₦airaland Forum

Why don't you post the full article here and put the link at the bottom? As it is now, only 1 in 1,000 Nairalanders will click on your link.

As for the article itself, you didn't really study Igbo businessmen well before writing your article. Otherwise, you'd definitely have mentioned igba-bonyi (apprenticeship), iga obodo oyibo (travelling), etc.

In other words, please rewrite the article.

Thanks. Your advice on choosing a self-hosted wordpress shows that you know so much about blogging. Nigerians think using free blogging platforms like TheirDomainName..com or TheirDomainName. is cheap. But they end up learning the hard way at the end of the day.

Another thing, I must add is for Nigerian bloggers to seek for real advertisers/sponsors and rely less on adsense. Then, when you get real adverts on your blog, don't be greedy by making your advert rates too expensive. Remember you're not yet on Linda Ikeji's level yet. Lol. Start low first. When more advertisers start knocking on your blog's door, you can then charge higher to let them in.

Teespice:
dabino is the hausa name for dates.
very powerful aphrodisiac.

Aphrodisiac for women or for men? Who can testify or confirm this? Lol.

Good day everyone. It's been so long. I have so much to say and so much to share but I don't even know where to start from. Lol.

This is very useful information. I already use whatsapp in promoting and running my business.

cyif2003:
same thin I was told last yr. useless bank

It was so embarassing. Made me feel like a useless businessman. Lol.
So did you finally get the P.O.S from another bank?

When I visited Fidelity Bank here in Agbani last week, they told me my business will qualify for a P.O.S when it generates a minimum of N1million per month. Imagine that! Lol.

I really need detailed information on this P.O.S issue. Nigerian banks, where are you? Come and give us answers.

How sure are we that he has really gotten the N200million funding he claims to have gotten? What if this is a clever strategy to attract investors?

Happy valentine's day to all of you. Even though Buhari no dey show me love at all. Lol.

The picture below shows my next move. No, I never join APC o! Lol. That's the broom I used to sweep my new shop on Sunday. The shop is beside my former container.

"Former container?" you ask.

Yes, I sold the container N60,000 (sixty thousand naira) on Saturday. I know that amount is N20,000 less than the N80,000 I'd intended to sell it. I had to sell it off in order not to miss the opportunity of grabbing the new shop for N50,000 (fifty thousand naira).

My heart has never been in the Onitsha move. I only started considering that option after a Nairalander called me all the way from China. We spoke for close to an hour. He's a big importer of female wears and suggested that I move to Onitsha to survey the environment and probably join him. He promised to call me when he returned from his business trip to China. But e be like Buhari don put sand-sand for my garri. Lol. Thank you Uncle ***** all the same. I really appreciate your call that day and the words of encouragement from a seasoned businessman like you.

Talking about encouragement, I was really discouraged when someone described me here as extravagant. That word "extravagant" really weighed me down for like two or three days. I kept asking myself,
"John, are you extravagant?"
"Ok, if not, where did all the N300,000 go to?"
"Where's all the money Nairalanders and your sister gave to you?"
"When and how are you going to pay the N300,000?"

The truth is that the moneys were swallowed by good business investments, bad business choices and feeding. It's now that I've realised that the stomach is like a bottomless pit. No matter how stingy or economical you are, you must chop at least once a day na. Whether na 1-0-0, 0-1-0 or 0-0-1 formula. Lol. Now, multiply N200 by 365 days. Now, multiply that figure by two if you're to eat twice daily. I'll leave you to do the maths. Anybody wey fit feed their-self three times a day especially for this Buhari economy na legend, I swear. E no easy. Lol.

That notwithstanding, I must pay my debt, despite the fact that there's no pressure from my friend. Its an obligation for me. I MUST. I only have to learn from my mistakes and take better business decisions this time.

As for relocating permanently to my village to focus on agriculture, I'll do that as soon as I can handle the transport challenge plus establish a solid alternative source of income. So that hunger no go show me pepper before the agriculture starts yielding fruit. I no get money to fly to London to treat stomach-ulcer. Lol.

For now, I'm still in Agbani Enugu.

Great! Igboland houses so much talent and innovation. One day, the whole world shall recognise us.

Kanoro:
Why do you refer to each other as "tribes?" Calling each other "tribes" is a European invention to downplay the powerful kingdoms, empires, and civilizations that you come from. For example the Yoruba have historically been one of the most urbanized people in the world for at least the past 1000 years and most of them come from many different kingdoms like the Oyo, and Owu. You never hear Europeans calling the basque of Spain a "tribe" even though they only number a few million vs the Yoruba who have more people than entire European nations.

Thank you sir. I agree with you. "Tribe" is a demeaning and offensive word. Let me use my Igbo nation for instance. If you refer to the nkanu, ngwa, abakiliki etc as tribes, you're correct because these groups are all Igbo people though they speak different dialects of the same Igbo language. This example is somewhat similar to the tribes of Israel in the bible.

But as you rightly noted, the Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, Ibibio, Ashanti, Tuareg etc should be more appropriately called ETHNIC NATIONS because they're equal to the English, Scottish, French and other ethnic nations.

Yet I understand why Europeans would call us tribes. At the time, the had little understanding of Africa in addition to their agenda of enslaving and colonizing us.

The real tragedy in all this is that we Africans continue to address our great nations as mere tribes. We've seemingly refused to right the wrongs that the European slave/colonial masters did to us.

We even worsen issues by glorifying a European who identifies with his own ethnic nation a PATRIOT (showing patriotism) while we tag an African who identifies with his own ethnic nation a TRIBALIST (showing tribalism). Lol. It's funny but sad.

Wow! Thanks for this article Aunty Naijacutee. These are the types of economic-empowerment threads that should be on Nairaland front-page.

This is great news. I guess those participants with as much as N1million in the system (e.g. MC Galaxy) may have to wait till as long as February 14th before MMM go show them love. Lol.

Afam4eva, I don't think changing Enugu state's slogan will automatically erase its history of coal production. The same way changing the name Gold Coast to Ghana didn't erase that country's history. But a question I must ask is:
Is coal the reason why Enugu city is so developed or did its history as the capital of Igboland cause that development?

Nonsobaba, you made a strong point when you said that cashew generates more revenue for Enugu state than coal. Please suggest a new slogan.

Recently, I was arguing with my friend from Abia state about the Fulani attack on Enugu and Governor Ugwuanyi's response to it, when he said, "Enugu is Coal City. No wonder you people behave like charcoal". I laughed so hard that day. Lol.

Yet, on a serious note, that "The Coal City" slogan of Enugu state no longer serves its former purpose. Enugu state has since grown beyond the era of coal. We even celebrated one hundred years of existence in 2009. I think that was the best time to change the slogan but it's better late than never.

Anambra state, for instance, changed its slogan during the Peter Obi administration. Everyone will agree that "Light of the Nation" is a far more powerful and inspiring slogan than "Home for All". Better still, Anambra state seems to be doing its new slogan justice by shining the light for the nation to follow through its exploits in agriculture and business.

Similarly, I suggest that my dear Enugu state should change its slogan from the old and dull "Coal City" to a more significant one like "Rising Sun". Or even "Golden City" if the Nigerian government fears the association of "Rising Sun" to Biafra. Lol.

Are you from Enugu state like me, a resident of Enugu state or a stakeholder in Enugu state? What do think about my suggestion? Please also feel free to suggest a new slogan for our dear Enugu state.

I am Ngene Chibueze John, the light of Africa.

2017. Happy new year to all of us. I declare this year my year of akunuba. I declare this year the year of akunuba for ndi-Igbo and all friends of ndi-Igbo. Akunuba means wealth and wealth is richer than money. For me, wealth encompasses money, property, connections, power, health and peace of mind.

In the spirit of akunuba, I've put up a for-sale notice. I aim to sell the container for nothing less than N80,000 (eighty thousand naira). If I don't get a buyer, I'll pay my rent and continue business in my small-but-mighty container. Lol. If I get the N80,000, I'll consider other options.

Octavo and Whirlwind7, when I started this business newly, I used to display the empty pack of the vi*bra*tor in my showcase. I had to stop doing that when I noticed that little children who passed near my shop would keep pointing at it. Plus, the sun was also changing the pack from coloured to black-and-white. Lol. I also used to tell almost all my customers that I sell vi*bra*tors in case they hadn't seen it in my showcase. Many would be interested and ask me to show it to them. At that time, I'd not yet sold it so I'd bring it out, insert the batteries and watch as my customers either screamed with excitement or looked at strangely as it vibrated. Lol. Now, I've devised a better strategy. I hang the pack near the mirror alongside the packs of the vaginal lubricant and arousal gel. Una know sey women love mirror die na. That way, I'm sure that even a blind customer must see it. Lol.

Today is the beginning of my second year here in Igboland. I relocated to Enugu on the 30th of December 2015. (I have a picture of myself in the village that day. That's why I know the exact date. I was looking so fresh then thanks to my friend and his wife wey wan kill me with over-feeding when I dey with them for Lagos. Lol)

The business-boom season has come and gone. From my record book, it started on December 1st and ended on December 24th. Within that period, I sold a total of 75 items at an average of four items per day. Wow! I wish sey every month go dey like that. Lol.

I also noticed that I made a good decision switching to girdles, waist-trainers, body-magic, paded pants (bumbum or yansh), nighties, s*e*x toys etc. The demand is high and I'm the only one meeting that demand here in Agbani. I haven't finished selling the tops, gowns, skirts, bumshorts, jackets, jumpsuits and trousers I have though.

I'm still confused on whether to sell this Agbani container before February when the N30,000 rent is due and relocate. Or to give Agbani a second chance now that I have customers. Sighs.

Dear Lord, please give me direction.

Its that time of the year again o! Time to storm the Main Market Onitsha for cheap-cheap things. Lol.

The MTN contractors came back yesterday to continue work. It seems they've finally settled the Agbani youths. Lol.

As promised, they repaired the broken floors and tiled them. They returned this morning to finish up the repairs.

In the first picture, the MTN contractors were fixing the mess they left two months ago.

In the second picture, you can see the sand and cement.

The MTN contractors came back yesterday to continue work. We hadn't seen them since two months ago when we forced them to stop work. This time around they came prepared with the tiles, cement and sand needed to repair any damages done.

Unfortunately, they were interrupted by some young men who called themselves "Agbani youths". The Agbani youths insisted that they must be settled by MTN before the work will be allowed to proceed. We begged the Agbani youths to at least allow them fix the cable and cover up the grounds the MTN contractors had already dug up. They refused, saying that MTN was supposed to settle them even before doing the digging that morning. Furthermore, they lamented that MTN had already settled Obe youths and were trying to outsmart Agbani youths.

Wow! Thank you so much Chriswazo. I don't feel insulted at all. Your words are like bitter pills of truth to me.

You're right about God leading me to my village. If anybody told me five years ago that I would be in Enugu, talk more of Agbani or even my village, I wouldn't have believed it the same way the whole world didn't believe that Donald Trump could become the president-elect of the USA.

I was even surprised yesterday when I was going to the village from Agbani and noticed that caterpillars had dug some gutters beside the road near the ESUT back gate. I had to ask the okada man what was going on.

Me: Do they want to repair this road?

Him: Yes o! They have awarded the contract to build it down to Amurri.

Me: Na lie!

Him: You'll see it with your own eyes.

Truly, I saw that more gutters had been dug even after we passed the ESUT back gate and continued into Amurri. We've been praying for this for so many years. I pray they don't abandon it. If they finish it, then it means God brought me here at the perfect time. That road will definitely transform my village from Amurri to AMURRICA. Lol.

I'll think deeply about your suggestion and pray about it because I suspect that God is speaking to me through you. Thank you once again.

I host with GoDaddy too.

I think another disadvantage of hosting with Nigerian hosting companies is that if your content is controversial, the Nigerian government can easily bully them into shutting down your site.

Good morning everyone. I have good news. My Agbani garden has produced its first three ripe tomatoes. A rat or something bit into one so I've kept it so I can plant the seeds. While I ate the other two raw. Lol.

As for the ugu, the first set of seeds I planted, rotted because I wasn't watering them. I had to plant a new set of seeds on my birthday and have been watering them diligently since then. Five have sprouted so far out of the about twenty seeds I planted. I suspect that the soil doesn't suit the ugu so well.

Merry Christmas to everyone o!

I know sey una go dey wonder wetin dey worry me, abi? Lol. Well, I've decided to start XMAS BONANZA this November for all my customers. I've slashed the prices on all my clothes. It's like a clearance sales because I'm planning to stop selling clothes. I'll either be focusing on underwears, corsets, girdles, waist-trainers, body-magic and intimacy gadgets or I might just sell off my Agbani container for at least N70,000 (seventy thousand naira) and relocate to Onitsha to continue business there.

Whirlwind7, this clothes business is too too slow here in Agbani. And the worst thing be sey expenses pass profit. The bitter truth is that the business is not bringing in the capital needed to sustain it. Sighs. The underwears, corsets, girdle etc branch of the business is not yet saturated here and gives higher profit for now.

I'll really be sad to leave my home state Enugu but my only consolation is that Onitsha is still Igboland and is a more populated and international business city. I'm not abandoning Enugu forever sha. John who fights and runs away will live to fight another day. Lol. I'll come back to my village with a bang when I raise enough capital to establish the agricultural and business empire of my dreams.

As for now, I'm preoccupied with thoughts of how to clear my debt. Though my loving friend is not putting any pressure on me. Thank God for that. But God knows I'll never be at rest until I pay him back his money with a carton of wine and other gifts to thank him for investing in me.

Moving forward, if I eventually sell the container and relocate, I might open another thread probably titled "My Enugu to Onitsha Business Move". Thank you all for following my story. Thank you for your financial contributions and gifts. Aunty Naijacutie, I'm now wearing that watch you gave me o! I couldn't sell it since that time so I decided to keep it as a birthday gift. Lol. Thank you ma.

God bless you all.

FakoMaybach1:
When u shot them why didnt u report it...una go find trouble if them retaliate u go rush put am for blog

oga carry clock oo

SMH. Is that all you have to say? Imagine a scenario where an Igbo man blatantly trespasses on a sacred ground in the North. Wouldn't they kill that Igbo man and even other innocent Igbos around?

There is tension in Umuigbo village located in Amurri, Nkanu-West, Enugu at the moment as Fulani herdsmen have threatened to attack the villagers.

Trouble started last week when Fulani herdsmen led their cattle into the sacred Isi-Ngene stream to drink. Isi-Ngene is an ancient stream which is highly revered by the Umuigbo people in particular and the whole of Amurri in general. The legend of Isi-Ngene is such that nobody (indigene or visitor) is allowed to go near the stream without first pulling off their footwear. Nobody is allowed to fetch Isi-Ngene with plastic buckets or gallons. You're only allowed to fetch it with an earthen pot. So you can imagine the anger of Umuigbo people when Fulani herdsmen defiled Isi-Ngene by stomping it with their cattle and leaving their cattle to drink directly from the water-hole.

When the herdsmen refused to heed the warning of the Umuigbo vigilante to leave the sacred area, the vigilante were left with no other choice but to shoot down one of their cattle. The Fulani herdsmen immediately fled but have promised to attack the community. The Nimbo massacre clearly comes to mind. As at today 11th November 2016, many of the villagers have fled their homes in fear.

Ngene Chibueze John

https://enugwu./2016/11/11/fulani-herdsmen-preparing-to-strike-umuigbo-amurri/

I know all eyes are on Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump today but please I also need votes to win Etisalat's pounds o! Lol. Remember I entered for their flash fiction competition. Voting ends by November 30th. You can read my entry and vote for it here: https://prize.etisalat.com.ng/flash-fiction/voteall.php?id=367

Thanks in advance.

Bugatie, Chimaruoke Nnamani transformed Agbani but he didn't build any road into Amurri. The road stopped at ESUT back gate. That's why we're angry with him and my people refused to support him when he ran for senate last year. The most painful part of the story is that Amurri people lost their lands to ESUT without being adequately compensated. My uncle lost about ten plots of his land.

Pidggin, I think this recession is a big reason. Plus maybe the saturation of clothes-sellers here in Agbani.

Cutiesoglam, amen o!

LKO, I don't buy in bales o! Have you finally started yours? I'm thinking of focusing on underwears, corsets, girdles, waist-trainers, body-magic, paded pants and intimacy gadgets. I'll advice you to give it a try as well.

Egbon mi CoolDipo, no vex abeg. I love it when you people comment. I definitely agree with you that starting small is the key to growing big.

Chief Bobug28, thank you my brother.

Uncle Renegade09, I really really really appreciate your phone call. Thank you sir.

Let me share a tip.

HOW TO CHECK THE OWNER OF A DOMAIN NAME

Go to WhoIs.com.
You'll see two search boxes. One is for searching for information on the owner of an already-taken domain name. The other is for searching for available domain names.
Type the domain name and click on "who is".
It'll display when the domain name was registered, when it'll expire and domain registration company used.
The domain name owner's information may also be displayed. That's if the owner hasn't paid to hide his/her identity.

For example, if you search for my domain name "NgeneFarms .com" on WhoIs, you'll see my name, address and phone number.

What I've just taught you now can help you if you're ever interested in buying an already-taken domain name.

I've noticed some comments on some threads here in the webmaster section complaining about inability to use Nigerian debit cards in this Buhari era. I don't understand the complaints. I haven't had the same experience with my GTB mastercard o! I bought a domain name last week (on 2nd November) via GoDaddy. It cost me exactly $16.34 or N5228.80. That means the exchange rate was $1 to N320 that day.

I just thought I should mention it in case any one here is facing challenges buying domain name with their Nigerian debit cards.

Why not buy your domain name through GoDaddy.com? It's easy and they accept Nigerian mastercard/visa debit cards. In fact, I registered a domain name for two years for about $16 (about N5,300) few days ago with my GTB mastercard. That means GTB charged me N320 per dollar.

Do you need a domain name? Or are you finding it hard to come up with a simple, memorable and brandable domain name for your site or blog? I can help you. Na my hobby. Lol.

To show you what I can do, I'm giving out the underlisted domain names FOR FREE in the spirit of my birthday (November 2nd). I checked them few minutes before posting this and they're all still available for registration.

SolutionDey .com
You can use this domain name for just about any niche you like.

Workuo .com
This one work work work works (apologies to Rihanna. Lol) for job-hunting focused sites/blogs.

forLagos .com
This domain name is self-explanatory. Need I say more? Eko oni baje jor. Lol

OperationSweep .com
I'd love to see a professional cleaning agency use this name.

ThankMa .com
Any Igbo person knows that "Mama thank ma" is said after eating mom's food. Lol. Therefore, this domain name will suit a food blog just fine.

I have many other shorter, sweeter and sexier domain names I can suggest to you. Whatsapp me on 09095000603.