By Charles Obichukwu
It was as if the whispers of his ancestors had awakened something deep within him. From the rustic hills of Bende to the hallowed halls of Nigeria’s National Assembly, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu’s journey has been one of purpose and conviction. With each step, he carried the weight of his people’s hopes and dreams, forging a path that would lead the Igbo nation to a brighter future. And as he walked, the footprints of his legacy began to take shape, telling the story of a leader who would stop at nothing to unite, to uplift, and to inspire.
Building on this foundation of purpose and conviction, Chief Kalu’s leadership has been marked by a series of notable achievements. His leadership style became pronounced when he was appointed Transition Chairman of Bende Local Government Council, and further demonstrated as he served in various advisory capacities, including Special Adviser to the Governor for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Abia State. This journey has taken him through various roles and responsibilities, including his election to the House of Representatives in 2019 and his continued service in subsequent election cycles.
As he continued to pave the way for a brighter future, Chief Kalu’s contributions to the Igbo community have been significant and lasting. He has enriched the lives of many and established a legacy that will stand the test of time. His commitment to its cultural heritage and diversity has earned him recognition and respect. With his impeccable character, education, and achievements, Chief Kalu has made a profound impact on national development and innovation.
Today, those footprints have become a reflection of his unfaltering commitment to the Igbo nation, as evident in his numerous achievements. One notable example of his commitment is the Peace in the South East Project (PISE), which promotes unity and sensitizes Nigerians to the benefits of a united corporate Nigeria. As a dedicated statesman, Chief Kalu continues to exhibit leadership qualities that inspire positive change…
Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu embodies the Nigerian spirit as a champion of peace, democracy, and progress. Through his unwavering dedication and leadership, he has built bridges across the nation, fostering unity, trust, and confidence. His vision for a new Nigeria has inspired thousands, and his commitment to the All Progressives Congress has drawn in over 3,000 defectors in his home state.
As a servant-leader, Kalu has demonstrated exceptional political acumen, advocating for the rights of various groups and promoting the interests of Nd’Igbo. He has been a vocal advocate for the disabled community, pushing for increased budgetary allocations to support their needs. Kalu’s tireless efforts have earned him recognition as a champion of nation-building and a beacon of hope for a brighter Nigerian future.
His demonstration and strong consistency and passion have led to peaceful coexistence and a world free of violent extremisms, while his artful mediation has led to the evolution of an alternative conflict resolution strategy that has seen the use of non-kinetic measures in resolving the insecurity in the Southeast. This method has since become a standard practice and strategy adopted in various parts of the country and has recorded admirable successes.
Through his Foundation, the Benjamin Kalu Foundation, he has stretched hands of solidarity and benevolence to the less privileged cutting across all divides in the South East. His various admirable contributions and identifiable achievements in nation-building and strategic development have attracted the interest of the President thereby endearing and earning him the highest respect of Mr President.
His reign as Deputy Speaker and the highest political leader from the South East has become a season of prosperity for the Igbo nation. A strong, deliberately determined and functional leader, Chief Kalu’s shared vision and various assiduous engagements with various stakeholders and leaders of thoughts within Nd’Igbo have led to his sponsorship of the Bill which led to the creation of the South East Development Commission which aims to address the region’s infrastructure needs.
His quality of education, exposure and transnational congruence stand him out distinctively as one of the most pedestalled leaders of our time. A man imbued with the wisdom of Solomon, Chief Kalu, has severally deployed viable and apt tactics towards bringing about peace and prosperity to the South East. From the South East Development Commission Bill which he sponsored and used his diplomatic connections, political connections and leadership to ensure was signed into law to the various laudable federal projects which have brought Federal presence closer to the Igbos and given them a sense of inclusivity, all speak eloquently and clearly of his leadership and disposition towards making the South East a place of prosperity.
To boost productivity, economic growth and development, he embarked on several pacesetting projects targeted at ameliorating the pains and difficulties of his constituents using, to a large extent, his resources to work the talk. He has demonstrated love for his people and given leadership qualities with equanimity and dogged resilience and believes strongly that the South East Development Commission will tackle the problems of the South East, including its persistent endemic ecological problems.
Indeed, Rt. Hon Ben Kalu’s various peace initiatives and verifiable gains to the people of Ndi’Igbo coupled with his exceptional qualities as a bridge builder and his ability to build alliances, maintain friendship across all ethnic zones of Nigeria with a high sense of decorum, unquestionable integrity and deliberate forthrightness, has no doubt distinguished him as not just the new face of leadership in the Southeast but the hope of Ndi’Igbo in Nigeria.
To retain his distinct and extraordinary character as a nation builder and expand the frontiers of the delivery of the dividends of democracy to his Igbo brothers and sisters, he stretched his hands of fellowship to the governor of his home State, Governor Alex Otti in a deliberate act of benevolence, wisdom, and foresightedness. A highly bipartisan and nationalistic politician, he has continued to beckon on Otti to re-join the APC, lobbied for the release of Nnamdi Kanu and created room for the greater involvement of Igbo women in the political space, to address the problem of gender imbalance.
A man of stellar competence and a huge asset to the political war chest and configuration of the current leadership of the South East, Chief Okezie has consistently created improved solutions to the need of the Igbo people, noting its profound and fundamental imperatives in the growth and development of a larger Nigeria. He acknowledges the fact that the successes of the Igbo vindicates the rest of Nigeria by association, and therefore should inspire all for better days.
He has therefore listened to the simple cry of his people to make them proud and therefore given notable services, leadership, vision and hard work. This has paid off, as the Igbo people can now boast of several federal appointments in strategic positions such as Engr. David Umahi, Minister of Works, Ambassador Mrs Bianca Odimegwu-Ojukwu as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Emeka Nworgu as the Chairman of the SEDC, appointments into various Nigerian key Agencies, among several others.
His reign as the Deputy Speaker is the best thing that has happened to the Igbo nation. He has become the new face of leadership in the Southeast and a beacon of hope and prosperity for the people of the geopolitical zone, attracting several projects and introducing various strategic interventions aimed at alleviating the poverty of the people, strengthening economic developments, developing formidable cross-cultural and cross-border ties and equipping the youths for the challenges of the future.
His various interventions include scholarship funding for the people of Igbo extraction, deliberate and targeted economic empowerment programmes, provisions of viable economic life-line supports, and the enhancement of peace. Chief Kalu has deliberately made more efforts towards bringing all Igbos together to ensure a collaborative and united front towards the emancipation of his dear people, more than any other politician has done.
For instance, through the establishment of the Peace in the South East Project (PISE-P), Rt. Hon. Kalu has instituted a formidable initiative aimed at bringing about enduring and sustainable lasting peace to his people, through the utilization of a non-kinetic approach to the restiveness in the South-Eastern State. A man who stated that since 1999, the Igbo have made dissatisfied political outings, also strongly believes there is still room to right the wrongs and steer the region in the direction of economic and political prosperity. He therefore urged his people to re-evaluate their priorities, character, and what they stand for in the polity to buy the confidence of other parts of the country.
Rt. Hon. Kalu’s stewardship as Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review has revitalised the nation’s faith in the constitutional amendment process. With the precision of a surgeon and the passion of a patriot, he has spearheaded a comprehensive review that has woven together the diverse threads of Nigerian society, including the judiciary, civil society organisations and labour unions. By harnessing the collective wisdom of stakeholders and citizens alike, Kalu has crafted a transformative narrative that promises to rebirth the nation’s foundational document.
As the sun sets on another day in Nigeria’s journey, the footprints of Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu’s legacy remains, etched in the hearts of his people. The whispers of his ancestors now echo through the corridors of history, their wisdom and traditions woven into the fabric of a brighter future. And as the Igbo nation looks to the horizon, they know that they walk in the shadow of a great leader, one who has shown them that with courage, conviction, and the spirit of their ancestors, even the most impossible dreams can become a reality.
Obichukwu is a teacher at FGC, Enugu.