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Why Igbo Apprenticeship Is World’s ‘Largest Business Incubator System’ – Don

Published

2 years ago

September 1, 2023

A Professor of Marketing at the Lagos Business School in Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos State, Ogechi Adeola, has explained why the Igbo apprenticeship is the largest business incubator system in the world.

Adeola, who is the Head of the Department Marketing, Operations and Information Systems at the LBS, while speaking at the 15th Inaugural Lecture of the institution titled, “Decolonising Africa’s Business Practices: Pro-Indigenous Marketing Pathways To A Paradigm Shift”, monitored by The PUNCH on Friday, said Igbo apprentices are groomed at a very young age to be great businessmen and women.

She leveraged her research on a couple of books she had authored and co-authored including ‘Indigenous African Enterprise’ and ‘Igba boi’ which she said gave an insight into the Igbo apprentice system commonly referred to as ′Igba-Odibo/Igba-Boi/Imu-Ahia/Imu-Oru′ is a framework of formal and informal indentured agreements between parties that ultimately facilitate burgeoning entrepreneurial communities within the Igbo people.

“The system has three major types namely, Igba-boi also known as Igba Odibo (become an apprentice); Imu Oru also known as Imu Oruaka (learn a craft) and Imu Ahia (learn a trade).

“All types are geared towards the transfer of knowledge or entrepreneurial skills but they differ in approach.

“Unlike the Igba-boi/Igba Odibo where a mentee will be tutored for free for a period of pre-agreed years, in the Imu Oru/Imu Oruaka and Imu Ahia types, tutorship is paid for by the mentee or mentee’s parents/sponsors.

The professor cited an understudy done by an American journalist, Robert Neuwirth, in a 2017 TedTalk presentation that described the Igbo people’s ‘Igba Boi’ scheme as “the largest business incubator platform in the world”.

She said Neuwirth looked at the Alaba International Market, where 10,000 merchants do business for over $4bn a year, and identified the sharing principle behind it.

She spoke further about what ignited her deep interest in Africa referencing it to The Economist’s ‘Hopeless Continent’ article in 2000 that declared the new millennium as one that has “brought more disaster than hope to Africa”.

She also shared her journey towards reshaping the ‘wrong’ characterisation in the article and others including Time’s tripartite – Agony of Africa, The Hopeless Continent and Aids in Africa published in 1992, 2000 and 2001 respectively while writing against them all to protect the Africa of her dream at a very tender age.

However, Adeola said she was pleased to read The Economist publication of December 3, 2011, titled, Africa Rising’ appraising African ethos saying, “I could see the sun. Africa now has a real chance of following in the footsteps of Asia. So, from a hopeless continent to a rising one.”

The academic pleaded with youths leaving the country to put Africa in the spotlight by marketing the continent as a sellable point to the world.

Among those in attendance at the event were the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof Enase Okonedo; Registrar, Mr Kingsley Ukaoha; Dean of Media and Communication, Dr Ikechukwu Obiaya; Associate Dean of LBS, Prof Olayinka David-West; Dean of Science and Technology, Dr Darlington Ahano; husband, siblings of the lecturer and other well-wishers.
PUNCH

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I’m Being Impersonated – Goodluck Jonathan Disowns Social Media Account

Published

25 minutes ago

August 14, 2025

Editor

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday said he is being impersonated by fraudsters.

Jonathan alleged that a fraudulent Instagram handle has been impersonating him.

In a statement by his Media Aide,
Ikechukwu Eze, the former President insisted that he does not operate any Instagram handle.

The statement is titled ‘Beware of fake Instagram account impersonating H.E. Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’.

“Our attention has been drawn to a fraudulent Instagram account operating under the handle goodluck_ebelejonathan, which is falsely impersonating former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

“This impostor account has been deceitfully posting content, some copied from Dr. Jonathan’s Facebook page, while pretending to represent the former President.

“We wish to emphasise that Dr. Jonathan does not operate any Instagram account.

“The media and members of the public are strongly advised to disregard, avoid sharing, or promoting any content originating from this fake profile,” the statement read.

News

Police Recruitment: PSC Moves To Stop Hijack Of Exercise By Politicians

Published

33 minutes ago

August 14, 2025

Editor

The Police Service Commission, PSC, said it has met with representatives of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to fine tune preparations for an improved, transparent and credible 2025 police recruitment exercise.

Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations, in a statement said the Commission will be recruiting Cadet ASPs and Constables.

He said the meeting with the representatives was themed ‘Collaborative approach for a transparent and equitable Police Recruitment Process’.

Addressing the meeting, PSC Chairman, DIG Hashimu Argungu, rtd, said the Commission will work with the state governments to ensure a transparent and equitable recruitment process.

He said the state governments should be prepared to protect their quota and avoid hijack of the exercise in their states.

Argungu said the Commission has decided to eradicate connivance and resist trading/purchase of slots, stressing that special consideration will not be allowed to supplant merit and equity.

“We want to stop corruption in the system and open up the exercise to promote healthy competition and equitable spread.”

He told the meeting that the Commission will want constructive and impactful partnership with state governments to curb corruption in the process.

Justice Paul Adamu Galumje, retired Justice of the Supreme Court and commissioner representing the judiciary, told the meeting that the Commission was established for equity and fairness in police recruitment and operations and will henceforth ensure that nobody is allowed to hijack the exercise.

“We will rely on you to confirm that those to be recruited are from your states,” he said.

DIG Taiwo Lakanu, rtd, commissioner representing the police in the Commission, said the new PSC management is committed to reinvent a recruitment process that will produce the best Nigerian youths for the Nigeria Police Force.

News

N5bn Damage: NNPCL Secures Appeal Court Victory Against Ararume

Published

45 minutes ago

August 14, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has announced that it has secured an Appeal Court judgement that upheld the state-owned oil firm’s appeal against the Federal High Court’s judgement that annulled Senator Ifeanyi Ararume’s removal as non-executive chairman of the company.

The country’s oil and gas firm disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday through its official X account.

It noted that the Appeal Court gave the judgement on August 8, 2025.

The Federal High Court had in April 2023 ruled in favour of Ararume. NNPCL was told to pay N5 billion as damage to the lawmaker.

Speaking on the latest judgement by the Appeal Court, NNPCL said it spares the oil firm a massive financial payout and removes a legal risk that could have invalidated all decisions of the board since 2021.

“The Appeal Court agreed to NNPC Limited’s position that the Federal High Court’s earlier decision was delivered in error, noting, amongst others, that the claim was statute-barred.

“The judgement sets a corporate governance precedent in Nigerian law and upholds the validity of board resolutions critical to the oil and gas industry’s investment and policy direction,” NNPCL stated.

Recall that in September 2021, former president Muhammadu Buhari appointed Ararume to the NNPCL board.

But, in January 2022, Ararume was replaced by Margret Chuba Okadigbo.