Obinna Iyiegbu who is also popularly known as Obi Cubana, currently laid his beloved mother to rest, having in attendance the high and mighty of the country and that of other countries too.
In attendance were State governors, Ex-presidents, celebrities and family and friends. The multimillion naira burial left tongues wagging on social media and other media houses.
According to very reliable sources, Obi Cubana is a billionaire with multiple sources of income from owning hotels to nightclubs in Lagos which fetches him money on a regular.
Sources have it that the mother died 7 months ago but the burial didn’t hold until last month. When asked by people why it took him so long to bury his mum he lamented that he wanted to throw her the best of celebrations even after her death because he promised her he was going to celebrate her 80th birthday in a world-class way, but she did not live to witness her 80th.
The trooping in and out of Anambra by people was a sight to behold. The event served as an arena to meet up with him and do some networking, and he used that medium together with his friends to push his business forward by advertising and showcasing. Even though he is one known for his generosity to train boys to a certain level after which he discharges them, and upon completion empowers them with a certain amount of money to start up their own business.
Now to the business of the day, every individual who has a business set up has their different ways of maximizing their goals and also potentials. In an exclusive interview, he had with BBC pidgin he made it clear that hard work and perseverance can take you to where ever you aspire to be when you put God first.
In addition, he also said that every business that one ventures into has to undergo a process, hard work, you must have integrity, you must be tenacious, help people, reciprocate gestures, and be accountable.
Looking at these factors he made mention of, I would like to engage a little on them and how they can help a business grow.
1. PROCESS: Process as a way of business growth involves you as the business owner to know your customers. Who is your target group? Also, try the best you can to work with your existing customers and look further for new opportunities. What medium do you use in advertising your business and a host of other processes?
2. HARDWORK: This is the first move towards attaining success in whatever it is we put our mind to. This as an experience will help you discover a lot, think smartly, and also solve critical problems that may arise in the course of your undertakings. Successful entrepreneurship is not as easy as it sounds, it comes with a lot of hard work and smart moves.
3. TENACITY: Simply put, tenacity is that fierce combination of enthusiasm, perseverance, and courage. For business owners and their business, it’s the characteristics that mean the difference between failure and success, loss and gain, and all that it takes their teams from doing all things right to thrive.
4. HELPING PEOPLE: We all know helping people is a good trait whether business-related or otherwise. He who does good gets good in return. If there is any way you can extend a hand reach out to people. If there are vacancies in your business organization, endeavor to help those who are in need. No one ever does wrong with helping others.
5. RECIPROCATION: The principle of reciprocity describes the tendency of human behavior to offer something in return when something is received. A lot of marketers in the Igbo Apprentice system use this principle of reciprocation to their own advantage in marketing strategies. Just like in the case of Obi Cubana’s mother’s burial and the turn-up of people that were in attendance shows their own way of reciprocating a lot of kind gestures he might have done for them.
So considering these processes discussed above, any business can thrive to the most unimaginable level. And as Obi Cubana will say it takes hard work, and investing in humans to achieve it all.
“I want to state this clearly, I am not the talking type or Social media interest-free person”
said Obi Cubana.
“Many have questioned the type of boys and friends I have, to me, I hardly address anyone as my boy because we are all boys to God Almighty.
I don’t have any boy who is into rituals, if you are my boy or my man because I like to address my boys as my men, it means you are working hard and you made your money in a clean way.
In 2013, I pushed 53 uneducated Oba boys into the market to learn trading. In 2017, I withdrew all of them from their Ogas and settled all of them with 3million Naira each and paid for their shops.
I linked 40 of them into importation and made them use my name and platform to import goods into the country. After two years, I checked on them how they were doing and find out some had issues and I supported them again to stand.
I am happy today that out of the 53 men, 38 are billionaires while the rest are in the level of a millionaire. In 2018, I took 100 educated men out of streets and introduced them to the white men for business and today there are billionaires in dollars.
They also help me in their capacity when I require their help. All their friends both Nigeria and outside patronises me.
I am into hotel and club business and I have so many businesses I am brand ambassadors to.
I have alliance with spirit drinks and wines, I am brand to many businesses in the world.
It gives me joy to see my men do well, non of my hotel managers in Nigeria can small poverty, I encourage them to raise others from their local communities.
I have never sacked a worker due to misconduct, I bring you in and speak to you the way you will understand.
I have this understanding that we should allow the stubborn people to exist and cool headed people to exist and we make use of them when their needs arises.
I don’t believe in the supremacy of power rather I believe in the fare share of power and authority and allow everyone to feel belonged.
I have many uncountable people through my hotel business, I have encouraged many, I have made a lot of friends millionaires and billionaires because it gives me joy. Seeing them throw money around gives me happiness and they know, so anytime there are with me, they show such attitude of throwing money to please me.
Yes, I will gift 1 million to 300 Oba boys to start up business and link them up too to make it.
I have a lot of friends and associates and we are like brothers to each other. We love and encourage one another in good and bad as you have seen in my case that all of them came massively to support me.
Critics is normal and there are there to say what they want to say but when you are doing the right thing, you don’t listen to what people say. If I have my way, I will also help those criticising me.
A lot of non Obas will still benefit from me because I am still in the business of making people great.
Cubana chief priest is my man and he is a jolly fellow. People mistake him for me, I am Obi Cubana and he is my Chief priest I hope you understand it now.
I am not into politics and I don’t have interest in it till tomorrow. I respect those in politics because dey carry power. Lol hahaha.
My advice is they should identify talents and make them great, don’t have any fear of who betrays you tomorrow, just make men and move, if they remember good if not be happy that they made it through you.
I didn’t asked my boys/men for donations or help, I didn’t also asked my friends for help or donations they did that on their own and I appreciated their efforts.
Gradually ala Igbo ga adinma”