OKOBI: A New Paradigm of Economic Development, By Kenneth Amaeshi

All in all, it is hoped that the One Kindred One Business idea, informed by the Kindred economic empowerment paradigm, will help revitalize the spirit of caring and community living in many developing societies – especially in Africa - for economic development. It will also help further refine Africapitalism – the contribution of the private sector to development – ​​as a new economic philosophy for Africa.

Imagine an economic development agenda that is not entirely dependent on government – ​​a situation in which the smallest units of society can collaborate effectively for collective economic empowerment.

In southeastern Nigeria, Igboland, beyond the nuclear family, the next unit of social organization is the extended family, also known as the kinship - the Umunna system< /em>. Within this socio-cultural framework, families perform unique functions in the social lives of their members. Among other things, they provide spaces for communal projects, the administration of social assistance, the resolution of interpersonal conflicts and the enactment of justice.

The related system can be positioned to act as productive economic units. I call this the Kindred Economic Empowerment Paradigm (KEEP) - or Umunnanomics, where kindred members are literally their economic guardian brothers.

KEEP, among other things, can foster an inclusive economy at the related level. This paradigm is at the heart of the One Kindred One Business Idea (OKOBI), whereby families create their own joint businesses. These enterprises, which can take any form (such as cooperatives, social enterprises, etc.), reflect the interests, passion, abilities and resources of parents. The main element of this arrangement is that the business is owned, run and controlled by parents. Possible business areas include agriculture, animal husbandry, services, manufacturing, etc. This approach, which is in line with the original social structure of the Igbo people through the 'Umunna' and 'Umuada', has significant potential to address the problems of unemployment and poverty from the local level upwards.

Another way to do this is through co-investment. Here, a family member can decide to invest in an already existing business owned by family members. In this way, related members become shareholders, while leveraging and respecting individual agency and entrenched entrepreneurship, which could risk being suppressed in community businesses, if not managed. with care.

Based on the character and determination of the Igbo people, KEEP will work. Certainly, the Igbo, like many other people in Nigeria and across Africa, are primarily hard workers. They always strive to overcome their constraints, to realize themselves and to make the most of their situation. The Igbo industry speaks in their tenacious commitment to excellence, their resilience and their ability to meet the toughest challenges.

Beyond filial relationships, OKOBI can also simply be a "kindred spirit" function shared by a group of people - for example, friends, social club members, colleagues, etc. What matters most here is the ability to collaborate in pursuit of a desirable collective goal, effectively and efficiently, leaving no one behind. In short, this version of OKOBI is based on the principle of nwanne di na mba (literally meaning that brotherhood is not only defined by filial relationships but by interests, values ​​and shared worldviews).

OKOBI, which was launched in Imo State under the leadership of Senator Hope Uzodimma, is already generating hitherto untapped financial resources and significant interest among the local population. Some parents have started businesses...