I am Igbo; the Autochthonous Republican African.
7 min read
A letter to my compatriots, colleagues and associates who see me as a threat.
The essence of being Igbo is rooted in our ancestry. These are well captured by the writer below. I am Igbo. Go to Onitsha (An Igbo City of Markets regarded as the Biggest Market in West Africa). Go to Aba, Enyimba City (An Igbo City of Markets which is regarded as the Japan of Africa); Go to Nnewi (An indigenous Igbo Business Community of Markets regarded as having the highest number and density of Black African Multi-Millionaires on earth), Go to Alaba Markets (the Igbo populated Markets in Lagos); Go to Kano (the big business City in Northern Nigeria), Go to Port Harcourt, Igwe Òcha (The Nigerian Oil City), just to mention but a few and see for yourselves wealthy Igbo men who brag with how many Millionaires they had minted in the course of their lives more than how many millions they personally had. They brag about their Newer and younger Millionaires who sold the same things, Competing with their former masters, taking on and training more competitors who will create more competitors and mint their own Millionaires over and over again.
Does it destroy the masters? No! This is the Igbo Man. 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. (Check and Read about ‘The Igbo Rising’ in the American History).That legendary spirit is mine to claim.
Every Igbo man has a personal spiritual second, called Chi. My success is determined by how much I want it. Not by obstacles. Not by what people call impossible. Not by detractors. Not by how rich or poor my father was. Not by avoiding danger. But by a simple agreement between me and my Chi. The Igbo admonishes,
“Onye kwe, Chi ya ekwe”. If you believe, your Chi affirms.
I am Igbo, I was raised this way. Many of our Igbo names instructively reflect these realities, eg. TobeChi, Chidera, UcheChi, ChimAmaka, ChimZikòra, UbasinaChi, OgeChi, Chibuike, Chikadibia, KeleChi, Chinelo, ÒlùChi, Chidi, Chioma, Chikòdi, OnyinyeChi, AmaraChi, Chinedu, IzuuChi, ÙzòChi, ChiAkù, Chimezie, Chimùanya, OkeChi, IhieChi, ChiEmeka, Chimùanya, Chidozie, EbereChi, Chimamkpa, IkeChi, Chidimma, ÒgòChi, Chiemerie, Chitùrù, Chigozie, EbereChi, Chizitere etc.
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 would rise above their suspicions. We don’t mind a Yoruba or Hausa or Edo or Cameroonian or Ghanaian or Any other African, or Asian or European Boy-Boy. (Boy-Boy is the age-long successful Igbo Apprenticeship System to Wealth). 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. There is an age-long saying in Igboland “Igbo Enwe Eze”, its meaning does not lie in its literary interpretation but in its psycho philosophical interpretation meaning, “Anybody Could Be King”.
Our ancestors are authochtonously socio-politically Republicans in nature.
Before the whiteman came, we barely had any 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. Whenever this child makes superior sense, the entire community accepts, adopts and follows his idea.
The community came together to build houses for each other. In original Igbo communities, 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 dull ‘itibolibo’ happily contributed for other people’s children. You know why? We believed that a child belonged to everyone. Indigenous scholarship schemes originated by our illiterate ancestors spread like wildfire across Igboland. That is how the Igbo who were amongst the lasts to come in contact with the white man quickly caught up with the world in western education.
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, and lead our wealth building life & excellence.
Again we’re happy to share. In our host lands, we build schools, hospitals, 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 and cities 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 & culture – ancient & modern. The warrior spirit of your ancestors. Their industry and values. I celebrate them all.
I dare suggest that if other Nigerian ethnic groups who prefer political power understood Igbos, they would rule forever and Igbos wouldn’t mind as long as there is justice and economic growth. Any Igbo will tell you: Provide a level playing field, promote law and order and Igbos will largely ignore politics.
Let me reiterate. We don’t do well with kings and queens. In our Igbo culture, respect is earned not inherited. That’s how we see it. We only hate injustice with a terrible passion.
How do you think the Igbo boy-boy system is so successful and 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 and your life would be made miserable. 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 Ndị Igbo 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, Nigeria is your example today as to what happens when our Igbo people’s will prevails in the choice of public officers. With the recent shinning example in governance by a free and fair choice of the Igbo, Gov.Alex Chiòma Otti of Abia State is a pointer. Our history is replete with examples of Top Performers and Record Breakers as Leaders whenever the Igbo succeeds to freely and fairly choose public office holders, examples are the lives, works and exploits of genuine servant leaders like Dr.M.I.Okpara, Chief. Sam Mbakwe (Ph.D) just to mention but a few.
Free and fair elections and none of these clowns you had since seen will smell that seat. If not for the guns, even a small Igbo child will walk up to them and publicly tell them that they’re full of rubbish.
Ideally in Igboland everyone can speak. From the drunk to the village mad man. You’re allowed to laugh at their craze but you’re not allowed to silence them. The Igbo will retort, are you God?
“Mba nụ. Ị bụ 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 in your community or nation. 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 deliberately decided not to teach us, we only need to see it to learn and perfect it.
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. It is our original culture and drive to strive to create wealth, improve economies, better our lives and those of others in any society we find ourselves before we die.
Please let us try it our way. Our competition is not winner takes all. We share. We enrich. We make better.
I am Igbo, we are generally travelers, our age-long mantra is “Oje mba enwe ilo”. The sojourner 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. We don’t.
We eventually usually return to our roots in retirement, even in death, we usually return home.
Stop trying to crush my spirit. YOU WILL FAIL. My spirit is my gift to Nigeria and to all my hosts elsewhere in the world, THE SPIRIT OF THE IGBO RISING!. It is rare in all the earth. I don’t know how NOT to compete. I can’t accept to be 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.
“ALWAYS LET THE BESTS OF US LEAD THE REST OF US”
~copied, researched, edited and adapted by
Dr.T.J.Ehirim (Ph.D)
IGIRIGI NDÙ IMO STATE.
