Mike Merenini
Writes :
*** Remember I promised to keep it simple and plain so that everybody can understand and join the discussions ***
I will start by saying that you can never make an omelette without breaking eggs. And the truth is that the decision to invest in any part of the Eastern region does not incur more risk than investing in any other part of the country especially within South west and Northern part of the country.
Somebody pointed out the harrowing experience of transporting your goods from say Lagos to Onitsha, Aba, Owerri or Nnewi. He pointed out that there are uncountable manned Police, Custom, and Revenue agents/touts checkpoints especially starting from Benin towards the East. He lamented the colossal waste of time, extortions, intimidations and loss of profit arising from the activities of these Federal govt. agents.
I want to draw our attention to what is happening in the transport industry as an example. If you are a frequent traveller from say Aba to Lagos, you must have noticed that most of the established transport companies are never stopped by the Police, Custom and or Revenue touts.
There is strength in being properly organised and if it becomes a problem, we as a people, shall collectively deal with it. And mind you, if you ship your goods through PH or Calabar Wharves as I normally do or the big Abiriba merchants do, you will encounter less of these problems.
Furthermore, if there is criminality in the South Eastern region, it is simply because our youths are jobless which is as a result of lack of job creating opportunities within the region. The big companies established by Igbo people in Lagos, creating thousands of employment opportunities for their people without a corresponding appreciation of these sterling efforts translates to indirect denial of the same opportunities for the youths back home and what do you expect a hungry man, a highly qualified and educated young man, a responsible father with many mouths to feed without any means of livelihood to do. Place yourself in his position.
Igbos are not criminals. It is not part of our heritage. Most societies in Igbo land abhor stealing, kidnapping and some of these criminal activities so it is alien to us and the trend can be reversed if our youths and people are gainfully employed. Is it not glaring that an average Igbo man prefers hard work and honest living to stealing, begging and handouts but how can he cope when we continue to develop other regions with our investments at our own detriment.
However a young Nigerian lady of Igbo extraction residing in the UK by name
Juliana N Amadi has been making concerted efforts through the Nigeria Research Information and Development Bureau (NRIDB), a Charity organisation she has registered, to garner funds to help address the security situation in the Eastern region and we should allow support her. Everybody is chipping in whatever way they can to actualise this dream of industrialising the region.
I once went to conduct a matter for the Federal Ministry of Justice in 1992 in Bauchi State. I lodged in a hotel owned by ‘one’ Chief Igwe. In the course of my overnight stay, we had very hearty and fruitful discussions and became friends.
The matter at the High court did not proceed and was adjourned to another date 2 months later. I returned at the adjourned date to conduct the matter and to see Chief Igwe again, only to discover that his hotel has been burnt down....someone’s hard earned sweat and life investment just got destroyed. On inquiry, I discovered that a rival and jealous Hausa businessman instigated the youths of the area under the guise of religious fanaticism to destroy his property. There are several of such accounts. Chief Igwe was forced to relocate to the East with all his losses, something he should have thought about earlier on.
My happiness is that Easterners are realising their mistakes and making efforts to correct them. Coscharis Company has invested heavily in a Rice farm in Igbariam in Anambra State instead of Ogun State or Kaduna, Innoson IVM is located at Nnewi instead of Agbara in Ogun State, Medium sized companies are springing up owned by Easterners at the Medium Business Development estate at Naze Owerri and in many other places in the East. Please add other examples you are aware of as a way of encouraging others to follow suit. And the trend will continue if we all chip in our small best.
---- Developing the Eastern region is desirable and achievable ----
Mike Merenini
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