BY EMEKA NWACHUKWU
This morning, (Wednesday) I feel the need to let out my voice and speak on this raging issue; I apologize in advance to those who might feel offended but I sincerely feel a need to speak on this to educate people. It’s on this issue between GTBank Plc and Innoson Motors.
Suddenly the matter has taken a curve and suddenly its being cited as another “attack” against the Igbos. Suddenly there is a war cry: All Igbos must close their GTBank accounts and move them to Diamond Bank and Fidelity Bank.
Suddenly, with the lapse of the last “Biafra” episode, another opportunity has been presented for another macabre dance.
I don’t know Innoson. Neither do I have any relationship with GTBank. I read through what reportedly transpired and without prejudice, GTBank might have appeared to have acted inappropriately like ALL our banks do. On the other hand, GTBank has alleged that Innoson presented false import papers etc. I can see a transaction that went awry, but no tribal targeting; it was basically business. And at any rate, to those chanting the tribal song, even if we were to agree with you for a moment, where were you when GTBank, a “Yoruba” bank loaned that large amount to Innoson? Why didn’t he get the money from supposedly “Igbo” banks like Diamond and Fidelity?
How come our Igbo brothers who are those two banks CEOs didn’t grant him the same loan or more to support a brother, an Ndigbo?
When the relationship was good, no one sang any tribal song!
I recall the noisy case of GTBank and the late (Abdulazeez Alao) Arisekola. Given Arisekola’s prominence, shouldn’t we have said it was an attack against the Yorubas by the same GTBank? By now it must be clear that the owners of GTBank are natives of Mars and not Nigeria, they are a financial institution and not king makers !!!
Truth is, there is nothing tribalistic about this matter. I see a bank that wants its money back at all cost especially at a time that the economy is poor.
I see a bank that’s supportive to any and every entrepreneur but also wants to make money and grow its brand.
These things did not happen because the owner of Innoson is Igbo. People forget that GTBank has many major Igbo shareholders.
I call on men and women of goodwill, Nigerians from the East, West, North and South, let’s join forces and rally against this nonsense which sadly is being sponsored by supposedly educated people.
Let’s blame GTBank if they have behaved inappropriately.
Let Innosson continues to approach the Law for relief.
If you quit GTBank today and migrate to another bank, how sure are you that a Diamond Bank or Fidelity Bank won’t mess you up tomorrow?
So stop The Ethnic Crusade, Kill Sentiments!!!
Emeka Nwachukwu writes from Lagos.
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