By Segun O’Law

Again, I elect to begin by stating that I’m Yoruba so as not to appear as am an Igbo painting the practice of his own people as superior. Of course, no culture is superior to the other, they are appreciated relatively.

I simply want to moot another discussion here, but the focus is on economic practice among the Igbo people.

Although the highlights here do not determine individual trader’s attitude, but the general observable conduct of a people in the marketplace. Even among other ethnics, there are individuals who exude same manners at customers, but our focus here is on the Igbo’s.

1. The Igbo traders could file along same street on a row of shops, selling the same commodity and have no beef. The Yoruba’s however, for example, detest rivals. The Yoruba by nature wants monopoly of a commodity such that s/he could go the length of making rituals to achieve this.

2. Igbo traders are very cooperative and help one another to push stocks. If one doesn’t have a particular commodity, s/he either directs the customer to another colleague that has it or, even, request the person to wait and s/he goes to fetch it. An example is the Yaba market where wears are dominantly stocked.
Conversely, if you ask a Yoruba trader where you could get a stock s/he doesn’t have, even if it’s available just next door, s/he may snarl response that s/he doesn’t know (sometimes varies from person to person).

3. The big cooperation of the Igbo’s made them reclaim the Ladipo market as they would pay anything to secure where they make livelihood. But the Yoruba-dominated markets only got down to fire in Lagos and ended up being seized by the Goverment and the attitude is ‘individualistic’; every trader for him/self and God for all!
The Igbos would rather do everything to reclaim the market.

http://9ralife.com/why-igbo-traders-tend-to-be-more-successful/

Again, it is on basis of personal observation and variations may apply from person to person regardless of ethnic belonging.
The observations reported above are from unobtrusive real marketplace observations of one person. This post is made with intent to direct attentions of persons affected by mention to the attitudes and not of scorn.

Do you observe same thing in the market place or do different things apply, differently?

Another Igbo thread to keep Nairaland moving

more successfl? Bt we'r nt on d african richest men list...

They are too lazy. Customers relationship is zero. That's why th form union in all the market they are.

They even have union of pepper grinders. So that if they tell you price if you like buy or leave, you will still get the same price in the market.

They fear competition like plague.

who ?

Balkan:
They are too lazy. Customers relationship is zero. That's why th form union in all the market they are.

They even have union of pepper grinders. So that if they tell you price if you like buy or leave, you will still get the same price in the market.

They fear competition like plague.

youngest85:
more successfl? Bt we'r nt on d african richest men list...

On the average igbos are richer

mrvitalis:
On the average igbos are richer

ok

Because dey sabi Buisness more than anyother tribe