From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
Former Chief of Staff to the Imo State government Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, has called for the revival and modernisation of the famed Igbo apprenticeship system, saying it remains the surest path to creating wealth, reducing unemployment and sustaining the entrepreneurial spirit of Ndigbo.
Addressing the 2026 Igbo National Convention organised by Igbo Union Canada, Nwosu urged Igbo professionals across the diaspora to mentor young entrepreneurs and invest their knowledge, networks and resources in rebuilding the apprenticeship model for a new generation.
He described the traditional Igba Boi, Imu Ahia and Imu Oru system as an age-old business academy that produced generations of traders, manufacturers, transporters and industrialists long before concepts such as mentorship, startup incubation and venture capital became fashionable.
According to him, apprentices were trained not merely as workers but as future business owners, learning customer relations, negotiation, stock management, market strategy and business ethics before being settled with capital, equipment or business contacts to establish their own ventures.
“The beauty of the system is that a successful master deliberately trains someone who may one day become his competitor. Success is not complete until another person has been raised,” he said.
Nwosu recalled that the apprenticeship model became a lifeline for many Igbo families after the Nigerian Civil War, helping thousands rebuild their livelihoods despite losing businesses and property during the conflict.
He, however, admitted that the system has developed serious flaws over the years, including exploitation of apprentices, broken settlement promises, unwritten agreements and the exclusion of women from opportunities.
“A tradition does not survive because we refuse to change it. It survives because we preserve its values while improving its methods,” he declared.
He advocated written agreements, structured training programmes, safe working conditions, clear settlement terms, recognised certificates and effective dispute-resolution mechanisms to align the system with global best practices.
Nwosu also insisted that women must no longer be sidelined, stressing that the future of Igbo enterprise cannot be secured while half of its talent remains excluded.
He challenged the diaspora to move beyond sending money home during emergencies by actively mentoring young entrepreneurs in technology, healthcare, engineering, manufacturing and other emerging sectors.
Proposing what he called a simple but transformative commitment, he urged every successful Igbo professional to adopt “One successful Igbo professional, one apprentice, one future enterprise.”
According to him, such a movement would produce business owners instead of job seekers and create self-reliant communities across Igboland.
Nwosu further urged that the proposed Igbo House in Canada should become more than a cultural centre.
“It should be a living business school where young people acquire skills, meet investors, receive mentorship and prepare for the global economy,” he said.
He concluded by urging successful Igbo men and women to measure their achievements not only by personal success but by the number of lives they uplift.
“We must preserve the spirit of our ancestors, correct the weaknesses of the old system and make the Igbo apprenticeship system not just a proud story of our past but the engine of our future prosperity,” he said
(The Sun)
