Apprenticeship (igba odibo na azu m ahia)

Apprenticeship is one of the things Igbo people are known for everywhere in the world, it remains a major source of their riches till this day. Though some other tribes in Nigeria prefer to lean towards the popular conspiracy theory that Igbos are wealthy because they are ritualists. Here is the secret behind the Igbo Apprenticeship.

It starts when the Igbo man or woman known as the Master (Oga), goes back to his or her village or elsewhere to request for the custody of another’s child, usually a young boy and with the consent of the parents, he takes in the little boy for apprenticeship, after a couple of months, he goes back home again to meet with the parents of this young boy in order to sign an agreement, it is then agreed the number of years the boy will serve as an apprentice with his Master, ranging from 6 to 7 years and at the end of the agreed period, the master of the young boy sends him home to his parents with the promise that he will be coming on a given day to settle him before his parents.

After say one month, the Master comes with his family members and friends to the boy’s home for settlement, if the boy has done well during his time with the master, he will receive praises, his parents receive gifts and sometimes even his family members too which usually means the boy had done exceptionally well.

His master hands him hefty startup money known as Settlement and sometimes an office space to begin business with, within two or three years God willing, most of these young boys emerge successful businessmen.

Mazi Onyema Chekwube Christian reporting, Obinwannem News