Much has been said of the present state of affairs in our beloved homeland. But nothing else could be more delightful than seeing and having our brethren whom otherwise could have been easily swayed off by the teachings and trappings of the Christian faith return to omenala. These people returning to omenala tradition may have figured that without a concrete and workable approach to the development of igbo land,there would be no how this great land will work. Don't get me wrong entirely,we've had billionaires and multi-millionaires amongst us but that alone doesn't hold up a nation.


Most of enterprises built up by the older generations had gone into extinction. We've heard about EKELE DILI CHUKWU,ADAM & EVE MOTORS, etc. These had all gone away in just few years of the death of its founders. And with thousands of its employees layed off. But something, we aren't addressing as a people,is what really made these enterprises to actually fail. It wasn't the lack of foresight,insights nor ideas thereof. But "OMENALA TRADITION" mainly ignored and a practice of "WE ALONE" could do it,took center stage.



This amid other multi-million industrial and entrepreneurial concerns turned comatose. Just two weeks ago,I had to pass through an industrial zone of my hometown. I became amazed by the sheer number of industries in the area. My cab driver made it clear to me,that these factories in their peaks had employees numbering over 2 thousand and more. I began to inquire further,just to find out that those factories went aback due to unfavorable economic conditions. I smiled in my heart,but far from that,it wasn't alone the economy. YES our economic outlook isn't quite encouraging,but that alone cannot bring down factories already making giant strides in their areas of manufacturing base. It was the absence of "OMENALA" tradition being imbibed,adhered and practiced by the founders of those enterprises that made it to have gone to the winds in just less than 25 years of its founding.



It is a major concern and menace bedeviling the economic outlooks of the igbo. Many an igbo thinks along these lines of thoughts,that having an Igbo minister of transportation,finance, or even commerce and agriculture would change the igbo situation. That wouldn't even make a dent to the problems and challenges facing us a people. Without omenala the igbo worldview is bleak and uninspired. Without omenala the igbo is like a toothless bulldog fighting for a place in an ever changing dynamic world. I believe we can reach a consensus amongst our people from the academia,business,athletes to the common man(of course no one is common in the igbo omenala tradition) that our past has to be revisited and those things which knitted our people together could be worked upon and improved for the sake of future generations. Let us all bear in mind,that our progenitors had walked upon these paths before us. And may we seek the source of strength that had held those generations together in courage and goodwill find a thousand lights guide and shine us home as we make our lives a blessing to our people,Africa and the world.



The writer is an Activist,speaker,strategist and entrepreneur. He has written many articles published in dailies and magazines within and outside Nigeria.