“MY HEART IS NOT A HOME FOR COWARDS” – Hon. Maria Ude Nwachi, popularly known as, Afikpo Chic, is the honourable member representing Afikpo North East Constituency in Ebonyi state house of Assembly. She is also the founder of Igboist, the largest place online for Igbos for many years now. Michael Ugwu is here to bring an Exclusive from the honourable, in regards to; Igboist Millionaire Club, IMC.
Q: How did the idea of IMC come about?
A: It was on the 15th of December when I went I went to Igboist and saw a post I was tagged on, this was a post written by an Elechi Ernest Chikamnayo Elechipikin, prior to that I have never even noticed him on the platform. This post was very hot as many gathered and was deblibrating on the subject of the post. So I took a look at the post and was instantly impressed and said, yeah yeah, this is one empowerment thing that we should surely embark on.Then the following week, I created a delibrations posts on IMC, where Igboists decided the mode of running the program. They all agreed that oneperson winning 5 million is not too okay, but rather there should be people winning 1 million but the rest should win smaller amounts so it can go round. Below is also the reason we used the 50,000 illustruation. Igboists were so eager to start this tha even when i make an unrelated post, they will be asking for an account number for IMC. A few days before the new year we kicked it off, and was shocked an amazed at the number participating. My expectation was exceeded. I was thinking about 5000 people willparticipate, but to see that over 20,000 people paticipated was amazing. The originator of the idea, Mr Chikamnaya, has become like become like a blood brother to me, he is always there in every step of the way to see the sucess of the program. He is too great and kind and humble a man. Igboism runs in his blood. He is a true realest.
Here is the link to the post: Only members of Igboist can view it: https://web.facebook.com/groups/igboist/permalink/1963641697044654/
This is the full post:
Elechi Ernest Chikamnayo Elechipikin
December 15, 2017
Hi/Hello dear:Hon:Maria ude nwachi
Ma’am I want to thank you so much for the joy and love you have created through this group #igboist.I don’t need to know you personally but the world we are now have made it easier for any good researcher to make his or her finding to any line he or she so wish to. I am not educated enough to use big big grammer as I know is not even a good means of communication accept used in the circle of those who will understand it. Like I said her excellency, I have been following this group with kin interest and have come to conclude that there is joy amongs the people in this group despite the economic situations, yet people are happy with this forum of joy as I see so many laughter.it’s only a man who hates happiness, joy and cooperation among young people will deny the fact that this group is one of the busiest group in the zone and had successfully encourages and help many in different areas as I saw here. I might not be 100% sure but in my own conviction as anyone is entirely entitled to his or her opinion.
In the spirit of love, growth and forwardness among this vibrant young men and women in this forum I here by make a suggestion to you her excellency. Firstly I am of the opinion that seems the people are together, we can actually make our people happier millioniars with your approval and consent . As well as coach us on the need to be ambitious just like you are and avoid side talk just like you do her excellency.
On a second thought I came up with this idea ma’am.
#igboist monthly member to member made millionaires.
Question__ How ?
Answer___you her excellency will endorse as I have, pioneer a call out of fifty thousand igboist members (50,000) who will enter a challenge to them selfs by them self’s to contribute one thousand naira each (#1,000 naira) every month but 8 winners among them will win 5million each every month. Why I made this public is because we need to begin to think on how to empower our self’s because the line of empowerment #government ,is not showing any blue light meaning love or green light meaning forwardness and hope. Her excellency ma’am #Hon nwachi pioneer igboist please look into this for the love, betterment of the people.God bless us all amen.
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Q: You get many suggestions and ideas what made you decide to embark on this?
A: This is years in the making, I have been thinking of how we can use our numbers to empower ourselves for a long time. Then this idea came. If you click on the link of the about above, you would see the excitement in Igboist about IMC. I get hundreds of ideas on how we can empower eachother in Igboist, but this seemed like the most sustainable one. This was just brilliant, we can mop up capital by contributing a 1000 and like sum and some of us can be empowered.
Q: Where there any hitches in the beggining of program
A: The program was rushed, we had nothing in place on how to go about a lot. Firth we created a thread were payees can post their POP, evidence of payment, so that later we will publish the names before the draw, when we decided to start working on the names, we realized that we would miss close to 10% of the names. I took the problem to the IMC account officer and he told us that we should simply cut the names out of the bank statement, that it is the surrest way of making sure everyone is captured, we agreed, and then went purely by bank statement, which does not lie.
Then a week later, I needed to make things legal, and wanted a licence to operate as it was basically lottery like. I had earlier thought 5% can get that done, on getting to the commision, it turned out it will take over 25 of a total sum to get a licence, we innitiated the process as it was necessary to operate legally.
Q: For the last few days, there has been so many things written about and against you concerning this, some said you had over a billion in the IMC account, and has defrauded the participants.
A: My brother! You must understand that there are people and groups of smear merchants lying in wait for me. Always waiting for an opportunity to pounce and create mayhem on my person. Remember those anti Igbo hate artists hiding under Radio Bifra, that sat down and created a fake documentary on my person last year? They are out in full force on this circulating all manners of lies and smears. Remember those you do not even have to offend, all you have to do is exist and appear to be doing well, they wait until you are being piled on to pounce. Remember those who derive pleasure from seeing others being pulled down or humiliated? Yes it gives them joy, it’s nothing really personal for them. It is just their way of life.
In a situation like this, this is not a time to pay attention to the smears, rather what you do is simply present the facts. Bank statements do not lie, and almost anyone can access it to ascertain facts; yesterday in Igboist, I posted the account balance of the bank statement, the exact sum realized, which was about 26,000,000 naira, and did the breakdown.. That annoyed the smear peddlers because it took the wind off their hate show. But it did not deter them, they embarked on various means. The bank statement is tons of pages, we might just scan it and publish as that is where all the names of participants are and that is where we cut the names from
I am one of the most followed persons on Facebook in our clime. I manage the largest and most active platform in our clime. It took a hell of hard work, sacrifice, and dedication to pull such off. I did not come on a platter of gold. No guts no glory. Some are resentful of that, not knowing that onweghi nke an’eme di easy. If you take my place, will you make the sacrifices I make, can you run the show? Remember everything is a continual. Don’t resent what you don’t understand. If you stay with me for a day you will see a loner always working and creating things, most people cannot even stay in one place for 12 hours, working, much less 1 week, and more, like some of us, hahaha. You can’t be about it, if you’re not about it.
Yesterday, an winner was paid a million naira through bank wire, the problem for the smears became, I thought she said she will give the money to them physically, how come this was paid. Not minding maybe there is a change in my progarm or the person’s program. Tell me what does it matter, as long as they get paid? There are things that are just impossible, it is not possible for me on this earth to be a part of fake payment to anyone. This is just an impossibility. I would rather not even exist than be part of such. If there is even a testimony in Igboist concerning me, the admins must verify I actually did that for the person before the post will be approved. In the Admin guideline of Igboist, approving a fake testimony is an offense. In Igboist writing a fake testimony will get you sanctioned instantly. So why on earth will I be part what I detest and sanction others for? There is nothing smear merchants do not hang onto to perpetrate hate, nothing.
Q: What is your advice to the winners of IMC?
A: Your brothers and sister made that money possible through their heard earned 1k (mostly 1k) then 3k and 5k Please, use the money wisely and become better than you were so you can also help more people become better.
Q: What your advice to those that did not win?
A: This is game of luck, not everyone will win. But remember that beause of you, your own blood will have enough money to start a business, solve major problems, etc. Please, there is always a next time. And as an Igboist, you will always gain something, intellectually, and othewise.
Q: Do you think it’s political?
A: NO! Though my political opponents will see a window to also attack too but it not about politics. I have been in politics only since 2015. Meanwhile I created the 1st major force on Facebook Nigeria in 2009 and have been actively running the largest gathering of Igbos in the world online since then and today. Such task comes with a lot of love and hate. There are people and groups that are very unhappy that I am the one piloting such. There are groups that wanted to use the platform I created for love and unity among Igbos to perpereate hate and they can never forgive me for that. And that is okay, because the platform I toil for daily can not be use by anyone or any group to promote fowl languages and any form of hatefilled agitation, where threatning others, and verbaslly debasing others is the main ingrediant.
As this gentleman advised one of them on a comment in Igboist:
Osita Nicholas Tiko: My brother, Nwobodo Joseph Joey, wake up. She created the first Igboist group. She built it. If you don’t like her ways, leave the group. Create yours. This is simple. You guys will never control that woman. That’s what you should understand. That woman loves Igbos more than some of you. Use your brain my brother.
I also run a very very strict medley in Igboist. Too many things are outlawd. We do not allow many things, and we will use the ban button on you, if you are not ready to comply to our rules. Those same rules we are telling to to comply with is what makes Igboist number 1. It is what attracts people to it, it is why it is the most active in its clime. But those who have been banned for breaking the rules are a tribe of on their own. They are aggrived, very aggrived and most times will join the badn wagon of GET HER whenever it a hate smear starts on my person.
In America there is something commonly called schadenfreude, pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune. There are people that have nothing to lose or gain if you are being debased, attacked and humiliated, they just get naturally high from seeing such being done to someone. LOL, that is life. And such people are willing to passively or aggressively fuel it on. Hahahaha, that is the nature of the beast. Once a target realizes that it is not about them, the target, but about the innate nature of these schadenfreudes then you won’t have much to worry about.
Q: What are you going to do differently now in IMC?
A: 2 weeks after we kicked off, we hired an IT team to come up with a website where everything will be automated. For now we are going to stop until things are put in place to make it very easy and accurate. Because anything manuel breeds error. I told all to stop payment until we delibrate again in Igboist and decide the way forward If we agree to continue, then it must be done on the website. If not, we call it a day. No matter what happens, lessons has been learned.
Q: Again, I must ask, how do you handle these smears?
A: And I will say this again and again: Do you know that I am an Orphan, my dad, Egwu Ejali, died when I was 2 years old, I don’t remember anything about him. And my strength, my petter, oh she used to pet me silly, the woman I took after in all ramifications, Ugo Okpani, known as my mom, died when I was 13 years old. I have basically been on my own since then, navigating the rough waters of life, some times failing, most times succeeding, but all the same I have no done badly for myself. Being an orphan is an ALL-COMPASSING advise. Are you an orphan? Life has advised you. If you like listen, if you like, don’t. Life advised me to have a lion’s heart, life advised me to stand on my truth and never cower or relent or give in to threats and terror.
Life advised me to always stand on the side of truth, life advised me to admit whenever I fuck up and make amends, life advised me never ever to seek cheap popularity by agreeing with things that go against my own spirit; just so I can be loved or hailed. Life advised me never to give into haters, never to allow them take the upper hand in my life. To always truck on, no matter what. Life also whispered to me that I will be okay as long as my intentions are pure. Life told me, I’m gonna make you a leader, be ready to step on toes, but you must always be on the right. The wise will admire you. The wishful will envy you. The weak will hate you. This is the reality for those who dare to be epic. Life advised me to banish fears, for; fear is the greatest enemy of creativity, achievement, progress and success. It whispered to me: confront and conquer your ears. At all times. Life then gave me the gengen whopper; no one can bring you down, only yourself can bring you down. Any one or group that attempts to bring you down will only be taking you to greater height. I listened attentively and nodded.
Then life held me gently and said: Don’t carry around your mistakes with you. Instead, place them under your feet and use them as stepping stones. Never regret. If it’s good it’s wonderful, if it’s bad it’s experience.
Life has beckoned again: For a star to be born, there is one thing that must happen: a gaseous nebula must collapse. So collapse. Crumble. This is not your destruction. THIS IS YOUR REBIRTH.
Life advised me, as long as you’re on the right part, I will turn any attempt to shame you into your gain. Then life bellowed: There will be haters, there will be doubters, there will be non-believers, and then there will be you, proving them wrong.
Q: Last year and this year, you named Linda Ikeji, the blogger, your woman of the year. But yesterday she also carried a very false news on your person concerning you, how do you see that?
A: Linda Ikeji remains a young woman I admire. Nothing she carries against me will break me. No matter how fast lies may fly, truth always overtake it. I will always admire her. It’s not about her, it’s about me. Her resilience and hard work gives me more courage.
Q: What do you say to those creating false stories on you about IMC, and spreading the false stories?
A: 1. Justice will overtake fabricators of lies and false witnesses. 2. If you tell the truth, it becomes part of your past. If you lie, it becomes part of your future. 3. Bury the truth and watch it resurrect. 4. A lie may take care of the present, but it has no future. 5. Your every ill-thought, secreted hate, cynical and vicious judgment you carry is meant only for you. 6. When you speak ill of others, you become the illness. Begin to nurture yourself back to health today by making a conscious decision to stay aware that you have choice in what you create with your words. 7. Hating is an emotional disease, very dihilibating. So, for you who hate. Get well soon. Ndo
MY HEART IS NOT A HOME FOR COWARDS. Sorry, but you can’t penetrate. You ca’t wound my loving heart. You can’t taint it. You can touch it. Oh no, you cannot. I don’t even have to be strong, strength is in me, it’s in my DNA, in my soul, in my essence.
Q: What makes you happy?
A: Some of the things I do that most people admire about my person is just me trying to make my spirit very very joyous and happy. When someone smiles broader because of me, it pleases my spirit. When I create fun and joy in others, in makes me very happy and very excited. No one repeatedly does what does not please their souls. Seeing others very happy makes me very happy too.
Q: What do you say to your supporters who are not happy with the smear on your person?
A: To those that believe in me, support me, encourage me and fill me with love and hope, I remain grateful to you. I will say this to you, as loud as HATE is, it can never ever overtake love. Darkness can never overtake LIGHT. I am man enough to take the blows. They only strengthen me, not weaken me. What I owe you is to always do the right thing. Admit when I am wrong and and and make amends right away. What I owe you is to be human and humane, not perfect. What I owe you is to be true to my self. What I owe you is my love. And you have it, in whole. You are my family. I appreciate you. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Michael Ugwu: Thank you for your time, Honourable Nwachi.
Maria Ude Nwachi: You are welcome, sir.
