By Sonny Iroche
A War That Officially Ended, But Psychologically Lingers
On January 15, 1970, the guns of the Nigerian–Biafra Civil War fell silent when General Philip Effiong formally surrendered to General Yakubu Gowon at the Dodan Barracks in Lagos. Gowon’s declaration of “No Victor, No Vanquished” was meant to mark not only the cessation of hostilities but the beginning of national healing, a bold vision of reconciliation and reintegration after thirty months of devastating conflict.
Yet, fifty-five years later, many Nigerians, especially the Igbo who formed the backbone of Biafra, continue to feel that the promise of “No Victor, No Vanquished” remains largely unfulfilled. Though the physical war ended, the psychological and economic scars of exclusion, distrust, and unequal opportunity still haunt the national conscience.
The Post-War Realities: Resilience Amidst Restriction
The post-war years were harsh. Every Igbo depositor, regardless of their pre-war balance, was granted a mere £20 when the Nigerian banking system reopened to returning Ndigbo. That singular economic decision, coupled with the Indigenization Decree of 1972, effectively excluded the returning Igbo from owning stakes in the newly indigenized multinational companies, a critical moment in Nigeria’s economic redistribution.
Yet, out of that adversity came a spirit of unmatched resilience. Within a generation, Igbo entrepreneurs rebuilt their fortunes from scratch, transforming cities like Onitsha, Nnewi, Owerri, Umuahia, and Aba into humming commercial hubs. They mastered trade, manufacturing, automobile parts, banking, sports, insurance, entertainment, Nollywood, and technology.
Across Nigeria and the diaspora, the Igbo became synonymous with industriousness, often described, even by other Nigerians, as “a people who can turn anything into something.”
The Perception of Marginalization, and the Contradictions
Despite their achievements, many Igbos still feel politically marginalized, a sentiment that has resurfaced strongly since the Buhari administration (2015–2023), during which the South East seemed visibly underrepresented in key national appointments.
However, this perception coexists with a more complex historical reality. Past regimes, from Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha, through President Olusegun Obasanjo to Goodluck Jonathan, featured several prominent Igbo figures at the helm of critical national portfolios:
• Dr. Chu Okongwu and Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu shaped Nigeria’s economic direction in the 1980s.
• Uche Chukwumerije and General Ike Nwachukwu influenced national policy with Nwachukwu shaping the Nigerian glorious days of Economic Diplomacy.
• Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, Kema Chikwe, and Ojo Maduekwe all served with distinction in reform-oriented roles.
These appointments show that while political access has fluctuated, the Igbo voice has never been entirely silent in national leadership. The issue, therefore, is not only about representation in government, but about the sustainability of economic power and innovation that transcends political cycles.
From Marginalization to Mobilization: Changing the Mindset
The time has come for Ndigbo to stop lamenting marginalization and to start building prosperity through collaboration, innovation, and economic self-reliance. As the Igbo proverb wisely asks:
“Onye ha jụrụ, ó nà-jụ onwe ya?”, meaning: Does one who is rejected, reject oneself?
True liberation for the South East will not be handed down from Abuja; it will be built from within, through industry, ingenuity, and intentional economic cooperation among the five South-East states: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo. And collaboration with other development-driven states in the federation.
A Vision for the South East: The Silicon Valley of Africa
The global economy has changed fundamentally. As of July 2025, NVIDIA, a company that designs semiconductors and artificial intelligence chips, hit a market capitalization of $4 trillion, surpassing the combined GDP of the entire African continent, estimated at around $3.3 trillion. The world’s ten largest companies today; Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, NVIDIA, and others, are all technology-driven enterprises, with Saudi Aramco being the only non-tech outlier.
This should be an unmistakable wake-up call. The South East, with its deep pool of technical talent, engineering spirit, and entrepreneurial drive, dominating the Computer Villages, must advance towards technology, research, and innovation.
Abia State under Governor Alex Otti, and Enugu State under Governor Peter Mbah, are already pointing in this direction, with renewed focus on industrial parks, digital transformation, and youth employment. But much more can be done through regional collaboration.
Imagine a South-East Technology and Industrial Corridor that connects Aba’s manufacturing clusters to Enugu-Nsukka’s research institutions, Nnewi’s machine-parts industry, and Abakaliki’s mineral resources. Such integration could create a “China of Africa”, not in imitation, but in innovation.
Beyond Politics: Building an Economic Compact
If the South East truly wants exponential relevance in Nigeria’s future, it must replace the politics of grievance with the economics of innovation.
I am often appalled when we lament marginalization in political appointments, such tokenism does not build a people or a nation. Political appointments are transient; productive capacity endures. The focus should shift to:
1. Creating Value Locally:
Every state has unique resources, agriculture, solid minerals, manufacturing potential, human capital, yet most states remain addicted to the monthly “federal allocation ritual.” This dependency is reminiscent of “babies who refuse to wean themselves off feeding bottles.” States must wean themselves off Abuja and look inward for sustainable growth.
2. Building Industrial Clusters:
Just as Nnewi became the hub for automotive and machine-parts production, new industrial cities should emerge in Ebonyi (mineral processing), Enugu (software and education), and Abia (manufacturing and design).
3. Investing in Human Capital and AI Skills:
The future of work is digital. Artificial Intelligence, robotics, data analytics, and renewable energy technology must become staples in secondary and tertiary education across the region. The South East can lead Nigeria’s contribution to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
4. Public-Private Partnerships (PPP):
Governments alone cannot fund progress. The private sector, such as the banks, manufacturers, diaspora investors, and tech start-ups, should co-invest in education, healthcare, roads, industrial estates, broadband networks, and digital skill hubs.
5. Regional Development Fund:
Similar to the Government College Umuahia Fisher Educational Development Trust (FEDT) concept for restoration of schools, the five South-East states could establish a South-East Development and Innovation Fund (SEDIF); a professionally managed vehicle pooling resources for infrastructure, entrepreneurship, and industrial financing.
6. Diaspora Integration:
Millions of Igbo professionals and investors in the diaspora can be mobilized into venture capital and real-estate investment vehicles back home, provided transparency and returns are guaranteed.
Governance, Not Grievance
To achieve this transformation, governance must rise above sentiment. Corruption, nepotism, and poor execution have crippled otherwise sound initiatives. State leaders must reduce wastage, streamline bureaucracies, and empower technocrats who understand how to create economic value.
The South East should also institutionalize performance metrics, publishing annual economic scorecards showing revenue growth, employment, and infrastructure metrics. Accountability and openness attract investment; secrecy repels it.
The Power of Regional Collaboration
The South West did it with DAWN Commission (Development Agenda for Western Nigeria), which coordinates infrastructure and investment planning across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti. The South East can replicate this model , with a shared vision for logistics, export processing, renewable energy, and research.
Infrastructure such as railway connectivity, dry ports, and power generation projects can be jointly financed by multiple states, with equity participation by private investors.
When regions plan together, they scale together.
Culture, Creativity, and Capital
Beyond commerce and manufacturing, the Igbo are thriving in creative industries, Nollywood, fashion, visual arts, and music. These sectors are not merely entertainment; they are powerful sources of GDP and job creation.
State governments should recognize them as strategic industries deserving of funding, tax incentives, and training academies. An Igbo Cultural and Creative Arts Institute in Enugu, Owerri, Umuahia or Onitsha could export not just talent, but culture, blending heritage with digital media and AI-driven content production.
Reclaiming the Spirit of Enterprise
The Igbo were historically renowned for their apprenticeship model, a form of indigenous venture capital that empowered millions without formal banking systems. That system, once modernized with digital tools and legal frameworks, can be scaled into formal SME accelerators.
This “Igbo Business School without walls”, built on mentorship, trust, and accountability, remains one of the most effective wealth-creation models in Africa. Reviving and digitizing it could become a global case study in community capitalism.
The Real Declaration: “No Victor, No Vanquished, in Practice”
If Gowon’s declaration is to have meaning in the 21st century, it must be translated into policy, partnership, and productivity. Ending the civil war finally, in all ramifications, means building inclusive development and prosperity, not only for the South East but for every Nigerian state.
The Igbo, by their natural enterprise and determination, have already proven that they can rebuild after devastation of the civil war. The next phase is not about proving capacity; it is about consolidating economic sovereignty through technology, innovation, and collaboration.
A Message to the South East Governors
Governors Alex Otti and Peter Mbah have shown commendable direction in prioritizing innovation, digital transformation, and urban renewal. Their initiatives, if coordinated with their peers in Anambra, Imo, and Ebonyi, can turn the South East into a magnet for venture capital and industrial investment.
The goal should be clear:
By 2030, the South East must not be described as a “geo-political zone” but as Nigeria’s leading industrial and technological hub.
That vision demands courage, collaboration, and consistency, beyond political tenure.
Finally: The Future Is Ours to Build
The time has come to end the civil war mentality; not with guns, but with growth. Not through politics, but through productivity. Not by waiting for inclusion, but by creating our own relevance.
The world no longer rewards grievance; it rewards innovation. The Igbo have all it takes, the intellect, the industry, the diaspora capital, and the entrepreneurial DNA, to shape a new economic destiny.
Let the South East rise again, not in protest, but in purpose.
Let “No Victor, No Vanquished” finally be practiced, by the Federal Government, not as a slogan, but as shared prosperity.
Let Nigeria see, once more, that the same people who rebuilt from ashes can now lead Africa into the age of technology.
Note: Sonny Iroche is the founder and leader of the Abia League of Professionals Initiative (a Non-Partisan NGO). He is the Chairman of GenAI Learning Concepts Ltd, Member of the Nigeria National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Committee, and Postgraduate of Artificial Intelligence for Business at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonnyiroche
