Jonathan NwokporHave you recently travelled to the eastern region of the nation? Have you seen how many empty mansions there are scattered around the cities and villages? That is the lifestyle of the Igbo people! They build mansions in their town and rent apartments in the city with ease.
Building a home in the village is viewed by Igbo men as a concrete representation of their lineage and a sign of accomplishment and status. It’s regarded as a means of paying respect to the forefathers and keeping a link to one’s heritage. It’s a means to improve the village’s general level of living and aid in the community’s development.
For an Igbo person, building in the village is frequently considered as a duty and responsibility. It serves as a means of demonstrating support for one’s fellow villagers as well as a personal accomplishment. It also shows that the individual has accomplished success in life. In an internet video, a well-known Igbo man living in the US gives some explanations for why so many Igbo like to construct mansions in their villages.
To restore honour to his people, the Igbo man first constructs his home. Most homes in my village don’t have the best living circumstances you could imagine. The people left in the village lead ordinary lives while the fortunate or talented ones leave for Lagos.
There’s nothing else to do, so they give up hope, drink themselves to sleep, and dance all Sunday. Many rely on the cash they get from driving Kekes or the meagre farm produce to get by on a daily basis. Some people own little supply stores that provide the impression of “entrepreneurship,” but in reality, they are business owners because they have no other option.
The castle of the Igbo man is a ray of hope. People who pass by it on a daily basis wonder what would be possible for someone who originated here. They think that since they are not all that different from the Igbo guy, they may accomplish the same feat—if not for themselves, then maybe for their children.
The Igbo man feels deep down that no one else would return to the community where he constructs his palace. A hint of romantic nostalgia is evident. recollections of moonlit stories, football games played on the sand, and fights with cousins that resulted in leg breaks. But at this point, the Igbo man has nothing left.
Visits home consist mainly of buying a tonne of supplies (bread, peak milk, cabin biscuits, etc.), two goats and a cow, cartons of booze, resolving the village’s financial issues, visiting the church and leaving a lasting donation, feeding the residents, and returning home with mopo. However, the castle is a project, and as it is being built, the Igbo man will become deepen in his roots in a land that is fast-slipping away.
He does not want to be the son that broke the link. After “May this house be a shelter for those who have none, may everyone who comes here find joy. Na aha Jesus!” Another good reason Igbos build such edifices is because they are wary of making the same mistakes made by their fathers. During and after the civil war in 1970, Nigerians and her government destroyed alot of properties belonging to the Biafrans. Even in the east, many of them were left with nothing and they had to start from scratch. That’s why since then , alot of them have been preparing for the rainy days incase there might be another war. It’s not about showing off or letting the whole community know “you have arrived”, they are just making amendments to the mistake made in the past. Asides that, they are also trying to motivate you by passing a message. The message is “I went, I saw and I conquered”.
Another Igbo man also buttressed the point above. “The worth of a man appreciates the moment you discover the house he originates from(house in his hometown/village) is posh. However, its mostly found among the Igbos because of the civil war experience where their supposed fellow compariots tagged their legitimate, hard earned houses abandoned properties. Many till date are yet to be returned to the rightful owners. Do you expect the victims or anyone who knows these people personally to repeat thesame mistake? We are saying wise people should build POSH houses in their hometowns/villages first before er.ecting a house of its equivalent in towns/cities outside their regions atleast. There’s no need hating.
At present, many Igbos have lost millions by underselling their magnificent houses located in the North East due to civil unrest there. Governor Sanwo-Olu is making many have a rethink with his demolitions without regard/to appropriate compensation. Once again, no more hating as home remains the best place to build mansions”.
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