Emmanual Iwuanyanwu, the head of Ohana’eze Ndi’Igbo.
Emmanual Iwuanyanwu, the head of Ohana’eze Ndi’Igbo, says that Igbos are the heroes behind making Lagos what it is today.
In a popular video, he explains that when Lagos became Nigeria’s capital, Igbos came in and invested a lot to turn the city from a swamp into what we see now.
In short, he believes Igbos played a big part in shaping. Talking about Igbos as the heroes of Lagos, Iwuanyanwu said that Igbos did a lot to make Lagos better, especially when Lagos became Nigeria’s capital.
He said, ‘’Lagos was accepted as the capital of Nigeria. Igbos, most of them are dead today, our forebearers rose to the challenge. The challenge at that time was an investment, massive investments to make the capital Lagos a proper, befitting headquarters for Nigeria.
“That is how Igbos scattered all over, moved into Lagos by a sense of patriotism. Igbos came into Lagos, found some swampy land, and bought the Land. Igbos when they came into Lagos, they never came there to take anybody’s property.
“They came there, bought the land, and converted swampy land into habitable places. They built businesses, they built homes, schools, they developed Lagos. In effect, without the enterprise, of the patriotism of Nigerians like the Igbos, many other Nigerians did the same but it will appear that because of population, Igbos were in Large numbers.
” These pioneers, our forebearers are the heroes of the time, the heroes of what we call today a very strong Lagos. When they came there, Lagos was basically swampy, but they converted it into a very wonderful, beautiful headquarters we see today in Nigeria.”
Lagos used to be Nigeria’s capital until December 12, 1991, when it was moved to Abuja.
You can check out the video of Iwuanyawu speaking below: