Igbos are known to be capitalists and has often been classified as being among the world's 5 most advanced ethnicities alongside the Chinese, Indians, Jews and Germans. Just like these other aforementioned groups, Igbos now control or influence commerce in many areas of Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. Their cities of Aba and Onitsha have traditionally been regarded as home to some of the largest markets in Africa. However, the problem now is that these markets have largely remained the way they were decades ago.

Today, anyone who visits Ariaria will be disgusted at the filth, bad roads, flooding etc. that will assault them. Traders often lose lots of money each time the market gets flooded, and it happens quite often especially during the rainy season.

The world has evolved and commerce has become a huge money spinner, especially when it is combined with tourism. Dubai is a model example of this. However, the IGR of Aba has remained appallingly low, not necessarily because the people don't pay tax but but because of cartels that rip-off such monies due to irregularities in tax collection.

Abia state government should as a matter of urgency, go into partnership with developers to build the world's largest mall that will replace the sordid Ariaria market. This is a hugely bankable project and investors would be falling over themselves to be involved.

Recently, Shell built a dedicated gas pipeline to Ariaria and this would help to make the building of these malls significantly cheaper to maintain and thus make its rent affordable for most traders.

The benefits of having such very large malls in Aba will be enormous and it will change the fortunes of the state. Such benefits include:

1. Huge foriegn direct investments will flood into the state, especially from China, India, Japan, S.A, E.U and America. They will come in the form of companies opening assembly plants that will take advantage of such modernized large markets. This is what Dubai has done, and we have the capacity to replicate it here. Even if we are able to get 10% of the sort of investments that has gone to Dubai, Abia will automatically become a very rich state.

2. Increased patronage; Ariaria used to attract buyers from all over Nigeria and as far as Cameroun, Ghana, Senegal, Niger etc. Many of such people have stopped coming due to the disorganized nature of the market. However, not only will all these people return, Ariaria will now be able to attract buyers from all over Africa.

3. Increased government revenue; imagine when Aba has 10 very large malls that will contain an average of 20,000 shops each or 20 large malls of 10,000 shops each. The government will be able to ensure that 100% of the traders are captured in its tax drive and no cartel will defraud it since government knows the exact number of tax payers and can easily monitor compliance.

4. Increase in employment generation; lots of our graduates see trading as a vocation that is demeaning. This is due to the filthy environment where trading takes place. The market roads are muddy and flooded, gutters crisscross people's shops, leaky roofs etc. However, once these large malls are used to replace such dirty markets, many graduates will gladly go into trading and they will bring modern innovations too.

5. Aesthetics; Aba has gained a notoreity as a filty place and this is directly due to the proliferation of all these dingy markets that are found all over the city. Aba is a naturally well planned gridiron city. Once these unsightly markets are replaced with modern malls, the aesthetics of the city will be greatly enhanced and more people will desire to live in the city.

I can go on to list several other benefits but lack of space won't allow me. We Igbos don't know the gold we have in our hands by being in control of commerce in Nigeria because it has far greater potentials than crude oil and agriculture. Dubai has no oil but it is richer than the other Emirates in UAE that has oil as well as other oil rich countries.

Okezie Ikpeazu should muster the courage and political will to forever change the dynamics of Aba and he will always be remembered. Rochas was able to demolish the two biggest markets in Owerri and relocate the traders, and heaven did not fall. So, Ikpeazu too can demolish Ariaria as well as other dirty markets in Aba and replace them with massive malls.

Lalasticala please do Aba a favour by moving this piece to the front page so it can be brought to Okezie Ikpeazu's attention.

lol, aba has been living on past glory of the 1960s. it no longer a viable place for investment anymore except something miraculous happens and there's a transparent government that is willing to serve its people

True,aba can become another Japan they have the skills and brain, even now what they build there is amazing, imagine if the govt comes in the places they will become a major manufacturing and industrial hub.

Lol Abia state has dearth of technical leaders.

If Dave Umahi were the Governor of Abia state, Lagos will bleed!

They can build a new Market and relocate them afterwards if they demolish and build where will the current traders go to?

They can start by sorting out thier roads and drainage issues and then expand the market

I see alot comments below about ABA being a glorified village that's far from the truth

Regardless businesses in Aba are thriving new ones are springing up including tech businesses

All ABA and Abia state needs is sincere leadership ... leadership from a visionary and a Government at the center that can give Igbo business hubs that attention it deserves

Aba town is a glorified village. One investor came from Delta state to build an ultramodern mega mall there but the traders preferred to remain in the filth and squalor that is Ariaria.

aristocrazzy:
lol, aba has been living on past glory of the 1960s. it no longer a viable place for investment anymore except something miraculous happens and there's a transparent government that is willing to serve its people

I cry each time I travel to Aba and see great potentials yet to be harnessed. Abia people are sitting on top of gold mine without knowing it. A forward thinking governor is what Abia state needs to become a great state.

It's even shocking that what is required is just the political will, responsibility and passion to turn the state around massively.

For God's sake this is not rocket science!!

Op, show me the list were the Igbo's were classified as one of the top five ethnic group like you mentioned.

Never been to Abia


But seems to be in the news dor the wrong reasons

Remimadrid1:
Op, show me the list were the Igbo's were classified as one of the top five ethnic group like you mentioned.

This is not a dick measuring exercise please. The list is all over the internet, and a simple Google search will give you the answer you need.

Thank you!

GMBuhari:
Never been to Abia


But seems to be in the news dor the wrong reasons

Abia is ever scarcely in the news for the wrong reasons. However, if you check the news you will see that most is due to state government failure.

Aba the shithole the Orjis, Abaribe n Ikpeazu looted it glory beyond recognition

Cyberterror:
Aba town is a glorified village. One investor came from Delta state to build an ultramodern mega mall there but the traders preferred to remain in the filth and squalor that is Ariaria.

No, I beg to differ on your assertion that Aba is a glorified village. Naturally, people tend to resist change but it comes with momentary inconvenience. However, the onus lies with the government to provide leadership.

The blame lies squaly with the state government.

flyingpig:
Lol Abia state has dearth of technical leaders.

If Dave Umahi were the Governor of Abia state, Lagos will bleed!

All the past and present governors of the state should cover their faces in shame for failing to lift Aba to greater heights.

The state has really suffered in the hands of mediocres who paraded as governors.

Remimadrid1:
Op, show me the list were the Igbo's were classified as one of the top five ethnic group like you mentioned.

I thought I was the only one that saw it.

well, it's not new.
it's like, they like studying statistics in that region.

proeast:


Abia is ever scarcely in the news for the wrong reasons. However, if you check the news you will see that most is due to state government failure.

Why don't you vote them out??
why allowing them 2nd tenure?

all this you're doing is, "all talk, no action".

Sammy07:


Why don't you vote them out??
why allowing them 2nd tenure?

all this you're doing is, "all talk, no action".

The terrible Nigerian system is what makes such mediocre governors to emerge. Most times is not who the people wants that end up emerging as governors. Imo state is a very good example.

proeast:


The terrible Nigerian system is what makes such mediocre governors to emerge. Most times is not who the people wants that end up emerging as governors. Imo state is a very good example.

I agree that Nigeria has a terrible system and most times is not who the people wants that end up emerging (through rigging).

but I believe, if people doesn't want a particular person, no amount of rigging will save him.
e.g.
Oyo state governors( Only ajimobi was able to secure 2nd term), upon his achievements, his candidate was voted out and he was denied of his senate ambition.

Ondo State
mimiko is currently the best governor Ondo had, but some utterances made people not to vote for his candidate.

Osun state
it was rigging that save Osun election, Aregbesola is the best governor of Osun state, but some of his unfavorable policies made people not to vote for him his candidate

kwara state
strong will and slow progress plus family hereditary of kwara state by Sarakis family make people to vote them out.

Ekiti
Fayemi, Fayose, Segun Oni, all used one term one after the other in different party.

rigging didn't save them either.
as you can see, if the people are willing to vote the governor out, no rigging will save it except through court (case of IMO governor)

I stopped reading at "Igbos have been classified as being among the world's 5 most advanced ethnicities...."
Who classified who ....This people and chestbeating

Instead of demolishing, can't they renovate and educate the market people of the important of been in an hygenic environment..

let me just pretend as if I did not see the top 5 ethnic group thingy.

BeLookingIDIOT:
I stopped reading at "Igbos have been classified as being among the world's 5 most advanced ethnicities...."
Who classified who ....This people and chestbeating

I don't know why you guys always feel insecure when some spectacular facts about Igbos are highlighted.

Now, check this link https://www.africanevents.com/the-most-brilliant-black-african-race-facts-and-figures-from-the-us-academic-report/

There are several other such links too but like I said, this is not a dick measuring exercise please!

helinues:
Instead of demolishing, can't they renovate and educate the market people of the important of been in an hygenic environment..

Renovation won't serve the purpose of radically changing Ariaria and other markets in Aba. They need to be totally replaced with modern large malls.

You can read the article to understand the reasons why. It seems you read only the headline.

proeast:


I don't know why you guys always feel insecure when some spectacular facts about Igbos are highlighted.

Now, check this link https://www.africanevents.com/the-most-brilliant-black-african-race-facts-and-figures-from-the-us-academic-report/

There are several other such links too but like I said, this is not a dick measuring exercise please!

check the report.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/notes-from-atlanta/no-us-study-ever-said-igbos-are-the-most-brilliant-black-african-race/143684.html

and this was your initial statement

Igbos are known to be capitalists and has often been classified as being among the world's 5 most advanced ethnicities alongside the Chinese, Indians, Jews and Germans.

helinues:
Instead of demolishing, can't they renovate and educate the market people of the important of been in an hygenic environment..

That place cannot be renovated. It has to go down.

I lived there for one year...that place is a mess.

They have to get a land (hectares) and construct a big market complex.

The problem is that there is no good leadership there.

Sammy07:
Why don't you vote them out?? why allowing them 2nd tenure? all this you're doing is, "all talk, no action".

Do they have elections in Abia?
No elections bro....

RuddyFusion:

You have said it all.

proeast:


I don't know why you guys always feel insecure when some spectacular facts about Igbos are highlighted.

Now, check this link https://www.africanevents.com/the-most-brilliant-black-african-race-facts-and-figures-from-the-us-academic-report/

There are several other such links too but like I said, this is not a dick measuring exercise please!

There isn't any such thing there oga
Silly chestbeaters

Sammy07:


check the report.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/notes-from-atlanta/no-us-study-ever-said-igbos-are-the-most-brilliant-black-african-race/143684.html

and this was your initial statement

Semantics! Is there really any difference? The article was specific in narrowing it down to intelligence while I used the word advanced. There are also other articles that may have used 'advanced' but it still boils down to semantics.

proeast:
Igbos are known to be capitalists and has often been classified as being among the world's 5 most advanced ethnicities alongside the Chinese, Indians, Jews and Germans. Just like these other aforementioned groups, Igbos now control or influence commerce in many areas of Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. Their cities of Aba and Onitsha have traditionally been regarded as home to some of the largest markets in Africa. However, the problem now is that these markets have largely remained the way they were decades ago.

Today, anyone who visits Ariaria will be disgusted at the filth, bad roads, flooding etc. that will assault them. Traders often lose lots of money each time the market gets flooded, and it happens quite often especially during the rainy season.

The world has evolved and commerce has become a huge money spinner, especially when it is combined with tourism. Dubai is a model example of this. However, the IGR of Aba has remained appallingly low, not necessarily because the people don't pay tax but but because of cartels that rip-off such monies due to irregularities in tax collection.

Abia state government should as a matter of urgency, go into partnership with developers to build the world's largest mall that will replace the sordid Ariaria market. This is a hugely bankable project and investors would be falling over themselves to be involved.

Recently, Shell built a dedicated gas pipeline to Ariaria and this would help to make the building of these malls significantly cheaper to maintain and thus make its rent affordable for most traders.

The benefits of having such very large malls in Aba will be enormous and it will change the fortunes of the state. Such benefits include:

1. Huge foriegn direct investments will flood into the state, especially from China, India, Japan, S.A, E.U and America. They will come in the form of companies opening assembly plants that will take advantage of such modernized large markets. This is what Dubai has done, and we have the capacity to replicate it here. Even if we are able to get 10% of the sort of investments that has gone to Dubai, Abia will automatically become a very rich state.

2. Increased patronage; Ariaria used to attract buyers from all over Nigeria and as far as Cameroun, Ghana, Senegal, Niger etc. Many of such people have stopped coming due to the disorganized nature of the market. However, not only will all these people return, Ariaria will now be able to attract buyers from all over Africa.

3. Increased government revenue; imagine when Aba has 10 very large malls that will contain an average of 20,000 shops each or 20 large malls of 10,000 shops each. The government will be able to ensure that 100% of the traders are captured in its tax drive and no cartel will defraud it since government knows the exact number of tax payers and can easily monitor compliance.

4. Increase in employment generation; lots of our graduates see trading as a vocation that is demeaning. This is due to the filthy environment where trading takes place. The market roads are muddy and flooded, gutters crisscross people's shops, leaky roofs etc. However, once these large malls are used to replace such dirty markets, many graduates will gladly go into trading and they will bring modern innovations too.

5. Aesthetics; Aba has gained a notoreity as a filty place and this is directly due to the proliferation of all these dingy markets that are found all over the city. Aba is a naturally well planned gridiron city. Once these unsightly markets are replaced with modern malls, the aesthetics of the city will be greatly enhanced and more people will desire to live in the city.

I can go on to list several other benefits but lack of space won't allow me. We Igbos don't know the gold we have in our hands by being in control of commerce in Nigeria because it has far greater potentials than crude oil and agriculture. Dubai has no oil but it is richer than the other Emirates in UAE that has oil as well as other oil rich countries.

Okezie Ikpeazu should muster the courage and political will to forever change the dynamics of Aba and he will always be remembered. Rochas was able to demolish the two biggest markets in Owerri and relocate the traders, and heaven did not fall. So, Ikpeazu too can demolish Ariaria as well as other dirty markets in Aba and replace them with massive malls.

Lalasticala please do Aba a favour by moving this piece to the front page so it can be brought to Okezie Ikpeazu's attention.

The so called Nnamdi Kanu can resign his futile effort of leading a secession group which with its current approach IS BOUND TO FAIL, and instead, swear oaths to Nigerian constitution, and contest for Governor of Abia state under APGA.

He is a god and Abia state is his mat where he stands on. If he contests, there is no iota of doubt he will win with land slide. Charity begins at home and that Biafran utopia he wants us to believe in, should be first made a revelation in Abia by him.

proeast:


Abia is ever scarcely in the news for the wrong reasons. However, if you check the news you will see that most is due to state government failure.

I tot Ikpeazu would be the Messiah since he's from ngwa, but the guy is just another big flop

proeast:


Semantics! Is there really any difference? The article was specific in narrowing it down to intelligence while I used the word advanced. There are also other articles that may have used 'advanced' but it still boils down to semantics.

it was your choice of words that's wrong.

anyways, you've said its not a dick measuring exercise.
we should focus on the issue at hand.

BeLookingIDIOT:

There isn't any such thing there oga
Silly chestbeaters

Did you read it? I guess you didn't because if you did you won't continue arguing. Be that as it may, you can turn a blind eye on that particular statement if it makes you insecure.

I won't talk about it again to avoid derailing from the topic.

woky:
I tot Ikpeazu would be the Messiah since he's from ngwa, but the guy is just another big flop

Ikpeazu is Governor but he isn't in Control.