The Misunderstood Economics of Igba Ọsọ Ahịa

Igba Ọsọ Ahịa is not just another middleman scheme, but a social business practice deeply rooted in Igbo society that integrates regional traders for the purpose of facilitating entrepreneurialism and financial independence.

Written by Emmanuel Azubuike

Nov 24, 2024

Photo Illustration by Ukandi Atsu / THE REPUBLIC.

On a typical morning in Aba’s Ariaria Market, the voice of Mrs Chiamaka Ukaegbulam calling out to potential customers rings aloud, ‘Ezigbo nwoke, bịa zụta m ahịa, enwere m attache mara mma nke ukwuu.’ (Good man, come and buy from me... I have very nice hair extensions). Under the scorching morning sun, and even amid the deafening noise, with bodies pressing against you, her voice still floats over the chaos. ‘Nwoke oma. Nwoke ọcha, bịa zụta m ahịa.’ (Handsome man, fair man, come and buy from me.)

In 2012, Ukaegbulam quit her job helping her brother cook and distribute food for passengers at the domestic terminal of Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos. Then she moved to Aba, one of southeast Nigeria’s main commercial hubs. ‘We’d wake up as early as 4 a.m. to cook and package food, which we’d sell until around 10 p.m. at Lagos Airport,’ she said. ‘I was frustrated and… it wasn’t something I wanted to do. The sun and the cooking heat. The stress was just too much.’

After arriving in Aba, Ukaegbulam learned hairdressing and eventually opened her own shop in 2013. However, eight years later, at night on 08 September 2021, her shop and many others were demolished by the Abia State government as part of an effort to take down what they considered uninhabitable buildings. |Some of these buildings had been constructed nearly 50 years ago. Although the government promised compensation for shop owners, Ukaegbulam said her rent was never refunded. She found herself destitute. At the same time, her husband’s lace business collapsed.

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About the Author

Emmanuel Azubuike

is a human interest journalist based in Lagos.

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The Misunderstood Economics of Igba Ọsọ Ahịa