One would have thought that there would be mutual love and respect between Nigerians living in Benin Republic and indigenes of the neighbouring country, especially as they interact on a daily basis in their business and social lives.This is not so, however, going by Saturday PUNCH's investigation which revealed that there is a discreet hostility from the Béninoise to Nigerians living in their country.

Although Nigerians abound in the country -both as students or workers – there is usually an aggressive attitude once a Benin indigene realises that one is a Nigerian. The only people that seem to love Nigerians in the country are their females.A Nigerian businessman, Promise Nwadigos of Digos Worldwide Limited, told Saturday PUNCH that he visits Benin Republic regularly because of the nature of his business. According to the civil engineer, the men of Benin do not like Nigerians because their women easily fall in love with Nigerians. He also added that an average Benin man was lazy and expected his wife to be the breadwinner of the family.He said, "I come here every two weeks because of my car business and also, I import white cement from India and marbles too. It is cheaper to 'clear' the goods here than in Nigeria. Most young men that come here would want to live at ease."I'll prefer to date a girl from Benin Republic than a Nigerian girl because they do not ask for money. In a scenario where you would give a Nigerian girl N5,000 her, a Benin girl would rather you feed her, accommodate here and give her N1,000. Benin people are not rich. Most of them are low-income earners; so whatever happens here is mostly done by Nigerians."Nwadigos added that Béninoise girls like Nigerian men because they (Nigerian men) work very hard and take care of the women.He said, "They like Nigerian guys because we are hard working and decision makers. The women work the most here. Their men are the type of people that tie wrapper and wait for their women to bring food for them. An average Nigerian guy will work and want to impress his lady with his success. I know that some of the men here in Benin do not like Nigerians. For instance, if you take a cab and they find out you are a Nigerian, they are always aggressive, even with their bikes. "Their girls like us, they don't just like us because we are Nigerians, they like us because we are hard working, we know what we are doing and we are rich. They love us for our hard work. Most of their men here are taxi drivers and they do not go to school. Some are palm wine tappers, some sell bread. They live a useless life."

However, an estate agent in the country, Cena Rodrick, told Saturday PUNCH that Nwadigos claims were not true. [size=14pt] He stated that Béninoise men were hard working. He acknowledged that there was hostility towards Nigerians but said it was because some Béninoise have been swindled occasionally by Nigerians; especially the Igbos[/size].

Rodrick said, "My clients are strictly Nigerians because I socialise mostly with Nigerians. I have worked with them well. The kind of house an indigene of Benin would be interested in would not pay me as much as a Nigerian's apartment. [size=16pt]The reason why Benin Republic people are hostile towards Nigerians is because although there are different tribes like Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, Benin people see all Nigerians as Igbo. Some Igbo people have come here to dupe Benin people. They work here and do a lot of bad things. So that is why we are wary of Nigerians and the cause of the hostility.[/size] Personally, I do not have any problems with Nigerians. It is not true that Benin men are lazy. We take care of our women, not the other way round.

"A nationalised Béninoise, Daniel Laleye, said that he had heard about the hostility but had no personal experience and was indifferent about it.A young man who refused to disclose his identity told Saturday PUNCH that the Beninoise also disliked Nigerians for economic reasons.According to him, some complain that the influx of Nigerians into their country has made the price of basic goods go up.He further stated that while seeking for jobs in the country, a firm would rather choose a Nigerian over a citizen of the country, even if the Béninoise had better qualifications. This, he said, was the reason they did not like Nigerians."They have this hatred for Nigerians. To start with, things are expensive here because of Nigerians. We are making things expensive for them. It might not be expensive to us because the exchange rate favours us but it pains them. Some Nigerians do not negotiate the price of goods and services here; they just pay.

The reasoning of these Benin people is that all Nigerians have money to waste. So they have this natural hatred for Nigerians," he said.For Ibro, an Okada rider in Cotonou, there are several reasons why Nigerians are despised in the country.Ibro said, "I am a native of Cotonou. I was born here, but I shuffle between here and Lagos. I came here to make money. I have lived in both communities. I even arrange girls for some Nigerians when they are around. I collect my cut when I do that. They pay good money for my services. However, it is true that there is hostility from Benin people. For example, some of the girls I have introduced to Nigerians on several occasions have complained to me that some of these Nigerians did not stick to their part of the deal."He complained about the way Nigerians treat his fellow citizens. He told Saturday PUNCH that the police too were not particularly fond of Nigerians because some Nigerians sometimes behaved like rascals, a behavior not permitted in the country.Ibro said, "The truth is there are several tribes in Cotonou. Most of the people in Cotonou are Egun people.

These Egun people are the ones that mostly travel to Nigeria and they are not happy the way Nigerians treat them. They are the ones that get menial jobs (like house helps) in Nigeria and they are not treated well. [size=14pt] Also, the police might not be particularly fond of Nigerians because when they come here, they forget that they are not in their country where anything goes. Here, we believe in order[/size]; so, if you misbehave, the police here will whisk you away. It is always advisable not to resist arrest because the police here are very fit physically; they are also very good runners."A woman who identified herself as Iya Bola corroborated Ibro's claims. She stated that because things were tough for her at a point, she allowed her daughter to go to Nigeria to get a job. When her daughter came back during Christmas season, she cried. Her14-year-old daughter came back with numerous scars and injuries.Iya Bola said that when her daughter told her what she went through, she regretted her decision.She said, "I for one cannot like a Nigerian because of what they have done to me. A friend of mine came to me and said she could get my daughter a job in Nigeria. Because of the way things were for me, I agreed. My child went for a year without me hearing a word from her.

Occasionally, I go to meet my friend to ask about my daughter and she always assured me my daughter was fine. In December, when I finally saw my child, I could not help but cry because of the injuries on her body. She explained to me that it was the worst one year of her life as she used to be flogged everyday by her Madam. Is it people like that I will like?"She said that no matter what her daughter must have done, she did not deserve to be treated like an animal. She said that such injury should be inflicted on thieves, not her innocent child and till date, she never allowed any of her children to come to Nigeria again.

[color=#550000][/color]

[color=#550000][/color]OK.F2C sha

igbos again

Igbo here, igbo there. Wetin my people do na?

why do they call others lazy and themselves hardworking when indeed they are into illegal deals

The fear of 'Igbo's' is the beginning of wisdom . . . .

It all boils down to population. People have been suppressing the populatio of Igbos and the negative effects is everywhere you go, they will either be next in population to natives or in several instances outnumber the natives.

Even across the border

NOW I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT MY PAPA WAS TELLING ME MANY MANY YEARS AGO IGBOS ARE THE JEWISH OF AFRICA

Now read what a sincere Cameroonian wrote


http://www.bookerrising.net/2007/10/country-of-week-bamileke-jews-of.html?m=1

Bamileke: The "Jews Of Cameroon"
A few years ago, I read World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability by Amy Chua. A capitalist and globalist, Ms. Chua argues that promoting democracy and free-market capitalism in countries where there is a market-dominant minority is often a recipe for disaster as envious, tyrannical majorities use their political majority to repress the market-dominant minority and thus cause the country's economics to collapse. Ms. Chua's book was the first time that I had heard of the Bamileke, a market-dominant tribe in Cameroon, where she discussed the Bamileke as the "Jews of Cameroon" because their positive and negative stereotypes by other tribes in Cameroon are akin to those ascribed to Jews. The Bamileke are also known as the "Igbos of Cameroon" (the Igbos are an entrepreneurial tribe in Nigeria).

Between the 1880s and 1950s, the Bamileke emerged as leaders in regional agricultural development in Cameroon - with an ethos emphasizing a discipline and productive accumulation in small agrarian enterprises - which they later started translating to success elsewhere. Wikipedia also discusses how the Bamileke's high population and relatively small territory has taught them to be skilled and resourceful farmers, which the now mostly Christianized tribe has successfully used as a launching pad into other economic activities: "A reputation as shrewd businessmen is today supplanting the Bamileke's esteem as craftsmen. The various peoples have eagerly and adeptly adopted the European-introduced cash-based economy, making the Bamileke some of Cameroon's most prominent entrepreneurs. Many Bamileke thus find employment as not only artisans or labourers, but also as traders, business owners, and skilled professionals. They have thus played and continue to play an important role in the economic development of Cameroon. On the other hand, the Bamileke's famous business sense has served to stigmatise them among many of Cameroon's other ethnic groups. In the eyes of many Cameroonians, Bamileke businessmen are ruthless and avaricious. In much of Cameroon, the expression 'Are you Bamileke?' (Tu es Bamiléké?) is a way of accusing someone of being greedy or miserly."

There is a lot of friction between the Bamileke and other tribes, who are jealous and resentful of Bamileke success. There has been considerable tension and even violence due to Bamileke economic pre-eminence. Apparently, savings associations are key in Bamileke culture and may be a better source of finance than traditional banks in Cameroon. One article states: "Bamileke are the Igbos of Cameroon—luxury hotels, breweries, clothing distribution, transport, petty trading, retail, everything. Bamileke interest-bearing tontines (their sou sou) [or informal capital markets] is a capital market threatening the Government’s financial sector."

Another article, which was originally written in French, discusses the role of culture in Bamileke economic dominance in Cameroon, and how they have been able to fuse their culture and capitalism: "The Bamileke are organized in social networks operating on a very hierarchical and centralized model. Yet, social mobility towards the top is very striking. It is realized through material and symbolic accumulation: of money, real estate, land. One even 'accumulates' women, children, friends. Having many family member[s] belonging to a dense social network is an asset in economic life. The goal is to become 'a big man'. [I]mpoverishment, the on-doing of accumulation, is a source of great shame. The rule is the reproduction of what was accumulated and - unlike many other African groups - the redistribution of only a limited part. Nkwa has two meanings: an alien to the community; or a member whose behaviour contributes to disaccumulation (ostenta[t]ious spending, etc.). Most entrepreneurs in Cameroon are Bamileke. Among them few remain employee[s] of somebody else since pa[i]d labour is viewed as infamous and almost like slavedom. Values are thrift, sober lifestyle, accumulation. This causes plenty of conflicts with other ethnic groups."

The Bamileke chiefs and kings are accused on one message board of being major suppliers of slaves during the slave trade, and for being "immigrants" to Cameroon instead of an indigenous group. However, I couldn't find independent claims backing this up. However, I did find a research report that compares Bamileke culture and Jewish culture. The Bamileke also apparently impose strict control of sexual activity (which presumably cuts down on out-of-wedlock births and births in general, thus reducing poverty).

A reader of The Entrepreneur blog responds to the Cameroonian government's plans to bring more Chinese entrepreneurs to the country: "I really do not think that the importation of foreign entrepreneurs is going to help Cameroonians develop an entrepreneurial spirit. The business spirit exists among many Cameroonians. The Bamileke of the Western Grasslands are well-known entrepreneurs. In fact, a study of the history of the UN Trust Territory of Cameroons under French administration would show that the Bamileke entrepreneurs were so competitive that the French commercial interests in the major cities pleaded with the colonial government to pass laws making it difficult for these indigenous groups to continue to engage in commercial activities, especially the sale of arabica coffee.....The problem in Cameroon today is not the absence of entrepreneurial skills among the indigenous populations. What the problem is, are laws and institutiions that (1) discourage indigenous entrepreneurship (witness the persecution of Bamileke business owners by the Biya government); but (2) favor foreign entrepreneurs (e.g., Lebanese, Greek, Chinese, and European--take a look at the country's so-called Investment Code)....If Cameroon wants to promote indigenous entrepreneurship, it should provide an institutional environment that enhances indigenous entrepreneurship and stop playing political games with ethnicity."

The president/dictator of Cameroon - Paul Biya, who got a French socialist education - has been giving stuff to his tribe (the Beti-Pahuin tribe) through ethnic oligarchy in a clear attempt to displace the Bamileke's economic dominance and replace it with his ethnic group. However, this has been unsuccessful despite more than 25 years of favoritism to his ethnic group. Why? Clearly other factors (culture, organization and network, education level, motivation) are at play here that explain Bamileke economic dominance in Cameroon. If the Bamileke were so well-organized economically that they had French commercial interests begging French colonial administrators to pass laws to undermine Bamileke economic competitiveness and that didn't reign them in completely then this post-colonial scheme was gonna be a failure.

I am of Cameroonian descent (although not Bamileke descent...I am of Mafa, Kotkoko, and Masa descent), but Cameroon is clearly not maximizing the talents of the Bamileke. I want one of my deemed ancestral countries to succeed. That can only happen with more rule of law, better property rights, far less red tape, and far more meritocracy. For whatever reason, the Bamileke are significantly more motivated and organized to be entrepreneurs than other tribes in Cameroon. A group that envisions being poor to be a source of shame? A group that envisions working for others to be a source of shame? Africa needs to unleash the creative talents of more entrepreneurial groups like this, not restricting these black folks' talents. Imagine how Cameroon's $2,500 per capita GDP would expand if this entrepreneurial group did not have to deal with Cameroon's ridiculous red tape in starting and expanding a business. Another example of how Big Government undermines black progress, and more specifically, development in Africa. But I guess too many African leaders would rather all be dirt poor and not have enough jobs together and see non-blacks profit in their own country than to steadily develop a meritocracy and compete with other black tribes whose success they envy.

@Post

Everywhere most Nigerians go, they misbehave. Why? I have always said it that our behavior as a people is the reason why we are so despised outside of our country. With all our religiosity, we go about taking advantage of other people and then wonder why we are so despised. We think that other African countries are like Nigeria where anything goes and lawlessness is the order of the day. Its just terrible!

Igbos again? Must they always denigrate their hosts?
When those people start dealing with them again, they'll start crying victims again.

[/b]A Nigerian businessman, Promise Nwadigos of Digos Worldwide Limited, told Saturday PUNCH that he visits Benin Republic regularly because of the nature of his business. According to the civil engineer, the men of Benin do not like Nigerians because their women easily fall in love with Nigerians. He also added that an average Benin man was lazy and expected his wife to be the breadwinner of the family[b]

These people are just plain stupid.
there are many of them like this.
In fact ,most of them are like this.
They are lazy but were able to have a port that is more efficient than the ones in nigeria
Critical thinking help .
This is what happens when a nincompoop is elevated to a position of leadership just because he has more money than an average citizen
It is like calling adenuga a yoruba leader .
Very soon those beninoise will start attacking them for the obvious lack of respect

How sad that the most obnoxious people in the world hate staying in their land, but always become a nuisance to others. smh..

Zona.com:
Igbo here, igbo there. Wetin my people do na?

have you heard the saying that Devil doesn't go after an empty person? He only goes after the people he envys because they are filled with the holy spirit and has a brighter future, The igbos are always hated because we are so blessed, so let the hatred continue.

Classical fan: How sad that the most obnoxious people in the world hate staying in their land, but always become a nuisance to others. smh..

How can you make such childish claims when Igboland is the most densely populated place in Nigeria? Use google earth and check Imo and Anambra States and you'll notice that they are much more densely populated than all Nigerian States apart from Lagos.

The area between Nnewi and Owerri is probably the most densely populated rural area in Africa even though it has been compared with some parts of Egypt..

Abagworo:

How can you make such childish claims when Igboland is the most densely populated place in Nigeria? Use google earth and check Imo and Anambra States and you'll notice that they are much more densely populated than all Nigerian States apart from Lagos.

The area between Nnewi and Owerri is probably the most densely populated rural area in Africa even though it has been compared with some parts of Egypt..

Yes, my comment was childish, my apologies.