Afam4eva:

Enugu and Owerri don't have anything UNIQUE to offer Leo Stan Eke of Zinox apart from the fact that they are cities in Igboland where he comes from. We must desist from this emotional request for investment. people should be made to invest because they have something to benefit and not because they owe it to Igboland. Do you think if Enugu was on the same level with lagos, Igbos would rather invest in Lagos? I don't think so. They're in Lagos for a reason. We can keep lying to ourselves as much as we want. Until we start telling ourselves the truth, we will remain in square one.

People like me wonders why one of the biggest companies in world Walmart has their HQ in Arkansas instead of NYC,Chicago or Houston if we take your line of thought

Afam4eva:

Who says that a software compare cannot be cited in Enugu. My point is, if it's already cited in Lagos or Abuja, of what benefit will it be to move it to Enugu. be sincere with yourself. Is Enugu a Nigerian version of Sillicon valley?

1. A high educated populace
2. Many High institutions for collaborative research.
3. Low tax base
4. Comparative high standard of living .
5.more natural and low stress environment.
6. Low crime rate.
7. Etc.etc.etc

kmariko:



People like me wonders why one of the biggest companies in world Walmart has their HQ in Arkansas instead of NYC,Chicago or Houston if we take yor line of thought

Thanks for bringing this up. Nigeria was not built like America. Unlike America, Nigeria is a one city state where the federal government decides where develops and where doesn't.

Afam4eva:

Thanks for bringing this up. Nigeria was not built like America. Unlike America, Nigeria is a one city state where the federal government decides where develops and where doesn't.

Come on now afam, thats not the issue. Toyota is in Nagoya not even in Tokyo or Osaka,VW is not even in Berlin or Frankfurt. So the point is that the reasons you advanced for not planting these companies in the East is not a very cogent one in my opinion. We all agree that structurally Nigeria is a non starter, but within that structure companies can and do somewhat thrive beyond the imperfections and tribal induced promotion of some parts of the country.

kmariko:


Come on now afam, thats not the issue. Toyota is in Nagoya not even in Tokyo or Osaka,VW is not even in Berlin or Frankfurt. So the point is that the reasons you advanced for not planting these companies in the East is not a very cogent one in my opinion. We all agree that structurally Nigeria is a non starter, but within that structure companies can and do somewhat thrive beyond the imperfections and tribal induced promotion of some parts of the country.

Microsoft headquareters is in Seattle, Washington while Cocacola is in Atalnta Georgia. If these companies were in Nigeria, they would be in Lagos and Lagos only. They could only venture into ogun state owing to it's closeness to lagos. We operate like the united Kingdom where almost everything is centered in London. This means that other states have to carve a niche for themselves to be taken seriously by organizations. Calabar has done that with tourism. For some reason, Calabar is the most popular city after Lagos, Abuja and Porthacourt despite the fact that interms of development, Enugu beats it imo.

Afam4eva:

Microsoft headquareters is in Seattle, Washington while Cocacola is in Atalnta Georgia. If these companies were in Nigeria, they would be in Lagos and Lagos only. They could only venture into ogun state owing to it's closeness to lagos. We operate like the united Kingdom where almost everything is centered in London. This means that other states have to carve a niche for themselves to be taken seriously by organizations. Calabar has done that with tourism. For some reason, Calabar is the most popular city after Lagos, Abuja and Porthacourt despite the fact that interms of development, Enugu beats it imo.

Well that does not explain why HSBC is moving from London to Birmingham, Boeing from Seattle to Chicago
Airbus is not based in Paris, and their other countless companies in those "one city countries" you alluded to.
Mention Japan and everybody knows Tokyo but how many Japanese companies beyond the financials have Tokyo as the base for their operations. You will really be surprised.

Locating Major companies in major cities is stupid for the following

1. Operational cost: Land, tax, rent, parking, and wages are all higher in major cities, meaning that the operational cost of having an HQ there is atrocious

2. Traffic and livability factors: If you want the best company you will want the best talent and the best talent can only be recruited to live somewhere that's as comfortable as possible. With the crime, and traffic a big city brings, most of the best companies in the world want their HQ somewhere small and manageable so that it's employees feel it a comfortable location for their kids wives and selves to relocate to.

3. Foreigner Complex: setting your HQ up in a place where you're a foreigner is extremely risk and one of the reasons many Igbo companies don't last 2 generations. Places where you're an outside are more difficult to operate in than places where you're seen as a local and most major company owners have their companies in their hometowns.



If you own a chain, there's no reason to have your HQ in Lagos. If you as the business owner are on the ground hustling doing the work, than you need to have it in a major city like Lagos, but if you're simply planning and giving orders, there's no reason to bog your earning down with the Lagosian cost of living, the cost of traveling back to your home, traffic, crime, pollution, market saturation. You compete with less companies in your hometown while maintaining plugs in Lagos for a branch or outlet.

Afam4eva:

Who says that a software compare cannot be cited in Enugu. My point is, if it's already cited in Lagos or Abuja, of what benefit will it be to move it to Enugu. be sincere with yourself. Is Enugu a Nigerian version of Sillicon valley?

I never said it should be moved. I said it could have been sited there ab ignitio and still succeed, zinox is a hardware and as well a soft ware company that's why I used the example.

The products of juhel for eg ,a pharmaceutical company is all over Nigeria and beyond and it has been in Enugu all these years, growing from strength to strength. More vasoprin ,drip infusions are probably sold in more quantities in lagos than enugu , but the company remains in Enugu.
What of Hardis and Dromedas that makes Isol , Royallux and other home care products? There is no part of Nigeria you can't get them.

Awka recently started having a proliferation of pharmaceuticals like neimeth , pauco ,etc and I have seen their products all over Nigeria.
My proposition is that our sales outlets can be anywhere in Nigeria but that as much as possible, our industrialists esp the emerging ones should know that the east is as viable as any other place for most types of industries.

kmariko:


1. A high educated populace
2. Many High institutions for collaborative research.
3. Low tax base
4. Comparative high standard of living .
5.more natural and low stress environment.
6. Low crime rate.
7. Etc.etc.etc

God bless you.
Most types of industries can do well with these statistics and Enugu has it in high proportions.
A zinox-like company can be in Enugu

1000 likes

InyinyaAgbaOku:

I never said it should be moved. I said it could have been sited there ab ignitio and still succeed, zinox is a hardware and as well a soft ware company that's why I used the example.

The products of juhel for eg ,a pharmaceutical company is all over Nigeria and beyond and it has been in Enugu all these years, growing from strength to strength. More vasoprin ,drip infusions are probably sold in more quantities in lagos than enugu , but the company remains in Enugu.
What of Hardis and Dromedas that makes Isol , Royallux and other home care products? There is no part of Nigeria you can't get them.

Awka recently started having a proliferation of pharmaceuticals like neimeth , pauco ,etc and I have seen their products all over Nigeria.
My proposition is that our sales outlets can be anywhere in Nigeria but that as much as possible, our industrialists esp the emerging ones should know that the east is as viable as any other place for most types of industries.

Afam4eva:

Enugu and Owerri don't have anything UNIQUE to offer Leo Stan Eke of Zinox apart from the fact that they are cities in Igboland where he comes from. We must desist from this emotional request for investment. people should be made to invest because they have something to benefit and not because they owe it to Igboland. Do you think if Enugu was on the same level with lagos, Igbos would rather invest in Lagos? I don't think so. They're in Lagos for a reason. We can keep lying to ourselves as much as we want. Until we start telling ourselves the truth, we will remain in square one.

To be sincere with you I don't think if you understand this discussion.
The reason why we are talking all these is not that Enugu and Owerri are better than Lagos but due to massive investments of Igbos outside Igboland they could attract hatred, envy and jealousy from the indegenes.

Look at what is happening in Alaba Lagos, do you hear about the problems with Yoruba touts and igbo traders are having at Coker building materials market.
Orji Kalu and Fashola had misunderstanding, the later as Lagos governor shut Kalu's Ikoyi home.

Oba of Lagos threatened you with genocide because he is feeling the heat of Igbos displacing him economically in Lagos, whenever this riot in North Igbo businesses got burnt and shops looted.

Afam you don't even understand where our topic sprouted from, if other tribes doesn't find Igboland viable enough to invest in, Igbos should be stuppidly investing everywhere.
After the war our parents suffered abandoned properties because they were blindly investing eveywhere in Nigeria thinking that anybody gives a ratass about their comfort.

We are hated, so we don't have to give the haters more leeway to hate us more, let's go back to Igboland, everybody is in there lands except us, we are everywhere owing properties in foreign lands 90% in Lagos, 80% in abuja 60% in Kano, 48% in Kaduna bla bla how many people own properties in igboland

Everything about us must not be all about making money, we must have strategic reasoning by applying inverted wisdom, this is how best to be a Nigerian.

Igbos aren't hated.
When you're in another man's land, you will be treated as if your in another man's land. The reason Igbos have issues with others is because more than others we're in another man's land. We're the largest minority group in every major Nigerian city so it's going to seem like Igbos Vs. Everyone because we're the only ones walking around in their backyard. We give others liberty to offend us.

I don't know if anyone has really checked whether or not you can import and export from PH.
Frankly we go to Lagos because we believe the further from home the more to brag about. Niger is more pretentious in that illogical respect that Lagos. Some people will call Congo 'abroad' if you give them a chance. We don't move because of any real business decision, we move out of rote habit and ignorance. There are igbos in villages in Katsina. Is it that there was no business in Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, Owerri, Asaba, PH, Nnewi, Umuahia, Awka or Orlu? Many have skipped Enugu to go to Dutse and suffer, so it's not a matter of Lagos being convenient, we're just illogical people.


If someone's business booms in Lagos, power to them. Business is not patriotic, so if you're mixing patriotism with business that's you're loss. I would like for everyone to be in the east and to me it's logical and feasible, but they don't see it that way.

Afam4eva:

Microsoft headquareters is in Seattle, Washington while Cocacola is in Atalnta Georgia. If these companies were in Nigeria, they would be in Lagos and Lagos only. They could only venture into ogun state owing to it's closeness to lagos. We operate like the united Kingdom where almost everything is centered in London. This means that other states have to carve a niche for themselves to be taken seriously by organizations. Calabar has done that with tourism. For some reason, Calabar is the most popular city after Lagos, Abuja and Porthacourt despite the fact that interms of development, Enugu beats it imo.

It's true, it's evident in the fact that Lagos and Nigeria are sometimes used interchangeably meaning in the eyes of some investors other places don't even exist or are seen as oily or war torn periphery.

Ofodirinwa:
Igbos aren't hated.
When you're in another man's land, you will be treated as if your in another man's land. The reason Igbos have issues with others is because more than others we're in another man's land. We're the largest minority group in every major Nigerian city so it's going to seem like Igbos Vs. Everyone because we're the only ones walking around in their backyard. We give others liberty to offend us.

I don't know if anyone has really checked whether or not you can import and export from PH.
Frankly we go to Lagos because we believe the further from home the more to brag about. Niger is more pretentious in that illogical respect that Lagos. Some people will call Congo 'abroad' if you give them a chance. We don't move because of any real business decision, we move out of rote habit and ignorance. There are igbos in villages in Katsina. Is it that there was no business in Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, Owerri, Asaba, PH, Nnewi, Umuahia, Awka or Orlu? Many have skipped Enugu to go to Dutse and suffer, so it's not a matter of Lagos being convenient, we're just illogical people.


If someone's business booms in Lagos, power to them. Business is not patriotic, so if you're mixing patriotism with business that's you're loss. I would like for everyone to be in the east and to me it's logical and feasible, but they don't see it that way.

You're right, there's also the influence of those who come back from Lagos after going there empty handed coming back with money bags and building 50 room houses in the village. The kids see this an believe Lagos is magic. Unfortunately because of Igbo culture of success, they don't know that those who don't make it don't come back and are living in ten room per person flats in Mushin. I still maintain, though, that if there were enough industries in Igboland and the basic need light, food, water were stable people wouldn't feel the urge.

ezeagu:


You're right, there's also the influence of those who come back from Lagos after going there empty handed coming back with money bags and building 50 room houses in the village. The kids see this an believe Lagos is magic. Unfortunately because of Igbo culture of success, they don't know that those who don't make it don't come back and are living in ten room per person flats in Mushin. I still maintain, though, that if there were enough industries in Igboland and the basic need light, food, water were stable people wouldn't feel the urge.

It's usually igbo people that have traveled who will understand this. It's hard to be in the village and people are coming from all over the world flashing their money in your face. It makes you feel like they're handing out bags of money worldwide and you're missing out.

Ofodirinwa:
Igbos aren't hated.
When you're in another man's land, you will be treated as if your in another man's land. The reason Igbos have issues with others is because more than others we're in another man's land. We're the largest minority group in every major Nigerian city so it's going to seem like Igbos Vs. Everyone because we're the only ones walking around in their backyard. We give others liberty to offend us.

I don't know if anyone has really checked whether or not you can import and export from PH.
Frankly we go to Lagos because we believe the further from home the more to brag about. Niger is more pretentious in that illogical respect that Lagos. Some people will call Congo 'abroad' if you give them a chance. We don't move because of any real business decision, we move out of rote habit and ignorance. There are igbos in villages in Katsina. Is it that there was no business in Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, Owerri, Asaba, PH, Nnewi, Umuahia, Awka or Orlu? Many have skipped Enugu to go to Dutse and suffer, so it's not a matter of Lagos being convenient, we're just illogical people.


If someone's business booms in Lagos, power to them. Business is not patriotic, so if you're mixing patriotism with business that's you're loss. I would like for everyone to be in the east and to me it's logical and feasible, but they don't see it that way.

If your goods trade better in dutse or if you have less competition as a reader in dutse, by all means ,stay in dutse.
I don't have issues with our traders whatsoever, my grouse is with the manufacturing and service industries, real estate that are located outside the East

There are Britons all over the World, doing good business and making money.

Same applies to Chinese, Indians etc.

Igbos should go wherever they can make money. I have no problems with it.

But we should develop our home.

Simple.

Stop merging patriotism and business. Business is business and patriotism is patriotism is patriotism.

The igbos that spread in Nigeria are majorly traders and as a trader, you'll need your own market. You can't blame them for spreading their tentacles. If they remain in any of the eastern states, they'll meet stiff competition and business will die.

So don't blame our people for moving out.

Market the east to the world, sell who you are to the world. You have the ability to bring the world to you, but we only look for the cheap ways.

Lagos has built its reputation for over 100years, its not a matter of yesterday. Abuja is gradually building its own image too for the past 25years now. Gradually the hausas will have their own Lagos and igbos will be left with no place to be the commercial nerve centre.

Open your region, but everyone keep asking their brothers to invest home. Make home look like home but we won't. We will continue to complain until we do the right things.

BuddahMonk:


Afam you don't even understand where our topic sprouted from, if other tribes doesn't find Igboland viable enough to invest in, Igbos should be stuppidly investing everywhere.
After the war our parents suffered abandoned properties because they were blindly investing eveywhere in Nigeria thinking that anybody gives a ratass about their comfort.

We are hated, so we don't have to give the haters more leeway to hate us more, let's go back to Igboland, everybody is in there lands except us, we are everywhere owing properties in foreign lands 90% in Lagos, 80% in abuja 60% in Kano, 48% in Kaduna bla bla how many people own properties in igboland

We are not hated but are bringing hatred upon ourselves with recent negative approach. What we experience is a power tussle between natives and Igbos born out of fear that if left unchecked we might dominate them. The fear is everywhere but is most in Rivers State and South south. That is why our properties were seized only in SS and till this day they dislike associating with Igbos.

Many people have failed to observe that the money accrued to Southeast is lowest in Nigeria even though if we all return home our zone might be the most populous. For over 44 years we've been under funded and the effects is population redistribution to other over funded zones to balance the deficit.

Abagworo:


We are not hated but are bringing hatred upon ourselves with recent negative approach. What we experience is a power tussle between natives and Igbos born out of fear that if left unchecked we might dominate them. The fear is everywhere but is most in Rivers State and South south. That is why our properties were seized only in SS and till this day they dislike associating with Igbos.

Many people have failed to observe that the money accrued to Southeast is lowest in Nigeria even though if we all return home our zone might be the most populous. For over 44 years we've been under funded and the effects is population redistribution to other over funded zones to balance the deficit.

Good thinking

Wait, our conversations here should be able to cause a substantial change in the region, but we still remain where we are. We need to make our ideas work and not just waste our time to typing expensive ideas.

BuddahMonk:


To be sincere with you I don't think if you understand this discussion.
The reason why we are talking all these is not that Enugu and Owerri are better than Lagos but due to massive investments of Igbos outside Igboland they could attract hatred, envy and jealousy from the indegenes.

Look at what is happening in Alaba Lagos, do you hear about the problems with Yoruba touts and igbo traders are having at Coker building materials market.
Orji Kalu and Fashola had misunderstanding, the later as Lagos governor shut Kalu's Ikoyi home.

Oba of Lagos threatened you with genocide because he is feeling the heat of Igbos displacing him economically in Lagos, whenever this riot in North Igbo businesses got burnt and shops looted.

Afam you don't even understand where our topic sprouted from, if other tribes doesn't find Igboland viable enough to invest in, Igbos should be stuppidly investing everywhere.
After the war our parents suffered abandoned properties because they were blindly investing eveywhere in Nigeria thinking that anybody gives a ratass about their comfort.

We are hated, so we don't have to give the haters more leeway to hate us more, let's go back to Igboland, everybody is in there lands except us, we are everywhere owing properties in foreign lands 90% in Lagos, 80% in abuja 60% in Kano, 48% in Kaduna bla bla how many people own properties in igboland

Everything about us must not be all about making money, we must have strategic reasoning by applying inverted wisdom, this is how best to be a Nigerian.

To be honest I am happy about this

I think we Igbo are stupid

They should invest home

HappyJoe:
There are Britons all over the World, doing good business and making money.

Same applies to Chinese, Indians etc.

Igbos should go wherever they can make money. I have no problems with it.

But we should develop our home.

Simple.

What's your definition of 'developing the home?'

InyinyaAgbaOku:

If your goods trade better in dutse or if you have less competition as a reader in dutse, by all means ,stay in dutse.
I don't have issues with our traders whatsoever, my grouse is with the manufacturing and service industries, real estate that are located outside the East

How can your goods sell better in dutse? lol
Lets be 100% real. Add the travel to your business expenses and you're already making a mistake. If you're manufacturing goods then selling it to dutse then find, but if you're importing from Lagos, passing Ibadan, passing Abeokuta, passing Abuja, passing Kaduna, passing Kano, then reaching Dutse, what is there? Forget that you took the whole east out of the equation.

There are places in the north where something as simple as tires aren't available and that's fine, but we have to start asking ourselves why our ventures don't last a lifetime talkless 2 generations.

Afam4eva, you won't win this argument.
So, innoson that cited his Base in the East is not surviving? The business I am going to run will have its Base in Enugu but branches nationwide. If our elders had followed this reasoning there's no way we would be threatened with lagoon or boko haram.

The truth is that Igbos fell for the systematic plot to suppress Igbos, as aftermaths of Biafran war.

Up till this minute, transportation is crippled in the East. It's a serious issue in whole Nigeria but it's worst in the East.
Companies can easily move their products to distant cities and countries with good transport system.
Every Region in Nigeria got international airport many years back, some even had two international airport, but south east is yet to have a true international airport.
Onitsha-enugu Road is scary and nauseating, this a road that companies can easily use to move their products to onitsha commerce. Enugu-portharcourt Road is a nightmare. Railway is still far from being effective.
The only effective seaport is in lagos and no plan to decongest it and help other region.

HappyJoe:
There are Britons all over the World, doing good business and making money.

Same applies to Chinese, Indians etc.

Igbos should go wherever they can make money. I have no problems with it.

But we should develop our home.

Simple.

This, I agree with.

Our ability to travel and build global supply chains is the envy of many and this is a skill we shouldn't take for granted. I just feel that most of the time the Chinese and British are leaving their country out of logic and Igbo people are leaving to say they left. Most of the time the business you're doing in Minna is suffering because you're in Minna but pride won't let you take that same venture to Owerri.

If you're manufacturing shoes in Aba and selling them in Minna fine, but many Igbos are setting up factories in places where killing igbos is a summer routine

Ofodirinwa:


How can your goods sell better in dutse? lol
Lets be 100% real. Add the travel to your business expenses and you're already making a mistake. If you're manufacturing goods then selling it to dutse then find, but if you're importing from Lagos, passing Ibadan, passing Abeokuta, passing Abuja, passing Kaduna, passing Kano, then reaching Dutse, what is there? Forget that you took the whole east out of the equation.

There are places in the north where something as simple as tires aren't available and that's fine, but we have to start asking ourselves why our ventures don't last a lifetime talkless 2 generations.

The issue of ventures lasting is a different thing altogether, it can be avoided by divesting it such that other people can buy shares in the business or making it a plc with board of directors and so on. That way even if the owner dies, the business remains

InyinyaAgbaOku:

The issue of ventures lasting is a different thing altogether, it can be avoided by divesting it such that other people can buy shares in the business or making it a plc with board of directors and so on. That way even if the owner dies, the business remains

this is something we don't have in our business culture that needs to be added.
I propose we build our own business market. If someone wants to sell shares or a business they can sell it there as stock or a whole, or even the property it's on.

If we call it a stock exchange the worthless Nigerian federal government will take it over and turn it into a cattle market.

VickJames:
Wait, our conversations here should be able to cause a substantial change in the region, but we still remain where we are. We need to make our ideas work and not just waste our time to typing expensive ideas.

How best can we make all these good opinions work for us? HOW?

How can we make the best use of our large urban population? What products can we aim to manufacture that can be useful to many, solve environmentally unique problems and yet keep the inventor in the profit, I have an idea......

In Achara layout, as in most parts of Enugu urban water is a problem, boreholes are not cheap or reliable and even wells are not lasting enough. What can we do about the water situation? Is it not possible to locally develop a technology that purifies well water so it could be potable?

I agree with the second part of your post but the naked truth is that Igbos are feared and hated in Nigeria. Every other tribes hate Igbos even our closest neighbours.

Abagworo:


We are not hated but are bringing hatred upon ourselves with recent negative approach. What we experience is a power tussle between natives and Igbos born out of fear that if left unchecked we might dominate them. The fear is everywhere but is most in Rivers State and South south. That is why our properties were seized only in SS and till this day they dislike associating with Igbos.

Many people have failed to observe that the money accrued to Southeast is lowest in Nigeria even though if we all return home our zone might be the most populous. For over 44 years we've been under funded and the effects is population redistribution to other over funded zones to balance the deficit.