9 Natural Qualities That Make Igbos Business Minded

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igbosHave you ever wondered why Igbos are business minded? The truth remains that entrepreneurial activities have helped the Igbos get-back-on-their-feet and start all over again following the 30 months old civil war that devastated the length and breadth of Igboland.

But, what exactly makes the Igbos appear cut-out for success in business? What makes them always seem to view life from a business angle almost all the time? What makes them always seem to think and talk in business terms?

To find answers to those questions, let’s look at nine natural qualities the Igbos have that makes them not only business minded people, but also successful business owners in Nigeria and abroad.

  1. Discipline:
    If you’ve lived in Igbo land, you’ll agree with me that Igbos seem to be naturally disciplined for  getting up, going to work, and getting things done without someone going round to tell them what’s needed to be done.
  2. Desire for Independence:
    Igbos are known to always frown at the unnecessary protocols and bureaucracies that sniffle individual personality, creactivity, and initiative. Most Igbos are  naturally willing to work long and hard hours to make money from a business venture of their own, because they desire independence and a sense of personal initiative more than a feeling of communal living.
  3. Spirit of Balance between Work and Rest :
    Contrary to myth, Igbos are not workaholics. A visit to commercial cities of Nnewi and Onitsha will let you see how Igbos hustle from Monday to Saturday, and shut down major markets on Sunday for rest and recreation.Most Igbos naturally seem to establish a working pace that let’s them strike a balance between work and play.
  4. Attention to Details:
    To an Igbo, every expense must be carefully monitored to ensure that capital invested in a venture is being wisely spent on profitable activities. Though this almost obsessive attention to income and expenditure may appear unreasonable,  it has become a natural and necessary ‘evil’ Igbos embrace to succeed in business.
  5. Calmness:
    Natural calmness has helped a lot of Igbos maintain themselves as difficult situations arose in the course of history. The Igbos have demonstrated  great faith and calmness in the face of the economic instability that rocked Igboland during the civil war. In that same calmness, Igbos have been able to always see the business side of problems which continues to put money into their pockets, especially during periods of hardship.
  6. Selling Spirit:
    Some think Igbos love trading only. But that’s a misinterpretation of the Igbo man’s natural passion for selling. The Igbos have a natural selling spirit that beats competition in the marketplace.
  7. Networking Quality:
    Naturally, Igbos don’t fancy monarchy. Rather, They prefer a society that is structured by networks of small groups of families, kindred, age grades etc. This has also influenced their outlook on life and business, and has helped them realize that more money could be made from a network of friends, families, clubs, associations etc than from the general marketplace alone.
  8. Love for Change:
    Igbos naturally love to react quickly and effectively to change in order to take advantage of business opportunities and deal with threats to their investments.
  9. Learning From Mistakes:
    The Igbos make a lot of investment mistakes, but the catch is their natural ability to learn from such mistakes and keep on investing. Igbos see business mistakes as stepping stones to business perfection.

Having looked at those nine natural qualities, I know you can now understand that it’s not greed that drives the business mindedness of the Igbos, but healthy and natural impulses that emanate from their spirits.

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