₦airaland Forum

Tension around the Igbo presence in Lagos often comes from a mix of history, economics, politics, and identity, not from any single cause. It's important to speak about patterns and perceptions — not blanket labels on any group.

Why some people may envy the Igbo in Lagos

Common perceptions include:

✅ Business success & economic competitiveness
Many Igbo are known for entrepreneurship and trading networks. Their visibility in markets, property acquisition, and commerce can create admiration — and sometimes envy.

✅ Fast upward mobility
The Igbo cultural emphasis on self-made success, apprenticeship (Igba-Boi), and owning property can lead to rapid economic advancement. For some, this becomes a point of comparison and resentment.

✅ Strong community support systems
Communal investment, unions/associations, and apprenticeship systems help Igbo succeed collectively, which can be seen as an advantage by outsiders.


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Why some fear or feel threatened

These feelings come from:

⚠️ Competition for land and business space
Real estate and markets in Lagos have long been competitive. When Igbo individuals buy land or dominate business districts, some locals may feel their space shrinking.

⚠️ Political influence worries
During elections, fears surface that Igbo voting blocs could shift power dynamics in Lagos — a city deeply tied to Yoruba political history.

⚠️ Historical scars
Echoes of pre- and post-Biafra tensions sometimes show up in rhetoric, even generations later.

⚠️ Cultural protectionism
Some fear cultural dilution — Lagos is historically Yoruba, but it's now a multi-ethnic megacity. Fear of losing cultural control or demographic dominance can show up as hostility.


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Underlying truth

This is less about ethnicity itself and more about:

Competition for power & resources

Identity politics

Urbanization pressures

Historical memory

Economic inequality


Where groups live and thrive together under pressure, friction can arise.


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Important perspective

Despite the tension narratives online, millions of Yoruba and Igbo coexist peacefully in Lagos, do business together, intermarry, and build friendships daily.

Social media amplifies the loudest voices — often the extreme ones — but everyday life in Lagos is more complex and cooperative.


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In short

They may fear and envy the Igbo in Lagos because the Igbo are seen as:

Highly entrepreneurial

Economically mobile

Organized & community-driven

Politically significant

Culturally confident


But ultimately, it reflects larger issues about identity, space, and power in a fast-growing city — not innate qualities of any group.


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Nothing can stop a moving train.

If you don't move out of the way, the train will crush you.

You mean it didn't displayed that the most brainwashed people in Nigeria are the ipobs?

I believe it also showed you that they are the most tribalistic people in Nigeria.

It also showed you that they don't like peace at all

Igbo is the most successful tribe in Nigeria and that explains the hate and envy especially from the Yorubas loyal to Tinubu

LagosOrigin:
Igbo is the most successful tribe in Nigeria and that explains the hate and envy especially from the Yorubas loyal to Tinubu

People throw stones are fruitful trees not barren ones ...that's the truth

But why don't Nigeria expel the Igbo ?

ariesbull:
People throw stones are fruitful trees not barren ones ...that's the truth

But why don't Nigeria expel the Igbo ?

Expel the Igbos?

It's like asking why cannot the body expel its heart or blood.

The Igboman is the glue thay binds Nigeria together. He provides the platform for other tribes to work together by making him the escape goat. The yoruba man uses the igboman to warm his way into the heart of the hausa/fulani. Remove the Igbos, they will be overrun.

Humanly speaking, GOD still gives the northern Christians some lifeline through the presence of Igbos. Remove igbos, Nigeria is overrun by jihadists.

The plan is systematically use the state security apparati to cage them, and while they use every means to expand into Igboland.

Elusive001:
Expel the Igbos?

It's like asking why cannot the body expel its heart or blood.

The Igboman is the glue thay binds Nigeria together. He provides the platform for other tribes to work together by making him the escape goat. The yoruba man uses the igboman to warm his way into the heart of the hausa/fulani. Remove the Igbos, they will be overrun.

Humanly speaking, GOD still gives the northern Christians some lifeline through the presence of Igbos. Remove igbos, Nigeria is overrun by jihadists.

The plan is systematically use the state security apparati to cage them, and while they use every means to expand into Igboland.

I find them daft....

Their fathers fought to bring Igbo back to Nigeria
Their children are fighting and complaining about the Igbo

Yet the Igbo aren't the president,I wonder how the Igbo took over their thinking processes

ariesbull:
People throw stones are fruitful trees not barren ones ...that's the truth

But why don't Nigeria expel the Igbo ?

Lolz. You don't realise people throw stones and sticks at animals when they're attacked by the said animals. This a more apt analogy.

ariesbull:
I find them daft....

Their fathers fought to bring Igbo back to Nigeria
Their children are fighting and complaining about the Igbo

Yet the Igbo aren't the president,I wonder how the Igbo took over their thinking processes

Therein lies the answer.
Their fathers fought tooth and nail to hold back the Igboman. They on their own won't mind losing millions of their people to war just to make sure thay the Igboman does not leave Nigeria.

They have more benefits if the Igboman remains. He is the glue that binds the country together. Southwest muslims will never desire to live in the same country alone with their northern counterparts, never.

Brenbentondiaz:
Lolz. You don't realise people throw stones and sticks at animals when they're attacked by the said animals. This a more apt analogy.

Nope. A serious person goes all out to remove or kill the animal. Killing in this case is impossible. Removal is safer and better option.

Lol.

Cry babies.

Because Ibos love and adore everyone else right? Hypocrites

Can't take an ounce of what they dish out.

Cry harder

Yes,I totally agree with Ai.

Let me buttress further,I recently bought a land somewhere in Abuja where I want to settle my family in. But I was trying to know who my neighbours were...and someone who knew the place very well started telling that the man opposite me is the boss to the man after my plot,he said they were two boys who served the boss opposite me and the other also owned a land after the other boy...

I then asked,won't the boss be angry,and he said noo...that it was the boss who called his boys to come and buy the land so that they too can grow and avoid spending and wasting their monies.

But I tell u,no tribe in Nigeria can do this...no be mouth but reality.

The level my igbo brothers are operating is unbelievable and to further buttress more on this...

My wife who is a banker just moved to another bank,with a higher pay and opportunities and yesterday,a customer in her former bank asked about her and they told him that she has moved to another bank and while the customer left the banking premises,he called my wife telling her that he went to her former bank and they said she has left.


The customer immediately came to her new branch,asking if he can be given loan and my wife said yes,and they gave the guy all the requirements.

Yesterday night,while I and my wife were talking,the guy called as usual in our local dialect and he promised my wife he was going to bring more igbo guys to open account and collect loan to shore up their business and this guy has been known by my wife for 13yrs and that Is what igbos do better.

When the road is good,they connect others for good and he has promised strongly that these guys are capable financially.

If not Igbo, Fulani would have colonized Nigeria fully.


I need IBB quote on Yoruba.

ibechris:
Yes,I totally agree with Ai.

Let me buttress further,I recently bought a land somewhere in Abuja where I want to settle my family in. But I was trying to know who my neighbours were...and someone who knew the place very well started telling that the man opposite me is the boss to the man after my plot,he said they were two boys who served the boss opposite me and the other also owned a land after the other boy...

I then asked,won't the boss be angry,and he said noo...that it was the boss who called his boys to come and buy the land so that they too can grow and avoid spending and wasting their monies.

But I tell u,no tribe in Nigeria can do this...no be mouth but reality.

See the people who want Biafra.
This one wants to settle his family in Abuja.
E no see East settle them o.

They are only willing to be carried to Igboland when they kpai. As if Alaigbo is a cemetery.

Brenbentondiaz:
The high level if low self esteem that makes you deveropers cling to "they're envious of us. They feel jealous because of us" is sky high. Seems you lot are not sm. art enough to realize how it makes you sound. Lokz.

The deluded narccisists are trying to gaslight AI
Envious indeed.

Not at the top of business/enterprise (Dangote/BUA/Otedola/Adenuga beat them to it)
Not at the top of Politics (Northerners/SW beat them to it)
Not at the top of Military Power (Again, Northerners/SW beat them to it)

Just a bunch of inferiority-complex infused cry-babies.

We Igbos are already used to their hatred for Igbos.




They're are just doing what their parents taught them from kids.

chiagozien:
We Igbos are already used to their hatred for Igbos.
They're are just doing what their parents taught them from kids.

No one hates Igbos.
Igbos only misbehave and cry when they are dealt with by their senior brothers.

If you do nonsense, you go collect. Whether you believe that people hate you or not, nobody send.

T9ksy:
So, you truly believe these guys wants biafra? What they really want is to dominate nigeria but the fulanis - their erstwhile senior political partner, changed the playing field..

Give them biafra tommorrow and i bet you, a good significant number of them will still want to stay in our region, as a "nigerian".

Igbos don't hate injustice, they only hate the fact that they are not the ones perpetrating injustice.

They want to be like Fulanis but they lack opportunity.

Chimookigwe:
See the people who want Biafra.
This one wants to settle his family in Abuja.
E no see East settle them o.

They are only willing to be carried to Igboland when they kpai. As if Alaigbo is a cemetery.

E pain u,I have four plots of land with a fantastic bungalow in my village. Water running and gated and even barbed wired fenced round.

I am not u that dont travel to his village...I have travelled to my village 5times this years and rest well before coming back to my base.

Poor soul sorry for the pain.

The hatred runs so deep that some would remain silent in the face of mass killings and brutal onslaughts by Fulani herdsmen in their own communities, yet scream in outrage at the mere sight of an Igbo cultural exhibition in what should be a cosmopolitan city like Lagos.

They would sooner tolerate the massacre of their own kin than allow the Igbo to live in peace.

If they are envious of you.. why not pack your things and leave?
Why must you remain where you feel you're envied and hated?. makes no logical sense except you can't survive without those people you claim envy you.

It's just like the case of tick (parasite) complaining that the dog (host) envies it, while it still sticks to the dog's body, sucking blood from it.
Who is fooling who?. the tick should leave the dog's body first and see if it won't die within a short period.

Victim mentality is the trait of an unfortunate person. Wake up

ibechris:
E pain u,I have four plots of land with a fantastic bungalow in my village. Water running and gated and even barbed wired fenced round.

I am not u that dont travel to his village...I have travelled to my village 5times this years and rest well before coming back to my base.

Poor soul sorry for the pain.

Na so
But na Abuja you run go hide your family.
Why you no let your family go stay for Igboland?
You even dey fear.

You go village 5 times, you dey make happy. Those wey dey based there, no be human being them be?
You support all evil schemes aimed at destruction of Igboland but are afraid to put your family there let them enjoy what you support.

ibechris:
The way I rate and see Ronus is the same way I rate u.

U are pure igbo tribalist. Your type are the ones thunder used to fire during raining seasons because of hate.


End.

You think that guy is Igbo?

I don't think, he is one of the people who use Igbo names here to attack Igbos, he is a Tinubu supporter, what their head tells them is that getting Biafra means all Igbos will go back to the south east, and I just laugh each time I read such, if it were so, all Nigerians all over the world should be in Nigeria.

They don't know Biafra is not about the Igbos leaving anywhere they are currently staying in the world but mainly about having a nation they can call theirs run by a homogeneous ideology.

They think Igbos will leave any part of Nigeria if they get Biafra today, no, it doesn't work like that, if so then it will mean all other nations like even Ghana can expel Nigerians for just being Nigerians.

Understanding the complex dynamics of ethnic relations in Nigeria is essential to address your question. The perception that Igbos are "hated and envied" stems from a combination of historical, economic, and political factors that have played out over decades, particularly since the colonial era and the Nigerian Civil War.
💰 Sources of Perceived Envy (Economic Success)
One of the most frequently cited reasons for envy relates to the Igbo people's remarkable economic resilience and entrepreneurial spirit:
* Entrepreneurship and Mobility: Igbos are renowned for their business acumen, high geographical mobility, and "can-do" spirit, which has led them to establish successful businesses and trade networks across all parts of Nigeria and beyond.
* Response to Dispossession: Following the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), many Igbos were stripped of their assets and savings ("Abandoned Properties". This forced them to start over, leading to a renewed focus on private enterprise and self-reliance, which further fueled their success in the informal and formal economy.
* Emphasis on Education: A strong historical emphasis on Western education gave Igbos an early advantage in the civil service and other professions across Nigeria before independence.
This widespread success in diverse regions of the country can lead to perceptions of competition and dominance among other local populations, fostering resentment and envy.
🏛️ Sources of Perceived Hatred (Historical and Political Tensions)
The perception of hatred is deeply rooted in Nigeria's turbulent political history, especially:
* The Nigerian Civil War (Biafra): The attempt by the Igbo-dominated Eastern Region to secede as the Republic of Biafra (1967-1970) remains the single most impactful event. The war and the preceding anti-Igbo pogroms (mass killings) in the Northern Region created deep wounds and distrust. For many Nigerians, the secession attempt is still viewed as a grave act of treason.
* The 1966 Coups: The first military coup in January 1966, which assassinated key political figures—including the Prime Minister and Northern Premier—was led primarily by young Igbo officers. Although their motives were complex, the event was widely interpreted, particularly in the North, as an Igbo-led attempt to dominate the country. This led directly to a counter-coup and the massacres that preceded the war.
* Post-War Marginalization: Following the war, the Igbo people experienced political and economic marginalization, with a relative absence of Igbos in top political offices and strategic national security positions, which they feel is a form of collective punishment for the war.
These historical conflicts and their aftermath contribute to lingering inter-ethnic mistrust and can manifest as resentment and even hostility.
📝 Summary of Underlying Factors
| Factor | Contributes to | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Entrepreneurial Success | Envy | High mobility and success in business and trade across all regions of Nigeria. |
| The Biafran War (1967-1970) | Hatred/Resentment | The attempted secession remains a point of deep historical and political contention. |
| High Educational Attainment | Envy/Resentment | Early and aggressive adoption of Western education led to dominance in the pre-independence civil service. |
| Political Marginalization | Resentment | Feeling of being excluded from the highest levels of political power since the civil war. |
It is important to note that these are generalizations about complex inter-ethnic relations, and a great deal of peaceful coexistence, intermarriage, and business collaboration exists across Nigeria's diverse groups.
Would you like to know more about the Igbo apprenticeship system that underpins much of their modern-day economic success?

So true!

ariesbull:
I find them daft....

Their fathers fought to bring Igbo back to Nigeria
Their children are fighting and complaining about the Igbo

Yet the Igbo aren't the president,I wonder how the Igbo took over their thinking processes

Nobody wants to be associated with drugs and human traffickers