My cement was stronger, more durable, and far cheaper than Dangote’s. But out of envy, Dangote ran to Obasanjo and influenced him to shut down my factory without any justification.” — Cletus Ibeto

According to Ibeto, his cement was the cheapest anywhere in the world. “I wasn’t competing with Dangote, I was competing with the global market. If China sold cement at ₦1,000, I sold mine at ₦600 to Nigerians. My dream was simple: to make sure every Nigerian, no matter how little they earn, could one day afford to build a house of their own.”

Today, cement in Nigeria sells for about ₦10,000, while the same product goes for just ₦5,000 in Ghana. Ibeto insisted: “This would never have happened if my factory was still running. Under my watch, the price of cement would never have gone beyond ₦2,500.”

He further accused Dangote of deliberately pursuing monopoly: “He wanted to control the market and cripple the South-East because the Igbos are the ones who build the most. That was the hidden agenda. But I will continue to say it boldly—if my factory was alive today, Nigerians would not be crying under this heavy burden of cement prices.”......................Me:No tribe wants to compete with an Igboman why?

Credit: Uburu Amaka