Investors and entrepreneurs of South-Eastern origin residing in Lagos State have been called to replicate their investments at home in order to bring the zone at par with other industrialized regions of the country.

The call was part of the outcome of a business roundtable on Saturday by Ndigbo Lagos Foundation, an umbrella body of Igbo residents in Lagos, held in collaboration with the South-East Governors Forum in Lagos.

The roundtable was an integral part of a dinner party organised by the group in celebration of the 70th birthday of renowned Igbo industrialist, Arthur Eze, and investiture ceremony as the patron of Ndigbo Lagos Foundation, Nigeria.

Speaking at the session, the Chairman, South-East Governor’s Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, noted that Igbos’ investments and enterprise spirit was the driving force behind the developments seen in Lagos and other big cities in Nigeria.

Umahi challenged the Igbos in Lagos to begin to think home to guarantee the future of Ndigbo in general.
He pledged the willingness of the Governors to provide both environmental and logistics support to such investors who may heed the clarion call for the economic emancipation of the zone.

Umahi said: “We have a lot of our illustrious sons and daughters all over the country and beyond.

“And so, what we ask our people is: what do you see?
“What does the future hold for us if we do not develop the South-East?

“We are fully determined, the Governors, to cooperate with our brothers and sisters, to give incentives, give opportunities so that if you have your businesses here in Lagos, you can have part of it also in the South-East.

“We are willing and we will provide all the enabling environment, the opportunities and all the leverages that you may demand of us.”

Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, in his submissions identified insecurity, power problems and the dearth of advanced infrastructures such as air and sea ports as some of the impediments to the full industrialization of the South-East zone.

Ikpeazu however maintained that the present leadership in Abia State and most other States of the zone have taken bold steps towards addressing the issues with the aim of encouraging safe investments.

According to him, the Enyimba Industrial and Economic City in Aba, Abia State situated on over 9,300 hectares of land with its strategic national and international location, has all it takes to incubate, nurture and flourish industries capable of changing the economic fortunes of the zone.

Others who partook in the event, including Prof. Barth Nnaji, who spoke on power, as well as the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, agreed on the need for Ndigbo in general to begin to think home.

Ekweremadu, while commending the Governors and the group for the initiative, however, emphasized that another day should be set aside for a more comprehensive and concrete discussion of the subject matter.

The President-General of Ndigbo Lagos Foundation, Major General Obi Umahi (retd), in his remark said the event was organized essentially as an avenue for the Governors and Igbo Entrepreneurs to rub minds and set an agenda towards full economic revolution in Igbo land.
Umahi added that it was also an avenue to honour an illustrious son of Igboland, Arthur Eze, whom he described as an industrialist and philanthropist of international repute.

He noted that the group would continue to interface with the Governors until the South-East matches the development indices in Lagos and other major cities, adding that the Governors have expressed their desire to raise the development bar of the zone.

While he expressed the plans of the group to establish Ndigbo Radio and Television Stations in Lagos soon, to manage its information sector, Umahi called on all and sundry of Igbo extraction to join hands to promote the growth and development of Igboland in general.

“Let us unite, let us emphasize the things that bind us together,” he advised.

Highlight of the event was the cutting of birthdays cake in honour of Eze and his investiture as the patron of the group.

Among other guests at the event were the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; Prof. Pat Utomi; and Prof. Sam Otu Anya, who is the Director-General, South-East Governors Secretariat, Enugu.

https://theeagleonline.com.ng/south-east-governors-to-igbo-entrepreneurs-return-your-investments-home/?_e_pi_=7%2CPAGE_ID10%2C6624092010

These guys are congregating to pat themselves on the back because they know no one else will! With the exception of Umahi, the rest governors from the SE are just noise makers!

Before they start asking other high networth Igbo sons and daughters to relocate or invest in the SE...Prince Arthur Eze that they're celebrating, what world-class investment does he have in the region? Anyone know?

That would be soooooo nice.
But they all want to live in Lagos for business.
We need a main business hub in the South East like Lagos ke!

.

This is a hypocrisy call by the leaders making the noise. They should lead the march back home nd Im sure the entrepreneurs shall follow.

Xander85:
These guys are congregating to pat themselves on the back because they know no one else will! With the exception of Umahi, the rest governors from the SE are just noise makers!

Before they start asking other high networth Igbo sons and daughters to relocate or invest in the SE...Prince Arthur Eze that they're celebrating, what world-class investment does he have in the region? Anyone know?

bro Arthur Ezes crown farm is one of the biggest if not the biggest poultry in Nigeria and it's located in the east

nzeobi:

bro Arthur Ezes crown farm is one of the biggest if not the biggest poultry in Nigeria and it's located in the east

Was reading a report that said the largest poultry was located in the south-west. This was when they were launching that huge one in Anambra some years back.

I never heard of this crown farms before. Which is surprising if it purports to be the biggest in the country!

how will they return their investment home when you have not dare to ask the FG to repair the roads leading to the south east and the ones in this south east?what about upgrading the enugu airport to full international status? what about granting the long overdue onitsha river port, oguta sea port, aba dry inland port or perhaps make Portharcourt, calabar, koko and onne seaport come alive again.....abeg make una go sit down

valentineuwakwe:
how will they return their investment home when you have not dare to ask the FG to repair the roads leading to the south east and the ones in this south east?what about upgrading the enugu airport to full international status? what about granting the long overdue onitsha river port, outta sea port, aba dry inland port or perhaps make Portharcourt, calabar, koko and on me seaport come alive again.....abeg make una go sit down

There you go being rational and making logical sense. These governors don't reason. All they do is steal and play on emotions.

valentineuwakwe:
how will they return their investment home when you have not dare to ask the FG to repair the roads leading to the south east and the ones in this south east?what about upgrading the enugu airport to full international status? what about granting the long overdue onitsha river port, outta sea port, aba dry inland port or perhaps make Portharcourt, calabar, koko and on me seaport come alive again.....abeg make una go sit down

Fact! Yet they're shamelessly following Buhari all over the place like a h'orny dog following a bitch in heat!

valentineuwakwe:
how will they return their investment home when you have not dare to ask the FG to repair the roads leading to the south east and the ones in this south east?what about upgrading the enugu airport to full international status? what about granting the long overdue onitsha river port, outta sea port, aba dry inland port or perhaps make Portharcourt, calabar, koko and on me seaport come alive again.....abeg make una go sit down

I have heard many people say one day Nigerians will get fed up and start a revolution. I disagree. My personal feeling is that South Easterners will get fed up one day and revolt. The reason they are calm now is because their leaders keep them in check with lies. Ibo leaders continue to claim that the wealth and development in Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Abuja, was the contribution and output of Ndigbo. This falsehood gives the ordinary Iboman and Ibowoman a pride of ownership and sense of entitlement that these cities are what they are now because of his or her presence in them. The NE development commission has been given legal power and mandate to rebuild a new city in Borno. Look at what Kano has become, Katsina is coming close behind. In the West the Yoruba development is called DAWN, they have refused to start their masterplan design for a new West while power remain in center. If power is devolvedtoday you can bet within five years the landscape in West will begin to take new shape. How long will different cities around Nigeria continue to be so developed by Ibo while Iboland remain desolate and unattended to? One day the lies told to them by their leaders will burst and it will not be possible any longer to hold the bubble together.

I believe pressure should be put on the FG to create a term-limit policy for intervention. Each of the six geo-zones should have a city project and at the minimum the Abuja City Project should serve as the model. At the end of its completion the project can be returned to the region for its contnued expansion and upkeep. I believe the FG owe each region this gift, regardless of the timeline on restructuring.

If this would happen, a city of Abuja scale, or better, in SE will promote a new sense of belonging and ownership and encourage a return home to invest in it and expand its growth. There is no need for these lies...the leaders need to say things as they are and put enormous pressure on FG to give SE a city like Abuja.

MetaPhysical:


I have heard many people say one day Nigerians will get fed up and start a revolution. I disagree. My personal feeling is that South Easterners will get fed up one day and revolt. The reason they are calm now is because their leaders keep them in check with lies. Ibo leaders continue to claim that the wealth and development in Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Abuja, was the contribution and output of Ndigbo. This falsehood gives the ordinary Iboman and Ibowoman a pride of ownership and sense of entitlement that these cities are what they are now because of his or her presence in them. The NE development commission has been given legal power and mandate to rebuild a new city in Borno. Look at what Kano has become, Katsina is coming close behind. In the West the Yoruba development is called DAWN, they have refused to start their masterplan design for a new West while power remain in center. If power is devolvedtoday you can bet within five years the landscape in West will begin to take new shape. How long will different cities around Nigeria continue to be so developed by Ibo while Iboland remain desolate and unattended to? One day the lies told to them by their leaders will burst and it will not be possible any longer to hold the bubble together.

I believe pressure should be put on the FG to create a term-limit policy for intervention. Each of the six geo-zones should have a city project and at the minimum the Abuja City Project should serve as the model. At the end of its completion the project can be returned to the region for its contnued expansion and upkeep. I believe the FG owe each region this gift, regardless of the timeline on restructuring.

If this would happen, a city of Abuja scale, or better, in SE will promote a new sense of belonging and ownership and encourage a return home to invest in it and expand its growth. There is no need for these lies...the leaders need to say things as they are and put enormous pressure on FG to give SE a city like Abuja.

We wouldn't have had it so bad if the so called federal gov't had implemented the 3Rs that Gowon mouthed off about! As we speak tons of money (possibly running into billions of dollars) has been spent and is planned to be spent in the north-east in the name of fighting the bokos and rehabilitation. Tell me what concerted effort was directed at the east central state and later the 5 south-east states after the uncivil war!?

Our political elite like to lie to us and give us a false sense of hope because they have an interest in sustaining the status-quo which has benefited them and their immediate families. If they showed the same angst towards Nigeria that the Igbo youth and organisations like IPOB show, not only would it spell the end to their criminal enterprise that's masked as democracy, but it could quite possibly spell the end to 'one Nigeria' as we know it!

Xander85:


We wouldn't have had it so bad if the so called federal gov't had implemented the 3Rs that Gowon mouthed off about! As we speak tons of money (possibly running into billions of dollars) has been spent and is planned to be spent in the north-east in the name of fighting the bokos and rehabilitation. Tell me what concerted effort was directed at the east central state and later the 5 south-east states after the uncivil war!?

Our political elite like to lie to us and give us a false sense of hope because they have an interest in sustaining the status-quo which has benefited them and their immediate families. If they showed the same angst towards Nigeria that the Igbo youth and organisations like IPOB show, not only would it spell the end to their criminal enterprise that's masked as democracy, but it could quite possibly spell the end to 'one Nigeria' as we know it!

I know. It is not late. It wasn't done when it should have but I believe if money can be earmarked to reconstruct Borno and other states in NE, it is not impossible to commit to a rebuild of SE, even just one city to start with. I am not privy to what happens behind doors when these politicians go to Abuja but it seems almost certain that the agreement they make always come short. It's not just the politicians, the wealthy businessmen as well re guilty. If SE can go to UN and complain about its marginalization, then SE can also go to World Bank and raise funds for capital developments at home. The businessmen can make this happen. Look at Oodua Industries, it started as an industrialization project for Western Region of old. They had projects and investments from Lagos all the way to the old paper mill at Jebba in Kwara State. It is still thriving and is in the top three most viable private corporation in Nigeria today. How did they do it? Look at their DAWN. How did they do it? These are called Best Practices. It will be really nice if FG could do something about reviving SE but the wealthy sons and the politicians also need to work together to get something going for self-dependency. You cant wait on FG for everything.
Ibos in Abuja should lay siege on NASS and protest everyday until their cries are heard, instead they will carry banner and protest to support Saraki, support Dasuki, support ElZakyzaky, support Dino. Have you seen Dino's car garage and the collections sitting in it? Does that Dino guy look like someone that need Ibo support? Its time to hit the nail on its head and drive it into the wood; they should stop hiding behind deceit and falsehood. FG should take the welfare of its citizens in SE serious and stop covering for the lying leaders. Even if they will steal, first develop the land so production and exchange can prosper.

Xander85:


Was reading a report that said the largest poultry was located in the south-west. This was when they were launching that huge one in Anambra some years back.

I never heard of this crown farms before. Which is surprising if it purports to be the biggest in the country!

our poultry SAED teacher in Kebbi has been privileged to visit the farm and he said in terms of staff strength and facilities, that it's the biggest in Nigeria .

You are very intelligent. Very impressive writeup. We have tried to tell our SE brethren without success

MetaPhysical:


I have heard many people say one day Nigerians will get fed up and start a revolution. I disagree. My personal feeling is that South Easterners will get fed up one day and revolt. The reason they are calm now is because their leaders keep them in check with lies. Ibo leaders continue to claim that the wealth and development in Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Abuja, was the contribution and output of Ndigbo. This falsehood gives the ordinary Iboman and Ibowoman a pride of ownership and sense of entitlement that these cities are what they are now because of his or her presence in them. The NE development commission has been given legal power and mandate to rebuild a new city in Borno. Look at what Kano has become, Katsina is coming close behind. In the West the Yoruba development is called DAWN, they have refused to start their masterplan design for a new West while power remain in center. If power is devolvedtoday you can bet within five years the landscape in West will begin to take new shape. How long will different cities around Nigeria continue to be so developed by Ibo while Iboland remain desolate and unattended to? One day the lies told to them by their leaders will burst and it will not be possible any longer to hold the bubble together.

I believe pressure should be put on the FG to create a term-limit policy for intervention. Each of the six geo-zones should have a city project and at the minimum the Abuja City Project should serve as the model. At the end of its completion the project can be returned to the region for its contnued expansion and upkeep. I believe the FG owe each region this gift, regardless of the timeline on restructuring.

If this would happen, a city of Abuja scale, or better, in SE will promote a new sense of belonging and ownership and encourage a return home to invest in it and expand its growth. There is no need for these lies...the leaders need to say things as they are and put enormous pressure on FG to give SE a city like Abuja.