Aku Ruo Ulo Investment Initiative: Eberelinks  Intervention Example

 By: Ifeanyi Onyekachi

The call by Igbo intelligentsia, patriotic sons and daughters of Igbo descent, Socio-cultural organizations,  particularly Association of Igbo Town Unions (ASITU) and Ohanaeze Ndigbo,  that Igbo industrialists  scattered far flung across Nigeria and beyond, should consider bringing their investments home has expectedly reached its zenith.

The reason for the strong beckon for home base investment promotion got more traction in recent time owing to the ugly experiences Igbo business men are facing in their various business environments across the country by their hosts communities.

Stories are  replete of  destruction of wares, businesses and investments owned by the Igbos at the slightest provocations, or even at no provocation at all, by those who own  their business areas.

It is therefore justifiable, in line with the “onuru ube  nwanne agbala oso”, and onye aghala nwanne ya” spirit of the Igbos to team up and decipher sustainable end to the unwarranted attacks on the businesses of their kit and kin around the country, hence the consistent clarion call for  the “Aku ruo Ulo” investment promotion.

In line with this new found love, which has now become a mantra,  the Association of Igbo Town Unions (ASITU), automatic umbrella body of any true Igbo descent, led by its  vociferous National President and eminent Igbo leader,  Chief Sir Emeka Diwe, has  developed a comprehensive treatise on the importance of “Aku ruo Ulo” philosophy, detailing all its  attendance benefits.

 The group has gone a step further to organize a high powered intellectual discourse rubbing minds on the  pros and cons of the initiative.

The largest Igbo Socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo world wide, driven by one of the most revered Igbo man, Ahaejiaganba Ndigbo, Chief Sir (Engr), Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, is not only in the forefront of advocacy of the Igbo to bring home their investments but, has taken a decisive step by conferring with the  governors of South East States on how best to set up companies that will  churn out products  and services of comparative advantage in strategic areas of Igbo land.

Beyond the massive destruction of Igbo businesses across Nigeria, the need for mass development of Ala Igbo is the centri- fugal force behind the “Aku ruo Ulo” philosophy.

Already, facts  available show that Igbos are the  largest developer of other parts of Nigeria  with business investments  running into trillions of naira.

It is estimated that in  Lagos alone  Igbos investments is worth over 300 trillion naira. This estimate is doubled in Abuja with well over 600 trillion. In Kano and Kaduna, Igbos  investment is worth  over 100 trillion naira  just to mention a few. What a humongous investment by a tribe in another land where they are tacitly unwanted.

The sad news is that the South East is raped by low investments with little or no industries  and growing spate of  deindustrialization spanning  community  areas criss-crossing the Igbo nation except for few places like Nnewi, Onitsha and Aba.

Ala Igbo could  surely become industrial haven even if the Igbos “alone” decide to bring back their investments.

While we advocate for “Aku ruo Ulo”, we must also not lose sight of the risk  factors. These ranges from insecurity, lack of political will by the South East leaders to create  conducive environment for business to thrive, policy inconsistency amongst others.

It is  at this backdrop that we must appreciate, encourage, patronize,  protect and commend those entrepreneurs, Chief Executives and captains of industries who  defiled these stark  inhibitions to site their companies, not in Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Ogun or Karamuda but in Igbo land.

It is at this juncture that strong positive mention must be made of Eberelinks,  one of our own, an independent petroleum marketing company of international standard,  that has unequivocally proven that  though profit is a major point of business but, patriotism, sincerity, deep love for the people and service to humanity is a higher calling in business venture.

Need not to say that Eberelinks is a true expression of the “Aku ruo Ulo” Investment Initiative being advocated by Igbos of good conscience all over the world.

What is striking about Eberelinks is that apart from establishing fuel stations in major towns of our dear state Imo and perhaps beyond,  the company has been established in  the hinterlands of our communities  where  millions of naira were committed to  building altra-modern filling stations that take good number of our jobless rural dwellers off unemployment list.

Example is the multi million naira cooking gas plant sited at Umuakagu in Ehime Mbano ( probably the best within the LGA).

Another beautiful example is the multi purpose filling station built at the rustic community of Umualumaku, Ehime Mbano LGA, Imo State.

The point must be made that these  multi-million naira projects  were motivated mostly by patrotism, altruism and in the spirit of “Aku ruo Ulo” philosophy, other wise the inhibiting factors earlier highlighted, coupled with low profit margin from a rural business venture are  enough to dissuade investment.

This singular stride by Eberelinks has spoken louder than words that the palpable fears by Igbo investors which have  hitterto raped Ala Igbo of investment opportunities are surmountable. After all, throughout history,  development in Ala Igbo has always been by self effort.

Kudos to the man behind Eberelinks. The man with unusual large heart, humane, unassuming, quiet but strong will-Dr. Sir  Chidiebere Okoroafor. Sir, more  power to your elbow.

 *Ifeanyi Onyekachi is a  public affairs analyst