The Igbo ethnic group is an embodiment of a people whose tenacity and resilience is legendary. They are hardworking, broad-minded and itinerant in spirit. Wherever an Igbo finds himself is home. He easily melds, builds from the scratch and excels in uncharted courses. They are an enigmatic maze too difficult to comprehend by jaundiced little minds in a prostrate country like Nigeria where mediocrity rules.
That is why, instead of recommendation, their exemplary attributes bring recrimination fuelled by envy and jealousy such that ethnic bigots who are frustrated by their inability to cage the Igbo rain hell-storms on them at every turn. They break some bones and skulls, incinerate their businesses.
Curiously, the Igbo still survive and trample on like the gallant warriors they are.
The Igbo moon sparkles in laughter, so bright, so wide; no hand anywhere can whittle its blazing glory.
For the bigots, the reality is that the Igbo are covenant children. Like the Jews, you hate them to your own detriment for those who curse them are cursed or blessed if you bless them. Take it or leave it, Nigeria will continue its rigmarole in darkness until it weans itself of inebriated self-harm, hating an innocent tribe.
In fact, the essence of being Igbo is rooted in their ancestry. This is well captured in the masterful piece below by an unknown writer:
A LETTER TO MY COMPATRIOTS WHO SEE ME AS A THREAT
I am Igbo. Go to Onitsha. Go to Aba. Go to Alaba. Go to Kano and see wealthy men who brag about how many millionaires they had minted in the course of their lives more than how many millions they personally had. Millionaires who sold the same things, competing with their former masters, taking on more competitors who will create more competitors over and over again.
Does it destroy the master? No! This is a mastery over greed that is not found elsewhere in the entire world. I am Igbo. And I am proud of this!
My ancestors were the ones who, in 1803, walked into the Pacific Ocean rather than be slaves. That legendary spirit is mine to claim.
Every Igbo man has a personal spiritual second, Chi. My success is determined by how much I want it. Not by obstacles. Not by what people call impossible. Not by how rich or poor my father was. Not by avoiding danger. But by a simple agreement between me and my Chi.
“Onye kwe, Chi ya ekwe”. If you believe, your Chi affirms.
I am Igbo, I was raised this way.
We create success and share it without begrudging our neighbours and our hosts. We will teach our host’s children our way of life, if they rise above their suspicions. We don’t mind a Yoruba or Hausa or Edo boy-boy. We only ask that the person be smart and dependable.
We are not particular about kings or queens. We don’t want to be your king. We don’t do very well with them. Before the white man came, we barely had kings. Any child who came of age had the right to speak in a village meeting when it was his turn. No one could stop them.
The community came together to build houses for one another. People who were struggling were supported and those who had lost children or had none were lent children for their farms.
When my ancestors saw that literacy was good, they contributed to send the village’s brightest to school. Even people whose own children were ‘itibolibo’ happily contributed for other people’s children. You know why? We believed that a child belonged to everyone.
In those days, we had leaders who were chosen purely on what they could do. Nothing was hereditary. Even the chief priest was chosen by the spirits from kindred to kindred, without a set pattern.
Basically, we don’t want to rule in your land. We want to build wealth.
Again, we’re happy to share. We will build schools, hospitals and markets without a single prejudice. Everyone is welcome. And, no, we don’t only go to already-made cities. We particularly love to do virgin lands and make decent towns out of them.
I am sure there are many things for which you can be proud about your ancestors. I know a few, because I try to educate myself. I will celebrate them with you. Your art and culture – ancient and modern. The warrior spirit of your ancestors. Their industry. I celebrate them all.
I dare suggest that if other Nigerian ethnicities, who prefer political power, understood the Igbo, they could rule forever and Ndigbo wouldn’t mind. Any Igbo will tell you: Provide a level-playing field, promote law and order and the Igbo would largely ignore politics.
Let me reiterate. We don’t do well with kings and queens. Respect is earned not inherited. That’s how we see it. We only hate injustice with a terrible passion.
How do you think the boy-boy system is sustained? If you don’t “settle” your boy, or skimp on how much, nobody will beat you, but you won’t be able to live down the shame. You will forever be known as the riffraff that doesn’t “settle” his boys. Just like that, your respect is gone. When a child who has “washed” his hands is chosen over you, your pariah status is sealed.
You may resist and ask, “What about Igbo governors? How come they do Ndigbo dirty and get away with it?”
The answer is simple. No one chose them. They’re imposed with guns every election cycle. They are vassals of Abuja. Abia State is your example as to what happens when our will prevails in the choice of public office.
Free and fair elections and none of these clowns will smell that seat. If not for the guns, even a small child will walk up to them and tell them that they’re full of rubbish.
Ideally, everyone can speak. From the drunk to the village madman. You’re allowed to laugh at their craze but you’re not allowed to silence them.
“Mba nu. Ibu Chi ya?” Are you his Chi? They commune with the spirits. So, once in a while they say things that save the community.
But a Peter Obi can live in Onitsha and walk into the market with little or no escort. Why?
He embodies the best of us. His attitude is what our forebears built over thousands of years. Industry without excessive greed. A peaceful man with grit and a truckload of bravery. Someone who pursues justice for all and uses public money for public good.
I am Igbo and I am happy to emulate the best of you. If it is a thing of value, we will adopt it and we expect that as we are willing to share, you will extend us the same hand. But even if you decided not to teach us, we only need to see it to learn.
I know this is what gives you pause and whips up fears that we want to take over. Let me assure you that we wish to build a bigger market to accommodate all of us. Please, let us try it our way. Our competition is not winner takes all. We share. We enrich. We make better.
I am Igbo, my mantra is “Oje mba enwe ilo”. The traveller doesn’t make enemies.
I expect that you will not understand me. But I believe that this is not your burden. So, I learn your ways. Teach my children your language. Learn your customs and obey your laws.
I have my flaws but that does not include expansionist quest to control you and rule over your land. Foreigners who want to rule over you have demonstrated it over the past century.
Stop trying to crush my spirit. You will fail. My spirit is my gift to Nigeria and to all my hosts elsewhere. It is rare on the earth. I don’t know how NOT to compete. I can’t accept being less than. I can’t be enslaved.
Because I am Igbo and all I have to do is to believe and my Chi will affirm