“…for every two very rich Igbo men who showoff, there are eight equally rich or richer ones you have never heard of before who hardly shows off, almost reclusive, and live highly conservative lifestyles.”
There is obviously a misrepresentation about rich Igbo men as a result of attitudes of a few but very vocal few. I agree that we are a gregarious people, which probably stemmed from our republicanism
We are also very expressive in our ways of lives. It is in our culture, our dressing, even our food is loudly flavoured, generously accompanied with ingredients, and flamboyantly presented. While I won’t hold briefs for those who live and breathe showoffism, I can’t be apologetic about it. It is what it is.
The point here is that there’s a difference between unbridled showoffism and projecting personality. Business lines determine a lot about lifestyles. But for every two very rich Igbo men who showoff, there are eight equally rich or richer ones you have never heard of before who hardly shows off, almost reclusive, and live highly conservative lifestyles.
How many of you knew about the owner of Landmark before the demolition? There are many like him. Doing great stuff quietly. They may be your neighbours but you won’t know their worth. Only their bank managers and Customs officers would tell you.
Someone said the other day about flamboyant millionaires in Nigeria. I smiled. And told him that before the word millionaire was used to describe men in money, there was a man called Candido Da Rocha who was so rich he used to send his dirty clothes to the laundryman in London from Lagos.
But when indigenous money men in Nigeria is mentioned, especially men from the East, Odumegwu-Ojukwu, was the first billionaire Nigeria ever produced. Founding president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
A man who gave financial and material support to the British military during World War II with his fleet of trucks, and got was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for that effort. He was a conglomerate. Transport, import of Okporoko, Textiles, cement etc.
Chairman, African Continental Bank, he sat on the board of Shell Oil Nigeria Limited, Guinness Nig. Ltd, Nigerian National Shipping Lines, Nigerian Cement Factory, Nigerian Coal Corporation, Costain West Africa Ltd, John Holt, and Nigerian Marketing Board, among others. A billionaire in Pounds Sterling before Forbes started tracking billionaires in Dollars.
Then there was Emmanuel Akwiwu. Founder of Akwiwu Motors who had close to 100 vehicles in his logistics fleet and major supplier. Hauled oil rigs and supplies for the British Petroleum Ltd. A federal lawmaker in the House of Representatives between 1954 and 1964 and also a deputy speaker of the Eastern Assembly.
Akwiwu was a man of great depth. A scholar who studied at Cambridge University between 1945 and 1950. He was a money man. Definition of old money. There were many like him.
If you pay attention to two iconic highlife songs of the late 70s, and early 80s. First was by Peacocks International Guitar Band called Eddie Quansa, second is People’s Club by Osita Osadebe. Osadebe eulogized the men who built solid businesses across the region. Money men.
You’d hear both musicians eulogise old money in Igboland. Okoromen who carried themselves with dignity and rarely linked with some of the in-your-face exhibitionist tendencies of new money in the land. Some frugal to a fault.
In Eddie Quansa biao biao lead singer Dan Orji used the song to celebrate some of the men who made Aba thick. Men who were millionaires in Pounds before naira was birthed in 1973.
Men like John Anyaeche, popularly known as Anyaehie Toyota Crown. He had the Toyota franchise in Nigeria and Toyota Crown was the king then. He also called Atuma and OJB Bros, big time merchant in Aba whose shops took up entire street front and back.
There was also Eddie Bros Merchants. It was a time if an Igbo business man puts merchant in his business name, you know he is truly a merchant, with supply chains feeding middlemen across the country.
What of Chika Bros West Africa? In the 70s and 80s, to add (WA) to your business name. You’d have over 20 to 30 big time customers from Ghana to Niger to Mali, Senegal and Sierra Leone who depended on you. Chika Bros was there.
Then Chuks Okolie, gas dealer was your regional go to supply chain whom multinationals depended on for their gas supply. Or is it Mike Merchandise? Before everyone became a franchise holder today, few men in West Africa were traveling to Japan to have breakfast with managers at Sharp, Sanyo, Toshiba and Panasonic. Mike Merchandise was there.
Then F.U. Anyanwu (Akajiakụ), hé wasn’t called ojiri aka gbajie igwe for nothing. During the war, when funding became a real problem and the huge wealth of Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu almost dissipated. Real men rose to the occasion. One of such men is F.U. Anyanwu ( Fuason Group).
He was the man running the Three Star corrugated roof. First time I saw a Rolls Royce and Bentley in my life was in his house. A Rolls Royce 1968 Silver Shadow. Such a quiet beast it was.
He also mentioned Awusaku ( Taylor Aba). Before the war, Awusaku was sowing Oxford Street London quality suits for export across West Africa. He was London trained, and he made money in tailoring. Awusaku means awusa akụ. Akụ is wealth.
What of Nsoedo and sons, huge trading outfit incorporated in 1957 in Onitsha and registered at the Lloyds? We also had the great Nanna Kalu and many monied men of Abiriba extraction.
Men whose lingo was weta okpogho, wụsa okpogho. When it comes to Okpogho, Abiriba had men, and still have men of whom money answers whenever they call. I can’t even venture into Nnewi. That zone is chok-full with both old and new money. Men who don’t know, and care about the media.
Nanna Kalu of Star Paper Mills at one time controlled about 35% of the paper manufacturing sector, competing with Onwards Paper mills.
Or pathfinders like Augustine Ilodibe, Ekene ndi uwa. A man who rose from nothing to prominence in the transport business and was recognised as major partner by Marcopolo Scania of Indústria Brasileira. Mercedes Benz of Germany honoured him. Ekene Dili Chukwum chaaaaiii.
We had men and we still have men.
However, the above brings up another challenge, especially thinking about those businesses. The absence of succession plans, and transgenerational wealth. A topic I will address for another day.
