Opinion
By Dr. Chiogo Constance Ikokwu (Ugonecheora)
There is a conversation we need to have about the future of ala Igbo. Our best and brightest increasingly seem to have abandoned ala Igbo, turning it into little more than a destination for Christmas celebrations, weddings and burials, rather than a place to live, build businesses and invest in the future. Part of the question for me is: how do we translate the extraordinary enterprise, wealth and global reach we acquire outside ala Igbo into lasting development at home? Is it not time to recalibrate, and invest for the future? I think it is, and I am writing from my experience travelling across the East during this political period.
Making money is good, but building a legacy is better. We cannot elevate those who continue to celebrate mansions, luxury cars and conspicuous displays of wealth as the standard, while neglecting the industries, institutions and infrastructure that sustain generations. Our economy cannot thrive on buying and selling alone. We need manufacturers, research institutions, creative industries, strong educational institutions, cultural foundations and businesses that create value, train people, develop technology and employ generations of our young people.
Look around. Digital and innovative businesses are expanding and will probably disrupt the normal way of doing business – others are investing in production, technology and the infrastructure that will shape tomorrow’s economy. In entertainment and the creative industries, too, those who build sustainable platforms that outlive them often determine who profits. Again, we must play the long game rather than chase the quick buck.
Meanwhile, two, three, even four generations of some Igbo families now live abroad. Migration is not the problem. Many of our people sought refuge and rebuilt their lives abroad in the wake of the civil war and its aftermath. Our people’s global success is a strength, make no mistake. The question is how much of that success translates into productive investment, jobs, research, education and opportunities back home. We must think, and think hard.
We cannot allow this new way of celebrating individual wealth while neglecting collective prosperity. That runs contrary to Igbo culture and traditions, which place great emphasis on the collective good.
Our politics is another area of serious concern. We have not consistently translated our enterprise, intelligence and commercial strength into the kind of political influence and public leadership that can secure our collective interests. Money alone does not make a good leader. We need leaders who think beyond the next election, the next contract and the next business deal; people who understand history, appreciate culture, can navigate the complexities of modern economies and possess the courage to make decisions in the long-term interest of our people. In short, we need people with vision, integrity, competence and a genuine commitment to public service. These are values deeply rooted in Igbo culture and traditions. Traditionally, our communities valued collective responsibility and community participation in governance.
While we’re on politics, we must also give women a fair chance to lead instead of shutting out half our talent. Igbo women traditionally wielded significant political power. They were not excluded from governance as they are today. We must reclaim that tradition.
The Civil War devastated Ala Igbo, and its trauma remains part of our history. Our people survived and rebuilt through remarkable resilience. But survival cannot be our permanent strategy. It is time to move from recovery to renewal. This is what Aku ruo ulo should mean: not merely returning home to build mansions, but bringing back knowledge, skills, investment and ideas that transform communities. We must rebuild the software of life – our culture, music, literature, arts, industries and institutions, not just concrete structures.
Ala Igbo does not need more moneybags. It needs builders. Business leaders must invest beyond trading. The diaspora must look beyond remittances and property purchases towards productive ventures. Political leaders must deliver security, infrastructure and economic opportunity. And communities must begin asking harder questions about what we are building for the next generation.
Ndigbo have shown that we can succeed anywhere in the world. The challenge is to turn that individual success into collective prosperity at home. However, let us not judge success only by the wealth we accumulate, but by the industries we establish, the jobs we create, the intellectual traditions we support, the institutions we strengthen, the quality of life we offer our people, the arts and culture we nurture, the literature we produce and the legacy we leave behind.
We must create a society where people can work and build meaningful careers, learn, pursue the arts, conduct research, thrive as thinkers, innovate, raise families, imagine the future, and live fulfilling lives without being consumed by the relentless pursuit of money. After all, our ancestors built communities, traditions, networks and systems of mutual support. We owe it to them, and to future generations, to do the same for our time.
Ala Igbo is our collective responsibility. The time to build is now.
Dr. Ikokwu aspires to serve Idemili North and South Federal Constituency of Anambra State in the House of Representatives.
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