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 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, late Dr. Alex Ekwueme. The bank is what is now First City Monument Bank.

- One good turn truly deserves another.

- It is good to love our neighbours as ourselves, and importantly - Honesty pays.

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Nice one.

Truly honesty pays

nice story...it really pays to be honest

Honesty is the best policy

While those one's who cease the properties are no where to be found today.

Nice story

Truly motivational it pays to be honest, especially in a society were morality is now been seen as a thing of the past

Nice story of patriotism & good morals.
Nowadays only few people can exhibit Subomi Balogun's character.

Igbos and Yorubas of then loved each other but reverse is the case now. But where did the hatred come from?

No one knows tomorrow indeed. What goes around comes around. Where did yoruba nd igbo now get it wrong? 4rm d story they seem to be allies then.

hunger never much for naija den....na y he return d money b dat

Some of US still dey honest nah





Naso I returned new phone I picked frm a gutter last week

[quote author=tayo60 post=111549164]Igbos and Yorubas of then loved each other but reverse is the case now. But where did the hatred come from?[/quote-]
From politicians! Divide to rule!
Nobody truly hates because of tribe - you become programmed to do so!

Yes

Truly, nobody knows tomorrow

Tomorrow is always pregnant.

[img]https:///media/3-30-2022/dNzg2X.gif[/img]

Very interesting narrative. Honestly is the best policy and one good turn truly deserves another.. Also, never look down on anyone today cos indeed, nobody knows tomorrow

Not motivational at all. I think sey Na first bank e wan talk

The irony of life.



Anyway, Agriculture is life.

ok

the country have spoiled

the tribal, religious and ethic lines are so thick now

Awolowo was not honest

When he was released from Calabar prison on the negotiations that he'll relay the plight of the Easterners and help end the war, due to his presidential ambition, he rather advised the then Federal Government to use hunger and starvation as a tool for war against the Igbos.

He never was the president

Someone should remind me how he died again..

So if not that he knows Ekwueme, there would have been no FCMB today?

Imagine how far we would have gone if there have been fairness in Nigeria.

That was in the past

Wow! This is truly touching.

Big shout out to all igbo indigenous people who fled their places of abode during the civil war and returned back to find out that their ‘neighbors’ had taken over their lands and houses and left them nothing but £20 pounds instead.

God bless you and your future generations.

akinremiayomide:
who is this being for Goodness sake

You should be thankful for the Yorubas who assisted you guys during the civil war

My father friend always appreciates the yorubas who secure his properties in Lagos during the 4yrs he was away in the east,he came back to southwest and met his properties the way he left it .
While do you think we accepted you all into southwest as refugee during the civil war??
Why didn’t you all run to the north for safety??
But yet,you still hate the yorubas for nothing

Oga, did you see me mention Yoruba in my initial post? Or don’t you know that most igbo who fled didn’t do so from the southwest but from the northern part of the country because of the initial pogroms and general afflictions the Christians were receiving from their Muslim counterparts? It was mostly northerners who took over igbo properties and not your tribes men. I don’t understand why you’re attacking me.

You think everything revolves around you guys see you ranting as if your people too didn’t covet any properties belonging to the igbo people at all.

if you tell the yorubas will they agree? they keep on hating on the igbos. let peace rain

Nigeria is not moving forward cause Nigeria owes igbos a debt. Nigerias problem is not just leadership it’s also spiritual, yes there was a war no doubt and therefore according to some Nigerians igbos must pay for it.

But igbos have paid for it in full, from 3quarter of the Igbo population being wiped out, to our properties being seized to over 50years of marginalisation, how long would igbos continue to pay.

Like the story said nobody knows tomorrow, from Massob being quite peaceful then ipob came being not quite peaceful, should we wait until the next Biafra group comes that’s more organised and willing to do sth dastardly that will shake Nigeria?

Should we wait until there’s a Biafra group that will one day get in possession of a nuclear weapon and launch it towards Nigeria for revenge?

Nigerians let’s do the right thing, Obasanjo was in prison, he wasn’t even a pdp member he was released and made president just to pacify the yorubas, Goodluck Jonathan was made president to pacify the Niger delta but y is the case of igbos different?

Don’t we need to be pacified too?

If Nigerians want to be fair and want to be justifiable even u reading this low-key in your mind know that yorubas don’t deserve 2023 presidency, between 1999 till now u have produced president 8years, Vice President 8years again and u want to be president another 8years while in same south a region hasn’t even seen vp slot, is it fair?