How Obi Cubana walked himself into EFCC dragnet

What many may not know, however, is that the Anambra-born socialite brought his current travail upon himself.

Cubana’s journey to the EFCC net started with the outlandish funeral he gave his mother, Ezinne Iyiegbu, in Oba, Anambra State in July.

Since the talk-of-the-town burial, all eyes have been on him, as he became the topic of discussion in most circles, with many wondering how he came by such huge wealth.

However, Cubana narrated how he struggled to the top from a one-room apartment in Abuja in 1999 after national youth service.

From his first N1 million earning through a house furnishing contract, Cubana now owns a sprawling conglomerate, spanning across entertainment, hospitality, real estate, among others.

There was so much money and grandeur on display at his mother’s lavish burial ceremony, tagged “Oba happens”, which attracted too many celebrities, politicians, business gurus, politicians and even senior policemen.

There had been insinuation that the 38-year-old billionnaire and his friends made their wealth through money rituals or fraud and so, from that time,  it was obvious that it was just a matter of time before the EFCC would swoop on him because of the hoopla the ceremony generated, as it beamed its searchlight on him to unravel answers for the many questions despite Cubana explaining that he made clean money through hard work in different endeavours.

Clarifying the source of his wealth via a statement Joe Igbokwe, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, posted on his Facebook page, entitled: Obi Cubana speaks,” the businessman said: “I want to state this clearly, I am not the talking type or Social media interest-free person.

“Many have questioned the type of boys and friends I have, to me, I hardly address anyone as my boy because we are all boys to God Almighty.

“I don’t have any boy who is into rituals, if you are my boy or my man because I like to address my boys as my men, it means you are working hard and you made your money in a clean way.”

Cubana also recounted some of his philanthropic acts in his hometown, Oba, dating from 2013.

“In 2013, I pushed 53 uneducated Oba boys into the market to learn to trade. In 2017, I withdrew all of them from their Ogas and settled all of them with 3million Naira each and paid for their shops.

“I linked 40 of them into importation and made them use my name and platform to import goods into the country. After two years, I checked on them how they were doing and find out some had issues and I supported them again to stand.

“I am happy today that out of the 53 men, 38 are billionaires while the rest are in the level of a millionaire.

“In 2018, I took 100 educated men out of streets and introduced them to the white men for business and today there are billionaires in dollars.

“They also help me in their capacity when I require their help. All their friends both Nigeria and outside patronise me.

“I am into hotel and club business and I have so many businesses I am brand ambassadors to.

“I have alliances with spirit drinks and wines, I am brand to many businesses in the world.

“It gives me joy to see my men do well, none of my hotel managers in Nigeria can smell poverty. I encourage them to raise others from their local communities. I have never sacked a worker due to misconduct; I bring you in and speak to you the way you will understand.

“I have many uncountable people through my hotel business, I have encouraged many, I have made a lot of friends millionaires and billionaires because it gives me joy. Seeing them throw money around gives me happiness and they know, so anytime there are with me, they show such an attitude of throwing money to please me.”

The businessman also unveiled his plans to make 300 millionaires out of the youths of his hometown.

“Yes, I will gift 1 million to 300 Oba boys to start up business and link them up too to make it,” he said, adding that he is in the business of making people great.

“Critics is normal and there are there to say what they want to say but when you are doing the right thing, you don’t listen to what people say. If I have my way, I will also help those criticising me.

“My advice is they should identify talents and make them great, don’t have any fear of who betrays you tomorrow, just make men and move if they remember good if not be happy that they made it through you.”

Cubana’s rags to riches story is inspirational. He made money, enjoyed his life and spreads joy around him. It remains to be seen if he is what he says he is or something else.

Many believe though that Cubana could not have been foolish to draw the attention of the EFCC to himself if he’s not sure of himself.

That is what the EFCC has set out to do and one hopes that at the end of the day, the many unanswered questions about the source of the socialite’s humongous wealth shall be unravelled.

However it ends, Cubana’s philosophy of making people is highly commendable and recommended to the privileged ones in society, who prefer to sit on top of piles of money while society rots instead of heeding Cubana’s advice.