Whenever I tell someone I just met that I am from Ebonyi state,the 'revelation' is usually met with a suprise.It's a lie,how can you say you are from Ebonyi State. Ok,maybe you were not raised there abi?You dont look it.You speak good English,you look exposed and intelligent.

I just usually laugh and ask,ok where do I look like I come from?

Delta state is the state people have guessed the most. Honestly I do not know whether to call it a compliment but I refuse to consider it as one or that most people just have a misconstrued view about Ebonyi people.

And I ask,please where did you get the impression that people from Ebonyi State do not speak good English and are not exposed and are not intelligent from?How many people from Ebonyi have you met before,and usually they have never met anyone else from Ebonyi state,so only God knows where their notion of Ebonyi people comes from.We are expected to be timid,dull,unambitious, ectera ectera.

I am not saying Ebonyians are without blemish but the stereotype is too strong and far removed from reality.

We are smart, talented,intelligent, innovative,hardworking, honest, ambitious,peace loving,God fearing,ectera ectera.I have Ebonyi brothers and sisters that would give you a run for your money in any sphere of human endeavour.I do not mean unto local champions level o,I mean internationally.People that strived from the bottom and made it to prominence through sheer hardwork and intelligence and of course by the Grace of God.

I will not begin to name prolific Ebonyians that make headlines,that would be a cheap way of making my point.

But please next time,do not be confounded because I exhibit traits that you do not ordinarily characterize my people with.I am not more because you see my people as less.

My brother, I suffer worse. Funny enough this stereotype come from fellow Igbos in other states.

I quite agree Ebonyians who go to diaspora tend to engage themselves in menial jobs, house help jobs and Hawking just to keep the body whole, but that does not mean there are uneducated Ebonyians in diaspora or resident in Ebonyi state.

Funny enough some of the hawkers and menial jobbers are graduates who can't find employment in their area of specialization because of our moribund economy. So, the stereotype is strongly false and I see marketers of such stereotypes as those who suffer from ignorance of the highest level. These sick people need to do more searchings or at best, come down to Abakaliki to get a real knowledge of the life of an average Ebonyian.

We are known for hard work and our disdain for quick-money lifestyle meshed in yahoo plus, yahoo yahoo, prostitution, robbery, rituals and all other social vices.

Our hard working nature has led us to become self sufficient in Agriculture and to become one of the leading rice exporting states in Nigeria federation.

Abakaliki/Ebonyi rice is known far and beyond.


Also, there are fine gentlemen looking Ebonyians. All you need is to look at the right places. Come down to Ebonyi State University and see for yourself. My DP is a start.

Reject ignorance # Ebonyi people are not timid but hard working and honest. #Ebonyi people have no lust for quick money making. #Ebonyi people are beautiful.