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Enter Benjamin Kalu, the new eye of Ndigbo in Nigeria’s national politics
By Ben Benson-Okoli
A very prominent priest once sent a woman, who had come to baptise his son back. Why? The mother had chosen the name, Thomas. “Didn’t you read the bible to know the role of Thomas?” he had asked the utterly bemused mother. “Thomas was a doubter. So, I’ll not name him Thomas. Go home with your child. When you choose an appropriate name, come back for the baptism,” he added.
It might sound funny, as it did to the many people who heard the story of the encounter in that little village and beyond, but there was no doubt as to the point the priest was trying to make. Even though today, many people still bear that name, he was simply trying to emphasise the position that there is something to a name. So many people have made a similar point about the names they choose for their children.
Nobody knows what influenced his parents to name him Benjamin. But going by the narrative about the original bearer of that name in the scriptures, it seems to be turning prophetic in the place of Benjamin Kalu, the new kid on the block in the trajectory of Ndigbo in the Nigerian political firmament.
Recall the biblical story. Jacob the father of Benjamin loved Rachael so much that he had to work for the father for years to marry her. But tragedy came when she died while at childbirth. But not before she named her son Benoni – child of sorrow. But instead of retaining the name, that would have reminded him permanently of the trauma of losing his beloved wife, Jacob had to change his name to Benjamin – child of my right hand, in other words, child of consolation rather than pain
So, will Benjamin Okezie (made perfect) Kalu, bring the succour and consolation to Ndigbo as the biblical namesake did to the father? That journey has begun for the 52-year-old lawyer, thinker and purveyor of fresh ideas. Somehow, the answer is also becoming more germane now that a new perspective is opening to the consistent community builder, conscientious agitator, eloquent pleader, awakened mind, and transformational leader.
He might be seen as a man ahead of his times, but he seems to be aware of the task ahead, hence he had started early to prepare as if he knew that at a point, the task of carrying on where others stopped would one day rest on his shoulders.
That day seems to have come as he would definitely become the highest ranking Igbo political leader at the national level, by the time he assumes the position of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, by the time the National Assembly is inaugurated on Tuesday, June 13, going by the choice of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which specifically named him for the job, last month.
At 23, the same age Thomas Sankara took over the affairs of his country as President of Burkina Faso, Kalu was already on top of the game in student union politics at the University of Calabar. And before his 35th birthday he had served in various capacities in his Abia State, including Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the Governor on Mellenium Development Goals (MDGs) and International Relations, which further prepared him as a leader of the people, apart from opening new vistas in politics. For close to two decades, he has demonstrated strong passion and commitment to the things that bother his community, the Bende people in the same state. Devoting himself in the area of human capital development, he invested heavily in scholarships for students, giving business grants and offering employment opportunities through his Benjamin Kalu Foundation.
Even outside the shores of Nigeria, he never forgot home. During his period as diaspora Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), then Africa’s largest party, controlling about six provinces, while on a short stint in South Africa, he led the campaign for Nigerians in the diasporas to be given the right to vote in elections.
Apart from playing strong roles in the formation of the Nigerian Community in South Africa, he also promoted groups like the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, South African chapter, which he led. Typical of people like him, his unquenchable appetite to learning, saw him picking up an MBA from one of the best Business Schools in the world to further equip himself before returning to Nigeria.
A proven grassroots player, who prides himself as a messenger of his people rather than their boss, his leadership trajectory, was one in which he held weekly engagements with his constituents as a member of the House of Representatives, a sharp deviation from what obtains in most places, where his contemporaries are merely seen but always out of reach to those they represent.
As Chairman of the Committee on Media and Public Affairs, of the Green Chambers in the ninth assembly, he was both the voice and the face at the same time, assuming the responsibility of selling it favourably to the public, a job entrusted in him, ostensibly due to not only his versatility and communication abilities, but his appealing personality.
Coming at this time when Ndigbo seem to be in sorrow, due to their parlous political situation, Kalu – like Benjamin, who was a consolation to his father, Jacob might well be what the South East need at the moment to ease their pain. Pain! Bruised and wounded! Pain, because a once strong, vibrant leg of a tripod now appears very weak, if not broken by continued and deliberate pummelling! Bruised because many years after the civil war that ended with no Victor no Vanquished, there is still the obvious vanquished! Wounded, because of an obvious conspiracy against the Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction – the three Rs agenda of General Yakubu Gowon. All now seem evidential that the Igbo lot has been accentuated by recent years of political wandering.
Would Kalu be the Benjamin, expected to be the ravenous wolf whose hunger to redeem his people meet that expectation? He is expected to employ his attributes as a servant leader with the generational balance, to re-engineer a fresh path to birth a new Nigeria, one where all citizens would have a sense of belonging – a Nigeria where there will be no second class citizen – a Nigeria where no citizen will be judged by his or her sex, creed, language, religion, culture and tribe – a country where no citizen will be inhibited from rising to his or her full potentials. Will he come through?
This was the Nigeria former President, Muhammadu Buhari had the greatest opportunity to create, but squandered by leaving Nigeria in the worst form of division and disunity in its history, a disastrous outcome for which he now awaits the sad verdict of posterity, which would surely come at the appropriate time.
Though President Bola Tinubu might not have indicated his reason for personally endorsing him, there is no doubt that with his propensity as a go-getter, and a man of the people, Kalu might be needed to bring the planks, which when nailed together, would become the platform for the President and APC’s much needed inroad into the South East.
He emphasised this need recently during his appearance on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television, when he told his host: “When you talk about nation building you forget about sentiments, you forget about emotions and look at the strongest argument and the strongest argument here is how do we make a diversity sensitive leadership, nation-building effort that will incorporate all the beautiful efforts of all the diverse part of the country coming together to work for what we peach? It’s by unity, peace and progress.
“You may recall that in the last four years, the South-East was not holding any of the presiding officers’ position and it has impacted on this election, among other things. I can assure you, if you neglect South-East again, a whole zone in such sensitive position, then you battle again in 2027, that is a big risk for any great planner to take. If you start now to plan and adopt this spirit of inclusion, South-East is going to yield a better harvest than what was yielded before.”
Kalu’s astuteness, resilience, versetality and ability to play a central role wherever he goes are no longer in doubt. In the ninth Assembly, he moved the first motion, House Motion 001, to address the ecological problems that threatens his people to near extinction which became such a huge success that he received a huge honour from his people, by way of a chieftancy title.
Conscious of the diversity insensitive in Nigeria, he has demonstrated the knack for pursuing his goal with the diligence and resilience that could only produce positive outcomes. This, he has demonstrated to his Bende people.
With Aliyu Betara and Yusuf Gagdi withdrawing from the race for the Speakership contest in the Green Chambers for the Tajudeen Abbas-Benjamin Kalu combination as Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively, after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu and Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Sunday, his ascendency to the new position, is almost a fait accompli.
Now the world awaits him to do what he did for his constituency on a larger scale. Would he be the one to deliver Jonah from the foggy, smelly belly of the fish? Would he be the one to break the glass ceiling for Ndigbo? Would he be the plank for the erection of the platform that would link his people to the national politics, which had left them political orphans in the last eight? Would he repair and strengthen the leg of the tripod that has since become weak and broken? The waiting game begins. Welcome, Tuesday, June 13, day of new beginning! Welcome to history!
Benson-Okoli Esq., a journalist and lawyer, writes from Johannesburg (benchinee@yahoo.com)
By Ken Harries, Esq
Peace is the foundation of every prosperous society and few Nigerian leaders have pursued it with the consistency and conviction of Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, President of the Tenth Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. From his earliest days in public service to his current national role, Akpabio has remained a firm believer in unity, dialogue and peaceful coexistence as the bedrock of progress.
His peace journey began in 2002 when Obong Victor Attah appointed him Commissioner in his administration. Even at that level, Akpabio stood out for his calm disposition, open door policy and passion for reconciliation. He reached across divides, built friendships that cut across ethnicity, religion and politics. Those who worked closely with him remember his favourite saying: “Akwa Ibom is one family.” That simple phrase would later become the defining philosophy of his leadership.
When Akpabio became Governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2007, he met a people divided by politics and ethnic bigotries. Rather than deepen the fault lines, he chose to heal them. One of his earliest gestures was reconciliation with those who had opposed him during the elections. He personally reached out to them, offered partnership and inclusion in his vision for a greater Akwa Ibom. This magnanimity surprised many and set a new tone of political tolerance in the state.
During his administration, Akpabio demonstrated that peace could not thrive without justice, fairness and opportunity. When violent cult clashes erupted in Uyo, Eket and Ikot Ekpene between 2008 and 2009, he responded not just with security action but also with empathy. He introduced a rehabilitation and reorientation programme for repentant youths and provided them with education, vocational training and employment. Many of those who embraced the programme later became responsible members of society which was a testament to his conviction that reconciliation and empowerment are stronger than retribution.
Akpabio also understood that development itself is a powerful instrument of peace. Under his Uncommon Transformation Agenda, he deliberately spread projects across all parts of the state so that no community felt neglected. Roads, bridges, hospitals, schools and industries were established from Oro Nation to Ini and from Ikot Ekpene to Eket. The message was clear that Akwa Ibom belongs to everyone and progress must be shared by all.
In 2011, when ethnic sentiments again threatened the stability of the state, Akpabio convened a Grand Unity Meeting in Uyo. The gathering brought together political leaders, traditional rulers, clergy, youths and women from every Senatorial District to reaffirm their commitment to unity. In his address that day, he reminded the people that no development could thrive in an atmosphere of bitterness. His words, firm yet conciliatory, calmed tensions and restored a sense of common purpose.
Years after leaving office, Akpabio has continued to champion peace and harmony in Akwa Ibom State. As political tensions and rivalry began to re-emerge in recent times, he once again rose to the occasion to demonstrate that true leadership does not retire. In continuation of his peace mission, the Senate President recently visited the Oku Ibom Ibibio and President General of the Akwa Ibom State Traditional Rulers Council, His Eminence Ntenyin Solomon Etuk, where he delivered a powerful message that resonated across the state.
Akpabio reminded the royal fathers that the most costly peace is still better than the cheapest war. He called on all traditional rulers and leaders of thought to join hands in pushing the message of peace to every nook and cranny of Akwa Ibom. His message that peace is a collective responsibility and its preservation must be the concern of every citizen, was simple, yet profound.
The lesson from this visit is clear. Leaders at all levels — be it political, traditional, religious and community — should emulate the example of Senator Akpabio. They must make peace the focus of their leadership because when peace reigns in our communities, it becomes easier to achieve stability and progress in the nation. The elusive dream of national peace can only be realised when leaders across the country choose dialogue over division and reconciliation over rivalry.
Today, as President of the Tenth Senate, Akpabio has continued to exemplify diplomacy and maturity in his dealings. He engages colleagues across party lines with respect and understanding by always seeking common ground for the collective good. His leadership style reflects his long held belief that peace is not a strategy but a duty.
Through his actions, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio has shown that true greatness is not measured by power or wealth but by the ability to unite people and inspire harmony. From his early days as Commissioner to his years as Governor and now as Senate President, his life has remained a testimony to the power of peace.
Wherever he stands, peace follows. And as Akwa Ibom continues to grow and Nigeria strives for unity, Akpabio’s message that the most costly peace is still better than the cheapest war remains timeless.
■ Ken Harries Esq is a lawyer and an Abuja- based Development Communication Specialist.
Chief (Sir) Nse Ntuen, an Akwa Ibom elder and former member, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and has known Senator Godswill Akpabio for over 50 years, has strongly condemned and unequivocally dismissed the recent wave of unfounded allegations and tirade of abuse directed at the President of the Senate.
In a detailed statement issued in Uyo, Chief Ntuen, the Honorary Adviser to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency Pastor Umo Eno, described the claims circulated by Akpabio’s sister-in-law, Mrs Patience Ibanga Akpabio, as baseless, malicious, and inconsistent with both the character and public record of Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Ntuen, a former Chairman of Essien Udim Local Government Area — from which Akpabio hails — noted that, “the allegations, which have no basis in fact or common sense, are steeped in personal bitterness and deliberate mischief rather than in any verifiable fact or credible grievance.”
Ntuen stated that such behaviour demeans public discourse and disrespects the values of decency for which Akwa Ibom people are known.
“We must never allow a culture of reckless falsehood to replace dialogue and truth. These claims are not merely offensive; they represent a conscious attempt to erode the dignity of honest leadership and to sow unnecessary discord among a people united by shared history and respect,” he said.
He aligned himself with the recent resolution of the Greater Akpabio Family, which unanimously expressed confidence in the Senate President and reaffirmed the family’s unbroken unity.
Ntuen added that the statement by the family, being the most authoritative voice on domestic matters of this nature, has settled the issue firmly and should be respected as such.
“These spurious attacks are not only affronts to Senator Akpabio’s person but also to the collective reputation of Essien Udim and, by extension, Akwa Ibom State,” Ntuen noted.
He said: “At a time when the Senate President is fully engaged with His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, in charting legislative frameworks for economic recovery and national renewal, it is disappointing that anyone would choose to distract public attention with malicious fiction and self aggrandisement
“The public is therefore advised to disregard such falsehoods, which serve no purpose other than to inflame passions and divert focus from meaningful governance.”
Ntuen lauded Senator Akpabio’s dignified silence and self-restraint in the face of provocation, describing it as evidence of both personal strength and political maturity.
He observed that in an age where instant reaction often replaces reflection, the Senate President has shown that quiet focus remains the highest form of leadership.
“Leadership is not theatre; it is service. Senator Akpabio’s calm disposition and tireless work at the helm of the 10th Senate have continued to produce tangible results for Nigeria. His commitment to legislative efficiency and intergovernmental harmony demonstrates that the surest response to malice is progress,” he added.
Ntuen also noted that public office carries a sacred responsibility and that those who have been privileged to serve must guard the dignity of governance from reckless commentary.
He urged all citizens, especially those in public life, to be mindful of their words and the example they set for younger generations.
“When we reduce serious national conversations to gossip and innuendo, we weaken the very fabric of democracy.
“What Nigeria needs today are builders and not destroyers; thinkers and not rumour peddlers. Senator Akpabio has chosen to be a builder, and history will vindicate that choice,” he said.
Ntuen, a former ALGON chairman in Akwa Ibom State appealed for restraint and unity among Akwa Ibom citizens, emphasising that personal grievances should never be allowed to cloud collective progress.
He reaffirmed his loyalty to Governor Umo Eno’s vision of peace and inclusive governance and his continued support for Senator Akpabio as a son of Akwa Ibom, who represents the state with distinction at the national level.
“We stand with our leader, our brother, and our pride. Those who traffic in falsehood will find that truth is patient but enduring. The focus now must remain on the great task of nation-building, to which Senator Akpabio continues to dedicate himself with calmness, clarity, and conviction,” Chief Ntuen concluded.
Former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori, expressed deep sorrow over the death of Olorogun Oscar Ibru, a prominent businessman and philanthropist.
Ibru, the chairman of the Ibru Organisation and eldest son of the late industrialist Michael Ibru, passed away on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at age 67 after a brief illness.
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Born on August 11, 1958, he was a key figure in Nigeria’s business and philanthropy sectors.
In a heartfelt social media post, Ibori referred to Ibru as a “dear brother” and prayed for his soul’s repose. He wrote, “Skidoo!!! So long my dear brother! Sleep well in the Lord. Tode Olorogun Oscar Ibru. Igbruuuuuuuuuu!!!”.
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