Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Various Tribes (Igbo Tribe)

Nigeria is a country with about 150millions citizens and counting, with different ethnic groups, tribes, villages, languages and divers cultures I love this about Nigeria as it makes the country a very interesting one. I decided that over time I will do a study on a lot of the tribes in Nigeria or should I say as many tribes in Nigeria I can blog about, talking about their weakness and a lot about their strength.
The Ibo tribe is my first point of call as I love their enthusiasm when it comes to making money. Now if you want to be an entrepreneur or are already one, I will advise that you have a few trusted Ibo friends by your side, understudy them as they conduct their business and learn a lot about endurance, determination and not eating one's profit until they have arrived.  (ie this advise is for me)...


I know this guy who goes by the name "OKE Japan", he sells very beautiful professional cameras in Lagos Island. Now his shop/kiosk/store is very small in fact five people can barely seat inside it comfortably (meaning he doesn't pay a lot of money for over head. LOL). Now if you stay in his place for like 3 hours which you usually will do as there are a lot of customers, you will be surprised to find out that he has sold goods worth 3million and all in cash. "His slogan is if you want to speak grammar speak to my wife she has PhD, but if you want to talk business and money come and talk to me, that is what I understand).

An Ibo man will sleep under his brother's bed for 7 years just to learn a trade, after which his brother will settle him, meaning paying him off and sending him off to go and start his own business.

After reading Chinua Achebe's novel "there was a country", I realised that if the federal government had just recognized the talent the Ibo's had and had encouraged them, giving them resources and good standardization of the products, Nigeria would have become the next China or better still blown up before China did. Will this ever happen I almost doubt that, but like always I hope.

It's only an Ibo man that if the government banes the use of generators in Nigeria, instead of lamenting for years and thinking of how this bad luck must be from his village, will just switch to selling transformers without asking questions. I also love them as they mostly believe in volume sales and make good use of it. It surprised me when I got to Republic of Benin and I was told that there is an Igbo market, I had to go and see it myself.


Their weaknesses

They can be very fast and I mean that in a bad way. One is almost very careful when one has a business deal with them..lol

Because of their gift of making money, they usually aren't interested in going to school which in a way is comme si comme ca.

Although its gradually changing, Male kids are considered better than female kids. I think this is still prominent amongst Ibo's and I wish it will change soon, that's why I am so happy when I see Igbo families that have strong females.


I gotta sign off...

above all there is an exception to every rule and I think they have a lot in common with the Chinese.

P.S. "Please this post is not intended to insult anybody...just observations....comments will be welcomed.


Ciao