Interesting story. Pls read ...

During the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, many Igbo people fled other parts of the country for the East because they were being killed and massacred wantonly and the government was doing nothing about it.

Many abandoned their homes, properties and businesses for safety. Of them, was a young Igbo architect who had a young Yoruba banker as a neighbour in Apapa, Lagos. He also abandoned his home and with his family fled for the East.

However, the young Yoruba banker, while the war lasted, rented out his neighbour's house and kept every kobo for him while he was in the East. After the war, the Igbo architect returned to Lagos and the Yoruba banker handed over the entire proceeds of the rent and also the house to the Igbo architect.

Some few years later, the Igbo architect became the Vice President of Nigeria and the Yoruba banker established a commercial bank, the first by a private citizen in the country's history.

However, he could not get a license to begin banking operations. Many people were against him because it was unheard of at the time.

At this time, the banker remembered his neighbour who was now the Vice President and tracked him to the Christ Church Cathedral, Marina, Lagos on a particular Sunday. He had tried to get appointment to see him in his office but without success.

He and his wife then decided to go lay ambush for him in Church but the security men did not allow them. They then decided to sit by the pew close to the aisle to beat the security in the hope that the Vice President would see them while he walked to the front row. Yet, he still didn't see them.

After the church program they positioned that he will see them on his way out. However, the people following him out and security blocked his view. That was when the banker's wife decided to take a risk and like the woman with the issue of blood, she pulled the Vice President's cloth to get his attention who then turned and saw his old friend.

The young banker then narrated his plight and told the Vice President how he had tried to see him and what he needed to see him for. He told the him about his application for a bank licence.

“Don’t worry yourself. Just come tomorrow at the Federal Executive Council meeting which I would preside because President Shehu Shagari would not be there,'' the Vice President assured him.

By 3.00pm the next day, the Finance Minister called the banker on phone that his licence was ready. The rest they say is history.

That young banker was Otunba Michael Olasubomi Balogun while the architect in this narrative was one of Africa’s elder statesmen and former Vice President of the Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Alex Ekwueme. The bank is what is now First City Monument Bank.

One good turn truly deserves another and it is good to love our neighbours as ourselves.
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Good story

my point is this, If we can stand up for each other. if we can treat each other as we would love to be treated, irrespective of our tribal and social Affiliation's. Then this country would be one of greatest. Think about it. Compliments to all.

This is really nice

Nice one. Banking is in that guy's blood. How could he have kept all that money and returned it to an Igbo man? Youths of this day will not do that due to tribalism. The whole afonja and ipob talk is nauseating. Meanwhile the true enemies are up north.

Good story!

However, we are not one (and will never be); Nigeria is not supposed to be!

Get it now!

Nebes:
Nice one. Banking is in that guy's blood. How could he have kept all that money and returned it to an Igbo man? Youths of this day will not do that due to tribalism. The whole afonja and ipob talk is nauseating. Meanwhile the true enemies are up north.

the true enemies are not up north, they are in your mind.

jeyselassie:
the true enemies are not up north, they are in your mind.

You might be right. Just that I've never heard of mass killings of the Igbos by the Yorubas and vice versa. From childhood I've heard of people being evacuated from the north due to mass killings.

For all my Yoruba brothers thinking that Igbo are hating on them should have a rethink, an average Igbo man is only after his money and how to better his life,hating is not part of us except the few bad eggs that are among us and as such it will be wrong to judge us by that.
If truly the claims by my Yoruba brothers that igbos are full of hate how come we are yet to hear about any major fracas in lagos involving Igbos and yorubas,u will never hear that rather its either hausa n Yoruba or Fulani and yorubas.that is to show u that we are peace loving people in real life,forget about nairaland fracas,I just found out that nairaland is full of jobless youths that are trying to spill their anger out but in a wrong way.so I beckon on my brothers(Yoruba n Igbo)let's eschew hatred and build a formidable force that can achieve and impact on our life positively come 2018.SHALOM

All i can say is...,"It pays to be good".

Be good to people you meet in this journey of life.., you never can tell where the paths will meet again.

Very good information. The kind of bank worth doing business with. Thanks

http://www.naijasquare.com/threads/so-touching-how-first-city-monument-bank-started-must-read.2374/

lastempero:
For all my Yoruba brothers thinking that Igbo are hating on them should have a rethink, an average Igbo man is only after his money and how to better his life,hating is not part of us except the few bad eggs that are among us and as such it will be wrong to judge us by that.
If truly the claims by my Yoruba brothers that igbos are full of hate how come we are yet to hear about any major fracas in lagos involving Igbos and yorubas,u will never hear that rather its either hausa n Yoruba or Fulani and yorubas.that is to show u that we are peace loving people in real life,forget about nairaland fracas,I just found out that nairaland is full of jobless youths that are trying to spill their anger out but in a wrong way.so I beckon on my brothers(Yoruba n Igbo)let's eschew hatred and build a formidable force that can achieve and impact on our life positively come 2018.SHALOM

nice one brother. we youths need to get our heads right if we are going to be anything good in D's country

Nebes:


You might be right. Just that I've never heard of mass killings of the Igbos by the Yorubas and vice versa. From childhood I've heard of people being evacuated from the north due to mass killings.

if you lived in the north You will understand that during crisis most times it's not igbos that they look for instead they Look for anyone who is not hausa first whether Muslim or not.

tendawarrior1:

nice one brother. we youths need to get our heads right if we are going to be anything good in D's country

Yes bro.