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WHAT PROPELS THE IGBO MAN-
First, the Igbo is afraid of failure in life. He believes that nature has endowed him with the ability to subdue his world and succeed and therefore had to do just that. Definitely the mandate to control the land is a mandate to be successful. As dede Afigbo rightly put:It is thus quite clear that the Igbo saw failure in his world as a terrible calamity which implied damnation and so did every thing possible to avoid it. It is this fear of failure, this drive to succeed here, and attain the status of Ogaranya (a rich man) which he could carry across to the next world, which helped him to account for the economic drive of the Igbo man, as for the high score and prestige set on hard work, resourcefulness, foresight, and rugged individualism. Second, the Igbo is not prepared to attribute any failure to his personal ‘chi.’ Thus the Igbo saying that onye kwe chi ya ekwe locates the Igbo in the context of determination and faith to succeed. It is for this reason he has to get all forces on his side. The achievement orientation finds the Igbo in reverence of Ikenga, the cult of strength, a symbol for personal achievement, heroism and success. The Igbo people love to be rewarded and recognized after having worked hard. Thus recognition for achievement is well entrenched in Igbo life. For instance, far from despising manual labour, the Igbo esteem the successful farmer. Some parts of Igbo land award them the titles of Eze ji (King of yam), Oko ji (yam planter). This Igbo saying reaffirms :egbuwa ?f?a a h? ak? i.e.When you clear the forest you see wealth.The Igbo people believe so much in the dignity of labour (work) probably more than any other ethnic groups in Nigeria, and it is for this same reason, the Igbo are also hated. Everywhere in Nigeria you find the Igbo working for his livelihood. It is a new phenomenon seeing an ‘Igbo’ begging for alms. We know as Oluadah Eouiano wrote centuries ago, that begging was unknown to the Igbo society. The only circumstance that begging was probably accepted was rather than being a thief (Onye ar?r?? ka onye oshi mma). Stealing was a terrible crime in traditional Igbo society and its punishment could be death, at times. Creating wealth is based on hard work and intelligence. It is just recently we started seeing people who do ‘nothing’ but we find them building ‘estates.’ It is only recently we find people who do nothing and yet become leaders. In traditional Igbo society, you can’t lead without your being an accomplished person, having something doing. We have what is called the British pride, the American pride; we also have from time immemorial what is known as the ‘Igbo pride’ which some historians refer to as ‘Igbo identity’. This ‘Igbo pride’ is that Igbo spirit, that Igboness in every Igbo person, that courage, that determination, that fearlessness, that self-confidence in every Igbo person. That which made him Igbo rather than any other tribe He knows that he is not judged by what his father or relations have but rather by what he is able to achieve by himself for his community. We see with our eyes Igbo solidarity, ingenuity and uniqueness. We need to recover these heritages and to offer to our country the best that is in us, because we have what it takes to move Nigeria forward.
As the Igbo child puts forward here A NOSTALGIC RECOUNT OF CHILDLIKE FAITH AND HOPE. IGBO NO N’UZO NA NDI BI N’ULO EKELEM UNU. WE ARE NOT HERE FOR A FLATTERY OR PRAISE-SINGING VENTURE, BUT TALKING OF A PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO CHANGE THEIR WORLD.NKE A BU EZIOKWU CHARA ACHAIGBO NO N’UZO NA NDI BI N’ULO MMA MMA NUUMUNNE DI UTO UDO DIRI UMUIGBO, CHUKWU GOZIE ?NU?HA NA EZE MMA MMA NUONYE SIN A O BU UNU N’ANYA O BUY A N’AJA OCHA
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