Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu has said that the sit-at-home observed every Monday in the Southeast was stifling economic growth and driving out investors from the area.
Kalu said about N4 trillion had been lost to the exercise enforced by gunmen believed to be loyal to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra in the last two years.
Speaking at a conference in Lagos, the Deputy Speaker said violence was alien to the region and called for collective efforts by all Igbo sons and daughters to end the menace.
He said the threat posed by the exercise had become the majority challenge to Igbo entrepreneurship and businesses
He said, “The existential threat to Igbo entrepreneurship and businesses now is the insecurity and sit-at-home problem in the south-east. The mutation of this problem is largely unfathomable. It is becoming a cankerworm that is eating deep into our collective fortunes as a people.
“We have to rise up to nip the problem in the bud. The first wave of the migration of Igbo businesses post-civil war was in the late 1980s and the 1990s, when, due to incessant kidnappings, thievery and a rise in occultism, Igbo businesses domiciled in Igboland moved en masse to other parts of Nigeria and the West and Central African region to thrive.
“We are currently witnessing the second wave of such migration of Igbos businesses, this time round, due to the insecurity and the sit-at-home problem in our beloved region. Ummunnem, this is not us.
“We are not known for these. If I do not tell you these truths as your son, then it will be difficult for anyone in governance from Ala-Igbo to tell you. I am pained by what our dear land has become. We have to be honest and sincere with ourselves. In conclusion, I make a heartfelt plea to each and every one of you.”
He reasoned that Ndigbo “cannot afford to retreat from our business endeavours. The stay-at-home order on Mondays has resulted in staggering losses of N4 trillion in the last two years in the Southeast alone, according to statistical data.
“This is also affecting the businesses of our brothers across Nigeria, especially in the supply chain. We must find lasting solutions to the security challenges in Igboland, addressing them collectively with innovative strategies. My brothers and my sisters. We must think and think again!”
While emphasizing that the Nigerian constitution guarantees freedom of movement, Kalu urged Igbo people resident outside their region to live in peace with their host communities.
“While we strive for success and growth, we must also address the threats faced by Igbo businesses across Nigeria. I want to emphasize here that our constitutional rights protect us.
“Section 41 sub-section 1 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees every citizen of Nigeria the freedom to move, reside, and trade anywhere within the country. This constitutional backing supports our business endeavors, as long as we contribute positively to our host communities and maintain peaceful and friendly relationships.
“In this spirit, let us remember the longstanding harmonious relationship between the Yorubas and the Igbo, especially in Lagos and other parts of the Southwest. We have come a long way together, both economically and politically.
“We can draw inspiration from past collaborations, such as Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu’s role as the founding president of The Nigerian Stock Exchange in Lagos, and the partnership between Nnamdi Azikiwe and Sir Herbert Badmus Macaulay during the glory days of the then National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC)”.
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The Deputy Speaker called for the revival of the Igbo apprenticeship system, a time-tested practice that he said had produced successful businessmen and women, stressing that it should not be allowed to go into extinction.
“I want to draw your attention to a remarkable aspect of our economic history—the “Igba-Boi” Apprenticeship System otherwise called the Igbo Apprenticeship System by business and economics experts worldwide. This time-honoured tradition has played a pivotal role in the growth of capital formation in Igboland, especially during the challenging post-civil war recovery period.
“It is a system that has been studied extensively by renowned institutions such as Harvard Business School, with business cases dedicated to showcasing its unique merits in top business schools worldwide.
“Today, it stands as a shining example of excellent venture capital in the world. However, let us pause for a moment and ask ourselves a rhetorical question: How many of us in this conference still have apprentices? Perhaps a few.
“As we reflect on this, we must acknowledge that the “Igba-Boi” apprenticeship system is going into extinction, but we must be innovative in our approach to revive and sustain it. We cannot afford to let this invaluable heritage fade away, for it carries the seeds of our future prosperity.
“This draws down to another important question we must ponder on – should we formalize the Igba-Boi Apprenticeship system? What I mean here is whether a national apprenticeship system should be set up that adopts the core element of the Igba-Boi apprenticeship system and combines it with the conventional education system in Nigeria to optimize the benefits for our teeming youth.
“This is why my office is open to you all umunnem! Please feel free to come and engage in this fruitful discourse as we look for the way forward to advance a core element of our rich economic and business practices and ensure that it is sustainable for future generations.”