Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana, has revealed his life story and journey in an exclusive interview with BBC Pidgin.
The 46-year-old businessman from Anambra state in Eastern Nigeria, who is into entertainment and hospitality business, in his hometown Oba, Idemili South, took time to explain many things including early days of his business life.
The business mogul, who buried his mother in his hometown over the weekend of 16, 17, and 18 July 2021, and became the biggest story on social media, has opened up on the role of his parents, his education and how he made his first N1m ($2,400).
The Burial
Over the weekend of 16, 17, and 18 July, 20201, the burial of his mother in Oba became the biggest story with a valid reason.
It all started on Friday where the stories emerged on social media saying Obi Cubana has immortalised his mother with a pendant and neckpiece worth $100,000 dollars.
“E happun like dis becos we don promise our mama say wen she clock 80 years, di kain carnival wey we go do, nobody don do am for dis world,” he explained why the funeral went viral.
He said his mum not reaching her 80th birthday prompted them to direct all the carnival planning into her burial.
First One Million Naira
The political science graduate said after he left school, he did his National Youth Service in Abuja in the year 1999 where he served at the National Assembly.
At the same time, Obi Cubana was also into Estate Agent Work, where they sold land and real estate property.
“Na for dia I hear 5% for di first time in my life!”
He explained that his breakthrough came in after he met one client who contracted him to furnish his house.
“We do [di job] well o, e dash me N500k… inside di job my profit come be like N600 and something [thousand], so na N1.1m be that, other jobs followed later,” Cubana added.
“I do small contract for PPMC, make small money that time buy my V-Boot [Mercedes Benz car], na so we come start life.”
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Father and Mother
The business mogul praised his parents for how they were brought up as children, especially their mother after the death of their dad 15 years ago.
“Na she dey play di role of papa and mama… before you go she must pray for you after she go pray for you,” the Lagos-based businessman talked about his mother.
He also revealed that his mother was a teacher in the same primary school he attended: Central School, Oba.
Money Spraying
Obi Cubana defended the spraying of currency notes at the burial ceremony by guests saying he had no control over how they decided to spend it.
“How I go plan make pipo troway money, carry am bath? Di money na dem get am… na dem get dia money na dem get dia style.
“Those pipo no be pipo wey I fit tell ‘do dis or do dis’… but I feel say na love dem wan come show.”
It is, however, illegal per Central Bank of Nigeria Act regulation to spray the Naira currency because it is considered ‘abuse and defacing’ which also carries risks of ‘imprisonment for term not less than six months or fine not less than N50,000 or both.
‘No soap to cut’
“Dem no dey cut soap for anybody for dis world!”
Obi Cubana’s advised people to pray for consistency and hard work. He also said it’s important to make connections with people as one climbs the ladder of success.
According to him, anyone should see results after doing two years of hard work and prayer.
“Work, pray, be good, you don make your own soap be that. Na so e be.”
Mr Cubana also advised others against waiting for miracles from pastors and seeking wealth from fetish priests, saying it is a waste of time.