HOW I SUDDENLY STARTED LOVING IGBOS
THE MYTHS:
As a boy growing up on the street of Port Harcourt, I was told so many
horrible things about Igbos.
I was told that Igbos were planning to push Rivers people to Abia State for
the people of Abia to inhabit Rivers State because of our resources.
I was told that Igbo people enslaved and ruled over my people in Bori the
traditional headquarters of Ogoni Kingdom.
I was told that Odumegwu Ojukwu, Onyeka Onwenu and other prominent
Igbos brazenly rejoiced over the execution of my uncle Ken Saro Wiwa
because of the role he played during the Civil War.
I was told that it is better to be slaves to Hausas than to be brothers to
Igbos because, Igbos are worse than Hausas.
THE EFFECTS
These things made me to terribly detest Igbos beyond
was always skeptical, cynical and suspicious while dealing with Igbos. It also
affected my friendship with Igbo guys, I was always careful not to be a
victim, no matter how they value the friendship, as long as they are Igbos,
they were bad eggs to me .
It also severely affected my relationship with Igbo girls, 70% of the girls I
have seen are Igbos girls but I have never treated any of my Igbo girlfriends
fairly because, I programmed my mind not to be interested in anything beyond
the fun attached to the chemistry of boys and girls stuff while dealing with
an Igbo girl, I didn't want to make the mistake of dating an Igbo girl to the
extent of marrying her.
THE DISCOVERY.
I was posted to Akwa Ibom State for my national youth service in November
2013, there I made so many Igbo friends, almost 60% of Akwa Ibom corps
members are from Igbo extraction, mainly from IMSU, FUTO, ABSU,
UMUDIKE, ESUT and IMT. There I saw how determined a typical Igbo youth
is, there i saw the natural tendency for economic success in a typical Igbo
guy, there I saw the reason why Igbos are entrepreneurs allover the globe,
there I saw that God specially gave them the metaphysical eyes to see
money in things and where you don't even think of smelling money, there I
saw that even though the Igbos have had severe political travails and
marginalization, they will forever remain the economic salt of Nigeria, even
after the restoration of Biafra.
While we were serving, those of us who are Port Harcourt breed
UNIPORT/RSUST corps members were always complaining that Akwa Ibom is
beautiful but not groovy as Port Harcourt, we were always complaining that
the town is dry with no night life as Port Harcourt. But our friends from
the Igbo extraction were seeing things differently, they saw Akwa Ibom as a
beautiful virgin land highly in need of economic exploration, they saw huge
business opportunities in where we saw boredom.
We were complaining of the insufficient N19,800 alawi while they were
seeing it as potential small scale business capital. We used our alawi to club
in one night because, we didn't see it as good enough to help us, while our
Igbo friends inject it into their small scale businesses. We were always going
to Tropicana to see movies while our Igbo friends are busy going to Lagos
to bring wears and jewelries for us to buy. We were always calling home
for money but our Igbo friends were sending money home instead.
At the end of my service year, I said I was going back to Port Harcourt
because I believed Uyo was too dry for me to hustle, but my Igbo friends
stayed back because they saw Uyo as a land lacking business and as such,
it's good for them to make money through the introduction of different
businesses.
THE REVERSAL.
I came back to Port Harcourt then pondered on my experience with these
Igbo brains, I then realised why people hate them, I felt bad seriously for
wrongly hating them all these while, I decided to love them because, they
have the kind of zeal I'd love to emulate.
THE CONVICTION.
When I was fully convinced that the Igbos are not only my role models but
my blood was when they went against all odds to make Goodluck
Jonathan their own, they loved him even more than some us from the
South South, they gave him their full support at the poll not minding the
consequences. Ever since, I couldn't stop loving Igbos but to love them even
more.
THE RECOMMENDATION.
Igbos drive the economy of every towns and cities in Nigeria, nobody can
change that, so instead of hating them for doing business in your place, I'd
advise you compete with them even if you know you can't beat them
because, it is your land that is benefiting economically and otherwise with
such healthy competition, it is a win win situation.
IN CONCLUSION.
Igbos are subject of hate in this country, apparently due to wrong
perception, but I personally think Igbos are cool like any other tribe, and bad
like any other tribe too. Though my main problem with them is that, they
never admit their flaws no matter how glaring but they are always quick to
lampoon the slightest folly of other tribes.
If you want to be successful economically, think like Igbos
by
Tyrano Tsunami!
No comments:
Post a Comment