The Escape
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
BROTHERHOOD BUSINESS: Early in the twentieth century there arose business awakening in various towns and villages in Eastern Nigeria. Men with business acumen and enterprising ability left their various towns and villages for the cities. They took with themselves people of various age grade and ability. They were bored of village life where palm wine tapping and subsistence farming were the only options. People with elementary education thought they could make a better living in the cities. They had no money to start any kind of business or trade of their own. Their only option was to start doing odd jobs in the city or serve men who arrived in the city earlier and learn their trade. The later was their best option since meritorious service would earn them the knowledge of a trade and some cash settlement eventually. Some of them became traders- buying and selling various merchandize in cities like Aba, Onitsha, Portharcourt, Lagos and so on. One thing peculiar with these early traders was that they were thoughtful, all inclusive and accommodating. The moment each thought he was succeeding in his little way, he tried to expand his coast by looking at the bigger picture of Osina town generally. This led to the formation of little Cooperative and private limited companies like Osina United Trading Company Limited, Umeh Brothers Limited, Ohanugo Brothers & Associates Limited, The Echeanu and Sons Limited and so on. All these were created to pull scarce resources together and to create employment opportunity for more citizens of Osina particularly. Most of these businesses started with fun fair. Each took off with a bang. The enthusiasm each saw at start did not last because each lacked the management skill and the coherence business needed to succeed , prosper and continue. The brotherhood business in Nigeria and with particular reference to Osina lacks what Time Magazine columnist calls, “ Our Concept Of International equity.” International equity holds that assets do not belong exclusively to those who have accrued them. Rather, those resources should, to the extent possible, be administered and preserved for those who will inherit them and will, partly as a consequence of their inheritance, live somewhat better lives than those who came before. “We come into this world in debt to our ancestors, and we leave it in an incrementally better place, believing our descendants will come up with means of fending off or coping with whatever their age throws at them.” Because these Brothers Businesses lack plans for the future of the business and living better legacy for their children’s ’children, they wind up in rancho and unnecessary suppression of one another over trivial, the business collapse earlier than imagined. The little wealth so acquired is ploughed back to harass and intimidate one another. Even those not involved in the family feud and tumult use acquired wealth to intimidate and dispossess the lands of less privileged members of the community in which they live. Without intergenerational equity, poverty and greed will perpetuate in our land to the disadvantage of us all particularly to the less privileged
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
The book outlined how Joseph who was not born with silver spoon in his mouth went from a disadvantaged position to advantaged position in life. He was not privileged to get normal High School education, but he excelled through hard work to get a university education. Few challenges early in his childhood years did not deter him from moving forward in life. After his education in the U.S, he returned to Nigeria and joined his family business. He never got the kind of cooperation he needed to move the business forward. Like many family businesses in Nigeria which lacked a set goal, the success became difficult. The book looked at the challenges that face teachers in American Schools with particular reference to substitute teachers in the public school system. The book dealt with marriages in Nigeria with particular reference to Osina Town. Failing in any endeavor is not important, what is important is the determination to succeed.
About the Author
I was born in Obinugbo Akpaka N’ezeala Ofeeke Osina, Ideato Local Government Area (LGA), Imo State, Nigeria on June 7,1942. I grew up in a polygamous family where my mother was the first of three wives. I was the fifth male child of eight children from the same mother. I was born in an environment where infant mortality was pandemic. I had a precarious childhood though without known diagnosed disease. But for great care from my parents and divine intervention, my survival could have not happened. I lost my father when I was about five years old and my mother at twelve. I was the last of my five brothers to start attending school, but I moved farther academically than any. My brothers encouraged me in my bid to escape from the early challenges in my life including getting good education.