their own country are still all over the world.
We need our own country.
A ga eji mgbagbu ghara ogu?

advocate666:

We are igbos. We are not Yoruba. We are not awusa.
We travel, we learn, we develop.
We can't all go back to our villages because aboki refuse to leave north.
Even the jews with their own country are still all over the world.
We need our own country.
A ga eji mgbagbu ghara ogu?

Bros,
Nobody said Igbos should not travel or live outside the east as they may choose.Life has no duplicate,so all i am saying is that people should apply caution. Those who have ears,let them listen.I have met an Igbo man that took all their earthly possession from Aba, and traveled to a town called Kaita close to Niger Republic to live! Those who dismiss the advise of this tread with a wave of the hand, should not say they didn't know on judgement day.In any case, i don't even live in Naija. I left bauchi a long time ago (2001)after my eyes was opened by the Nigerian system. An Anambra doctor from University of Benin hospital who relocated to FMC,Bauchi dismissed a similar issue like this with a wave of the hand saying "Onwero ife n'eme!".I was shocked then that a southerner will leave Benin and accept to work in Bauchi, but he did just that. I heard from his family that he was murdered in 2011 in front of his house in Bauchi after Buhari lost the election. Those like him who had the most faith in the unity of Nigeria are often the sacrificial lambs.

Biko Nwannem, gwa ndi be anyi ka ha bido i'ru ulo ha n'Enugu,Abakaliki,Umuahia,Aba,Owerri,Okigwe,Orlu,Nnewi,Onitsha,Nsukka,Awka,Asaba,Afikpo etc. Onye na ewu ulo ya n'ugwu awusa ma obu obodo ndi ofemnanu na eme onwe ya.
Mgbe o ruo n' omume, kedu ulo ha ga agbaba na obodo ha?

Dr. Aliko Dangote the richest black man in the world,does not have a hut in any Igbo city in spite of Onitsha and Aba being huge market outlets for his cement brand.Was that by accident? If Dangote were an Igboman, his houses and business outfits in other regions will out number the houses and businesses built by the indigenes of those places. I don't know how my people will ever get it. But those who understand Nigeria very well aren't as naive as my people who trust blindly so quickly.

Very pertinent thread in light of threats and counter threats in present-day Nigeria