Preserving Our Heritage: How the Igbo Tradition and Culture Can Evolve for Our Future

Part 5 — What the Future Holds for Alaigbo

The future of Alaigbo is in our hands. If we’re serious about preserving our culture, it’s time we think bigger. Building an Igbo nation that thrives economically and socially goes beyond simply maintaining tradition for tradition’s sake. We have to make it work for us in today’s world. I believe the pillars of this vision are education, craftsmanship, and technology. However, this has to go beyond individual success; it must be collective progress for it to be sustainable. We cannot afford to divide ourselves or mistrust each other. Igwe bụ ike.

Education, Craftsmanship, and Technology: Building Blocks for our Future in Alaigbo

Alaigbo’s future rests on three pillars—education, craftsmanship, and technology. Education is non-negotiable. It provides the tools, exposure, and critical thinking skills needed to confront the complexities of our modern world. In Alaigbo, where the spirit of community and resilience has always defined us, leaders like Alex Onyia, CEO of EduCare, are paving the way. His commitment to ensuring that every child, whether indigene or non-indigene, has access to schooling is a noble endeavour. But what if we scaled this vision? What if we established a community schooling system backed by robust, sustainable funding from our diaspora and local benefactors?

The key to sustaining this system lies in endowment funds—a proven successful model in institutions worldwide. An endowment fund would act as a financial anchor, a lasting resource where contributions are invested, and only a portion of the annual returns is spent to support community schooling. The fund could grow over time by preserving the principal, providing a stable income stream for generations. Through careful investment and prudent financial management, the returns on the endowment would continually finance school supplies, infrastructure, teacher salaries, and scholarships without depleting the original contributions.

Imagine an endowment model in Alaigbo where the global Igbo diaspora channels resources, creating a perpetual fund to support community education initiatives. Those abroad who yearn to give back could invest in the future of Alaigbo in a tangible way, ensuring that every child in our communities has access to high-quality education. The fund could be structured to attract varying levels of donations—from modest contributions to major gifts—with every donor knowing that their support will have an enduring impact on Alaigbo’s future. Contributors would have a direct stake in the success of our youth, knowing they are not just giving once but creating a legacy.

An endowment fund also offers flexibility. If strategically managed, it could support primary and secondary education and vocational and technical training, which are equally vital in equipping our youth with skills for the real world. A structured system could provide scholarships to young artisans or technical students, creating a pathway to strengthen our craftsmanship heritage in welding, woodwork, leather, and beyond. It becomes a dynamic source of funding that adapts to the educational and economic needs of our community.

Moving on to the next pillar, craftsmanship! Now and then, I am reminded of Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, who made insightful comments on Chinese labourers' extraordinary craftsmanship and technical prowess. He noted that in China, one could go to an entire city where everyone specialized in a particular skill—a kind of focused mastery that gives China a unique advantage over Western nations. This idea of specialized skill clustering struck a chord with me, as it mirrors something deeply rooted in the Igbo experience.

Craftsmanship, ingenuity, and technical excellence run in our DNA, evident in industrious centres across Alaigbo, such as Nnewi and Aba. These cities are recognized for their fabric and leather production expertise and automobile assemblage, where local artisans transform raw materials into highly sought-after products. It’s a testament to our people’s creativity, resilience, and resourcefulness.

But imagine if we took this to the next level, actively nurturing and scaling our craftsmanship heritage. Picture a system in Alaigbo where an experienced welder, for example, is equipped with state-of-the-art tools and empowered to train young apprentices. This isn’t just mentorship; it’s a well-structured, community-backed approach that enables him to pass on new welding techniques, ensuring the younger generation is equipped to innovate and sustain our traditional skills. This vision wouldn’t end with welding — it would extend to wood fabrication, textile production, and many other crafts, creating an interlinked ecosystem of technical mastery.

Where do we find these trainees? From our schools, from the youth eager to learn. We cannot rely solely on the government to facilitate this; instead, we can take the initiative to build a self-sustaining system, a grassroots approach to training our people in skills that are both traditional and cutting-edge. With this vision, Alaigbo could one day stand as a “Dubai Taiwan” of craftsmanship — a hub where technical skill and innovation flourish side by side. This is how we can harness the power of our craftsmanship pillar to shape the future of Alaigbo, creating a community where everyone contributes, learns, and thrives.

Technology! We must embrace it wholeheartedly; it is our gateway to transformation. Other regions in Nigeria are already making strides in the financial sector, harnessing technology to reshape and expand their influence. Consider how America positioned itself as the financial capital of the world, with the dollar as the global reserve currency, Alaigbo has the potential to replicate this success by carving its own space in strategic sectors — whether through financial technology, agritech, or industrial automation — creating products of value that streamline processes and amplify efficiency across the region. This is a call to action for our tech-savvy youth, whose innovation and entrepreneurial spirit could set the foundation for Alaigbo’s emergence as a technological powerhouse.

To realize this vision, we need to channel our efforts into supporting young talents with the resources, mentorship, and infrastructure required to create technology not only for the region but for the world. Our tech pioneers must think globally and act locally, building solutions that address critical challenges, from accessible financial services to efficient logistics systems and sustainable agriculture. By fostering an ecosystem that encourages experimentation and supports the commercialization of these solutions, we can drive Alaigbo’s economy forward and attract interest from investors, partners, and customers worldwide. Alaigbo must aim not only to adopt technologies created elsewhere but to be the source of innovation — where ideas are born, developed, and exported.

To become a true technological hub, Alaigbo must establish collaborative networks, both within Nigeria and internationally, drawing from both local wisdom and global expertise. We need incubation centres, accelerators, and regional tech conferences where our brightest minds connect, learn, and compete on the world stage. In supporting technology in every sphere, from AI and blockchain to advanced manufacturing, we set the stage for Alaigbo to develop solutions that address our unique challenges while reaching global markets. Imagine a future where products designed in Alaigbo set the standard for Africa and beyond, building a reputation for excellence that will see our region rise as a model of technological ingenuity and efficiency. This is the power of technology, and Alaigbo’s path to a prosperous future lies in embracing it fully, with relentless ambition and clarity of purpose.

Education is the foundation, craftsmanship our heritage, and technology our future!

From Individual Efforts to Collective Progress

Just look around us. We have brilliant people already investing in Alaigbo. People like Alex Onyia, CEO of EduCare, whom I mentioned earlier, and Ziko Abara of Zedora Industrial Limited are building world-class tech solutions in Alaigbo. These individuals are proof that progress is possible when we set our minds to it. But here’s the thing — individual efforts have limits, no matter how impressive. We can achieve so much more if we come together.

Obafemi Awolowo revolutionized the Western region with a single-minded pursuit of education for his people. He understood its power to transform lives and societies, and he didn’t just hope for change; he structured it. That’s what we need now—a structure that channels all our good intentions and projects into a single vision for Alaigbo—not a scattershot of individual efforts but a coordinated movement forward.

A Platform for Collaboration, Funding, and Social Capital

This is why I have already started working on what I believe is the missing piece here. A platform that makes it easy to bring our efforts together, a credible space where anyone who wants to help can find those who need it, and vice versa. That’s where technology can come in, my background. Imagine a platform built on blockchain technology akin to a digital town square onchain. This platform would be an open, scalable, and credible way to facilitate funding, allocate resources, manage projects, and foster social capital. You can think of it as a hub for everything Ala Igbo stands for, embodying the philosophy of akụ ruo ụlọ.

I believe with this platform, the challenges that often hold us back — like coordination, transparency, and accountability — would be minimized. Take, for example, the town hall project in my village. For years, we’ve struggled to coordinate efforts and gather resources. Trust issues and logistical hurdles have made progress painfully slow. But what if we had a platform where the whole process — from fundraising to execution — was streamlined and transparent? Where everyone could see the project’s progress and contribute confidently, knowing their efforts were going toward a shared goal? That’s the kind of infrastructure we need to move Alaigbo forward.

Building Economic Foundations Through Unity and Trust

The heart of a vibrant community is its economy. To grow our economic microcosm and macrocosm, we need trust. If we want capital to flow, if we want investments to come in, we need social capital — a shared confidence that we can do good things together. Unfortunately, our communities have been plagued by a narrative of mistrust, where success or innovation is seen as a reason for envy or suspicion. Some of us hold back from making a difference because we’re told to “watch our backs” or that our progress will threaten others. I can’t count how many people cautioned me against pursuing an Ọzọ title, fearing it might attract envy or harm. And yes, there will always be those who resist progress, but let’s not let these fears shape our future.

Nollywood, for instance, has painted too many stories of betrayal and envy among our people. While these stories may contain a kernel of truth, they don’t represent who we truly are. But good will always trump evil if we believe in the best of our people and ourselves. We can’t let fear hold us back from shaping Alaigbo. To build trust, we have to start by breaking free from the narratives that divide us.

My Dream for Alaigbo

Imagine Alaigbo as a place where our best minds, talents, and resources come together. A place where we proudly carry our traditions forward, not because we’re stuck in the past, but because we see their value for the future. Where every young person knows that education, craftsmanship, and technology are their tools to shape a better Ala Igbo.

This is my dream. A vibrant, united Igbo nation where tradition and modernity coexist, where the Ọzọ title is not just a mark of status but a symbol of responsibility. Where we don’t let fear hold us back but push forward with hope and purpose.

Let’s not let our heritage fade into the background. Let’s evolve, adapt, and make it more robust than ever. If we want our culture to live on, we must make room for growth and change. This is our moment. Alaigbo is in our hands — let’s build it together.

I shall unveil the MVP of the solution to help develop Alaigbo through collective efforts. The date is 4th January 2025, the same day I shall be installed as the Agu Ji Ugo of Mgbidi, my hometown. Make a date with me and join me not only to celebrate but also to start a new chapter for Alaigbo’s path to progress and prosperity.