Obi Cubana: Igbo culture and the Nigerian situation

Nigerians believe in lavish burials. The one by Igbo businessman, Obi Cubana

has been generating a lot of reactions.

I believe, it is not the most expensive burial ceremony either in Igbo land or in the whole of Nigeria.

The reason it is as controversial as it has turned out to be is because, the man in the eye of the storm belongs to an Industry that is loud and that is the entertainment industry and being an Igbo man expect it to go a notch higher.

The obscenity of the display of wealth brought to the fore, the raging controversy of ritual money as is being highlighted by Nollywood.

Obi Cubana has said, he is not a ritualist. Even if he were to be one, I wonder if he would willingly admit it?

The Igbos believe that the end justifies the means. Do the Igbos believe in crime and criminality? I think not.

But beyond that, it goes to explain why an Igbo man would venture where others overlook and make hay.

Obi Cubana in his statement on the controversial burial explained the obscene show of wealth.

He averred that he picked 53 persons from his hometown Oba and placed them under apprenticeship with various people and four years later he settled them with three million Naira each and in addition paid for their shops.

Quite generous isn't he? He did not stop there. He mentored them and those with challenges he assisted.

In all, from the 53 apprentices, he produced about 30 billionaires.

When Igbo billionaires choose to show appreciation to their mentor who is in show business, you get the burial in Oba.

In respect of politics, Obi Cubana says he is not interested and sneered that the Politicians are the ones with power.

There, he missed the point. You cannot be a man of means and close your eyes to politics. Perhaps that was why the road to his house was not tarred.

But what happened to community development for which Igbos are known for? For a man that has produced more than 30 billionaires, the state of that road raises many questions.

It explains why Nigerians prefer to validate their wealth with foreign goods like Dubai houses and possession of private jets instead of developing local productive capacity.

I know the Igbos are builders and technically inclined and can bring Nigeria into the league of world class manufacturers but majority are traders who prefer personal wealth to commonwealth.

What they do not know or prefer to ignore is the power of the government to make their dreams come true.

If Obi Cubana had sponsored the local government Chairman, perhaps his local government would do things that would promote show business like tarring roads and bringing street lights to promote night life.

Politics is too important to be left to Politicians, it should concern all, Obi Cubana, inclusive.