@ Ofodirinwa, I enjoyed your contributions above. Thanks.

Afam4eva:
The truth is, i'm really tired of all this talk and not work. We can talk from now till thy kingdom come, if nobody is willing to do anything, the status quo remains. Unless we start a movement aimed at sensitizing our people. If we can achieve a similar feat to what IPOB did but this time in preaching economics and development, we're halfway to building the Igboland of our dreams.

My immediate dream is for this thread to spiral into a situation where we can build a database of every Igbo person on the forum and then extend it to Facebook and other platforms. We can also go ahead to collect donations no matter how little in furtherance of this noble course.

True, but we need to first turn the wheels of this thread to attract more attention, then when it has gathered a critical mass, we will spring into the next stage. Its still early.

Cooly100:


The first thing that comes to my mind is electricity...(to power the elevators)...then we can have high rises, as land will become an issue in future. We need land for agriculture and other things.

You are saying the bitter truth. Land will become an issue in the future and if we allow structures to just spring from nowhere and everywhere, we won't be having anywhere to farm, grow businesses and build factories. We won't have anywhere to go for leisure nor a place for wildlife. We need to think about the next 100years because we know what will happen if we keep growing at this steady rate, what will happen in the future.

I proposing that we build large housing estates in every state that can have 5million housing units in the form of skyscrapers and we either start selling or renting such facilities out.

These are big investments that can generate huge sums for the government and investors. For example, the chinese built Kilamba with 3.5billion dollars. Very beautiful city with very beautiful scenery. We can either lure foreign investors or we make our local billionaires invest in this line of business like the chagoury group is doing with Lagos. They can either make their money through leasing or outright sales of these properties.

If we do this in the 5 igbo states, then we will have solved one of the biggest future problems in the region. This will create more business for SMEs and we will have driven poverty out to an extent.

Xander85:
Concerning the talk of linking Alaigbo up with one or two seaports. If Obuakwu can't be a reality for now, we have at least up to four other options to consider, namely Ibom, Calabar, Bayelsa and Port Harcourt. We should think of floating a pan-Igbo investment corporation that will (amongst other briefs it will have) enter into negotiations with at least two of these options, and then extend any railway network built to these ports.

The investment corporation should ensure they are part owners of the ports chosen as its going to be a quid-pro-quo arrangement in which traffic would specifically driven towards these chosen ports.

The finer details can be worked out later, but the idea is that we as a people should not help to create wealth, and others cream off the entire profits as is presently being done in Lagos where the federal and Lagos state gov'ts take all the profits from the ports even though Igbos make up a large percentage of the users.

you people will never learn,what if after building the seaport in south south and Nigeria break up please what will happen to the seaport?building anything outside igboland is not acceptably.

Kokolet11:
you people will never learn,what if after building the seaport in south south and Nigeria break up please what will happen to the seaport?building anything outside igboland is not acceptably.

Our greatest problem as a people is that we never learn from history. Our eyes always seem to be outside instead of inside.

spyder880:


What is your suggestions about the fastest way to bring to completion, a speed rail project connecting the whole of Eastern Region to other regions?

The best way is through PPP project.

The truth is that we will never achieve even one 1% of what we said here without the help of IPOB even in the next 50years.the only people that can ask any igbo man or woman to do donation and they do it in 24hours and they do it is IPOB.even if we like lets deny it but is the fact.who trust south east gov or ohanaeze?to build seaport or railways in igboland in five years is very easy but the only people who can get igbo men and women home and away to do the donation and they will do it in 24hours are IPOB.the only people our people listen to are IPOB.watch out what will happen on may 30th 2018.

Ofodirinwa:
Government will never develop Igboland/Biafra

State, local, federal. Any plan that involves government action is no plan at all. If you yourself are not in the government, to think, plan and hope for the actions of government is an exercise in futility. The type of development that will work for us is one that is holistically private and profit led. Believe it or not, this is the type of development that built the great cities in America, and countless other developed countries. We have the most industrious culture and minds in the world, and this is no accident. We have everything it takes to develop our lands privately through contributions scalabled to each woman or man's capacity and ability.

My posts will highlight how this is possible. We should see government projects as generous add-ons, and not the foundation of our development because we have waiting for 50 years to no avail. Let the meal be severed with or without cake.

Very good submission

It time for us to have a development agency.

The agency will be a private and non governmental.

It will manage a fund in which the Igbo diaspora and local investors will contribute into to build major infrastructures in igboland.

The investors that buy bonds or shares of the fund (depending on the structure) will be getting ROI after each infrastructural project matures.

It is common sense and doable even with the current mess that Nigeria is in. We just need someone very influential to initiate this.

Ngozi okonjo iweala, uche orji, Barth nnaji and soludo comes my mind.

horsepower101:


My brother this is the main problem we are dealing with. The powers that be hate regionalism. To them it's almost like breaking up the country.

Imagine we have one regional seat of power. Do you know how much will be saved from the government houses, state assemblies, judiciaries, cars, houses, emoluments, of government officials from the states? This runs into hundreds of billions. This money could have been used for infrastructural development like rail, roads, power, and industries...etc, etc

Can someone help me with a map of Igboland showing not just the popular cities but a lot of towns. I want to see how a Rail line can be drawn to traverse every important city ad town.

Purehuman:


You are saying the bitter truth. Land will become an issue in the future and if we allow structures to just spring from nowhere and everywhere, we won't be having anywhere to farm, grow businesses and build factories. We won't have anywhere to go for leisure nor a place for wildlife. We need to think about the next 100years because we know what will happen if we keep growing at this steady rate, what will happen in the future.

I proposing that we build large housing estates in every state that can have 5million housing units in the form of skyscrapers and we either start selling or renting such facilities out.

These are big investments that can generate huge sums for the government and investors. For example, the chinese built Kilamba with 3.5billion dollars. Very beautiful city with very beautiful scenery. We can either lure foreign investors or we make our local billionaires invest in this line of business like the chagoury group is doing with Lagos. They can either make their money through leasing or outright sales of these properties.

If we do this in the 5 igbo states, then we will have solved one of the biggest future problems in the region. This will create more business for SMEs and we will have driven poverty out to an extent.

You are correct. Enugu state built many blocks of two storey buildings at Maryland estate in Independence Layout. They sold the 2 bedroom flats for N5 million three years ago. The flats where snapped up even before they were completed. They should do more to save land. But as agreed we need electricity if the floors are to be increased.

horsepower101:
It time for us to have a development agency.

The agency will be a private and non governmental.

It will manage a fund in which the Igbo diaspora and local investors will contribute into to build major infrastructures in igboland.

The investors that buy bonds or shares of the fund (depending on the structure) will be getting ROI after each infrastructural project matures.

It is common sense and doable even with the current mess that Nigeria is in. We just need someone very influential to initiate this.

Ngozi okonjo iweala, uche orji, Barth nnaji and soludo comes my mind.

Oga this will never work without the help of IPOB,IPOB is the only group that can tell igbos home and away to do something and they will do it.IPOB has the supporters who listen to them.south east govs and ohanaeze are useless if not they will would have use IPOB to achieve many things in igboland.our people are willing to donate money for any development in igboland but we can only achieve that with IPOB.watch out may 30th this year.

Kokolet11:
Oga this will never work without the help of IPOB,IPOB is the only group that can tell igbos home and away to do something and they will do it.IPOB has the supporters who listen to them.south east govs and ohanaeze are useless if not they will would have use IPOB to achieve many things in igboland.our people are willing to donate money for any development in igboland but we can only achieve that with IPOB.watch out may 30th this year.

Is IPOB not a new group. If they could achieve it then another group can achieve it. Everything should not be about IPOB.

No meanful development or donation we come to igboland without the help of IPOB,if you like hate them.they have the masses who are willing to do anything for development of igboland and the masses trust them.with the help of IPOB we can get any amount we need from igbos for development of igboland but our useless govs and ohanaeze are not using their head well.

Afam4eva:

Is IPOB not a new group. If they could achieve it then another group can achieve it. Everything should not be about IPOB.

which other group has the masses than IPOB in the world?let me not talk about Nigeria.which other group has the trust of the masse than IPOB?Oga no group can achieve that,not even in 20yrs time.

Untill we start using what we have to get what we want if not nothing will we work in igboland.sometimes you don't need to hate a group because others hate them,had it been that we had a senseable govs and ohanaeze they would have use IPOB to achieve things like seaport,rail and power in less than 10yrs.we igbos has the money but we lack leaders who see opportunities.

The only development that will keep coming to igboland is roads because no body will donate anything in a meeting called by ohanaeze and south east govs.they have failed the trust the masses has on them long ago.

The only development that will keep coming to igboland is roads because no body will donate anything in a meeting called by ohanaeze and south east govs.they have failed the trust the masses has on them long ago...

Cooly100:


Imagine we have one regional seat of power. Do you know how much will be saved from the government houses, state assemblies, judiciaries, cars, houses, emoluments, of government officials from the states? This runs into hundreds of billions. This money could have been used for infrastructural development like rail, roads, power, and industries...etc, etc

Unfortunately what you've stated is exactly why regionalism wouldn't be allowed to return; too many greedy and self-centred individuals masquerading as politicians and public servants for regionalism to be revived. It's also mainly because of them that Buhari found it easy to kidnap or kill Mazi Kanu and his parents.

Fact of the matter is that whether by omission or commission, Nigeria has turned out to be very bad for Ndigbo....it has stripped us of most of the values and characteristics that always made us and our region stand out pre-1966. This is exactly what some of our enemies wanted and still want, hence their intense hatred of IPOB!

Xander85:


I think this is the canal Governor Umahi is constructing in or near Abakaliki, fashioned after a similar one in Disneyland, Florida. It will be used for scenic boat rides and to improve the tourism potentials of the state.

Spyder, i think the pics you posted earlier are of the new ecumenical centre in Abakaliki and not Shoprite. The beginning of the attached video shows a similar structure which they said is going to be the ecumenical centre.

Start video from 11.57 to see them talk of the canal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPS-H6CUe9k

From what I am seeing, deputy governors have little or no input in policy making in Nigeria. Governor Nweze Umahi was the deputy to Martin Elechi who didnt do quite well as governor of Ebonyi state.

How could Elechi have had a smart and strategic thinker as Umahi and didn't tap from his ideas for good eight years? Yes, what Umahi is currently doing in Ebonyi must have been in his thought box all through the Elechi years.

South East is yet to have a tourist destination where individuals and families can relax in a clean, man-made lake/cannal with modern boat ride. South East needs it for God's sake. A facility as this would have made the Coal City a tourist destination but Sullivan Chime missed it. Ebonyi state is doing good. I can't wait to take my good friends on a weekend boat ride in Abakaliki.

Kokolet11:
Oga this will never work without the help of IPOB,IPOB is the only group that can tell igbos home and away to do something and they will do it.IPOB has the supporters who listen to them.south east govs and ohanaeze are useless if not they will would have use IPOB to achieve many things in igboland.our people are willing to donate money for any development in igboland but we can only achieve that with IPOB.watch out may 30th this year.

Never in my life apart from the civil war, have I seen anyone or anything mobilize igbos the way IPOB has. You are actually right.

kostadinis:


From what I am seeing, deputy governors have little or no input in policy making in Nigeria. Governor Nweze Umahi was the deputy to Martin Elechi who didnt do quite well as governor of Ebonyi state.

How could Elechi have had a smart and strategic thinker as Umahi and didn't tap from his ideas for good eight years? Yes, what Umahi is currently doing in Ebonyi must have been in his thought box all through the Elechi years.

South East is yet to have a tourist destination where individuals and families can relax in a clean, man-made lake/cannal with modern boat ride. South East needs it for God's sake. A facility as this would have made the Coal City a tourist destination but Sullivan Chime missed it. Ebonyi state is doing good. I can't wait to take my good friends on a weekend boat ride in Abakaliki.

You know, this is another angle to the argument i never really thought of. But now i think of it, that new state secretariat built by Elechi could have been done better had a younger, more bold and more visionary person been in charge. The buildings are old fashioned, boring, ugly, and they take up too much space that could have been used for either a state park or business district. They remind me of the old faculty of social sciences buildings at UNN built in the sixties.

If i were Elechi, what i would have done was make a statement of intent by building at least 3 high-rise buildings instead of those multitude of low-rise ones....each at least 15 stories. They would have been designed by a world-class architect, and would help conserve space at the now renamed Centenary City, as well as improve the skyline of Abakaliki.

The issue of NEPA taking light and people being stuck in lifts is a valid argument, but if we can have the Point Block in Port Harcourt, and a multitude of high-rises in Lagos and Abuja, then why should the case of Abakaliki be any different?

horsepower101:


Never in my life apart from the civil war, have I seen anyone or anything mobilize igbos the way IPOB has. You are actually right.

Not at all, I have never seen.
And their reach is global

IPOB is present in every single country on planet earth where we have Igbos.
IPOB is a goldmine yet to be explored or exploited by Ndiigbo.

If we can tame IPOB to drop their multiethinic agenda and become truly pan Igbo, which they are running away from being, even when the whole world see them as Igbo,then we would generate this critical mass needed for Igbo development under a shorter period.

If only IPOB can be persuaded to think of Biafra in a longer term basis, divided in phases, with the first phase being economic, industrial and infrastructural development of Igboland into a globally acceptable standard.

If only.

Igboid:



Not at all, I have never seen.
And their reach is global

IPOB is present in every single country on planet earth where we have Igbos.
IPOB is a goldmine yet to be explored or exploited by Ndiigbo.

If we can tame IPOB to drop their multiethinic agenda and become truly pan Igbo, which they are running away from being, even when the whole world see them as Igbo,then we would generate this critical mass needed for Igbo development under a shorter period.

If only IPOB can be persuaded to think of Biafra in a longer term basis, divided in phases, with the first phase being economic, industrial and infrastructural development of Igboland into a globally acceptable standard.

If only.

IPOB will succeed the moment it becomes a PAN igbo group. It's sad that the non Igbo minorities joined to speak against them.

If Ipob can be reformed and create a parallel organization focused on economic advancement, they will do wonders, in igboland.

I remember seeing a picture last year of IPOB providing free healthcare to mothers and fixing a road in umuhia from their own donations. That's was before buhari intervened.

horsepower101:


IPOB will succeed the moment it becomes a PAN igbo group. It's sad that the non Igbo minorities joined to speak against them.

If Ipob can be reformed and create a parallel organization focused on economic advancement, they will do wonders, in igboland.

I remember seeing a picture last year of IPOB providing free healthcare to mothers and fixing a road in umuhia from their own donations. That's was before buhari intervened.

To create an organization from the scratch that would have IPOB global reach is going to be a daunting task.
Moreover, what we are proposing here is a self sacrificing venture, because I don't see how this is going to be profitable for now.
To get people to put their money in such projects we are speaking of, and to make voluntary contributions, you need not just financial profitability, you need nationalism.
As there are tons of other more profitable places to invest money in, with higher return on investment in Nigeria, than Igboland, due to deliberate economic agenda Nigeria government pursued post Civil war against the former Eastern region.

Nothing brings out the altruistic instinct and Igbo nationalism spirit of the common Igbo man than Biafra , It's a unity altar for Ndiigbo , we must find a way to incorporate the Biafran objective into our vision. Make Biafra the long term goal, an end to look forward to.
Catalonia developed into an economic power house of Spain, using long term vision of self determination from spain, as fuel.

We can do same.

We don't need non Igbo minorities for now, it's all unnecessary distractions from those axis. We can corporate with them on areas of mutual interests, just as we should do with the rest of Nigeria for now, while we bid our time.

We need to work on ourselves first and foremost.

https://www.nairaland.com/2425368/future-igboland-discipline-not-population


The salient points Ikengawo dropped on the above thread is still relevant till today

horsepower101:


IPOB will succeed the moment it becomes a PAN igbo group. It's sad that the non Igbo minorities joined to speak against them.

If Ipob can be reformed and create a parallel organization focused on economic advancement, they will do wonders, in igboland.

I remember seeing a picture last year of IPOB providing free healthcare to mothers and fixing a road in umuhia from their own donations. That's was before buhari intervened.

my brother you have made your point but I don't think IPOB will want to do anything with ohanaeze and south east govs now.ohanaeze has missed the opportunity,it will take years for anything good to come to igboland apart from roads.

horsepower101:


Never in my life apart from the civil war, have I seen anyone or anything mobilize igbos the way IPOB has. You are actually right.

thank God you understand what I'm talking about but I think is too late now.to get IPOB to be on the same side with ohanaeze now will take years to happen because ohanaeze has lost the trust of the masses.

kostadinis:


From what I am seeing, deputy governors have little or no input in policy making in Nigeria. Governor Nweze Umahi was the deputy to Martin Elechi who didnt do quite well as governor of Ebonyi state.

How could Elechi have had a smart and strategic thinker as Umahi and didn't tap from his ideas for good eight years? Yes, what Umahi is currently doing in Ebonyi must have been in his thought box all through the Elechi years.

South East is yet to have a tourist destination where individuals and families can relax in a clean, man-made lake/cannal with modern boat ride. South East needs it for God's sake. A facility as this would have made the Coal City a tourist destination but Sullivan Chime missed it. Ebonyi state is doing good. I can't wait to take my good friends on a weekend boat ride in Abakaliki.

Southeast have the highest natural tourists in Nigeria. How? We travel slot festive seasons. If we can channel our tourism to attract just igbos all over the world during the Christmas and holiday season, we will be making billions of naira in revenue but we haven't keyed into this areas and we are suffering heavily for it.