By Levinus Nwabughiogu
The crowd surged forward into the hall, adorned with elegance. From the staircase, imposing banners and retractable flex stands littered the environment, setting the tone for a grand occasion. It was a day for scholars from the ivory towers, elites, and political juggernauts to gather. Incidentally and fortunately, the skies had unleashed a soothing rain, bringing a cool, peaceful tranquillity that enveloped the evening.
Amidst this sea of dignitaries, one figure stood tall, resplendent in academic regalia. As his citation wafted through the public address system in the sonorous voice of the masters of ceremony, his face shone brightly, radiating from the galaxy of lights that illuminated the room. With the citation concluded, he mounted the podium, and the lecture began.
That distinguished figure was none other than Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, CON, the Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives who delivered the convocation lecture of the 37th Convocation of the University of Calabar on Thursday, March 20, 2025, at the magnificent and gigantic Calabar International Conference Centre (CICC), Calabar, Cross River State.
For Kalu, this moment was a nostalgic homecoming. Thirty-two years ago, the young Kalu gained admission to the University to study Law. Twenty-seven years after successfully graduating, he had the rare privilege of ‘lecturing’ not just his former teachers at the Faculty of Law and the university but the entire nation, nay the global community. What an honour!
Kalu, an alumnus of the university, precisely ‘98 Class of the Faculty of Law, had also pursued his Masters in Law and is concluding his doctorate in Law at the same university. Similarly, his crave for more knowledge and intellectual pursuits had also taken him to renowned institutions worldwide, including Oxford University in the United Kingdom; John Cabot University, Italy; University of Groningen, Netherlands; Miami Herbert Business School, Miami University, USA; and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), Italy.
Lecturing on the thought-provoking topic, “Our Gown in Town and in Cyberspace: Sustainable and Human-Centred Education, The Mandate of Our Universities, 2025-2075,” Kalu inspired the audience with his personal journey. From his early days as a student at the university to his current role as the number two lawmaker in the House of Representatives, he shared his story with humour, humility, and candour.
With captivating anecdotes and scintillating voice of elocution, Kalu who is Abia State’s gift from Bende Federal Constituency, which he also represents at the National Assembly, highlighted the university’s profound impact on his life and career. Holding his audience spellbound with the sheer mellifluity of his expression, the Deputy Speaker also conveyed his heartfelt gratitude to the institution and its faculty members, who had inspired and guided him during his formative years.
Among the distinguished guests listening intently to Kalu’s lecture were the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, also an alumnus of the University; his wife, Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, and the Acting Governor of Cross River State, Dr. Peter Odey who also graduated from the university. Several senators and members of the National Assembly, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Florence Obi, and the Chancellor of the university, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero were also in attendance.
Interestingly, over seventy members of the ‘98 Class of the Faculty of Law, Kalu’s classmates sobriqueted as the Golden Ones also came from various walks of life to show solidarity with one of their own.
At the core of his lecture were an array of issues of social significance, contemporarily dominating public discourse. The Deputy Speaker emphasized the importance of education amid the evolving landscape of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He noted that while the evolution of education has mirrored societal needs throughout history, the current system, with its emphasis on standardized testing and mass schooling, may not be equipped to prepare students for a future dominated by AI and rapid digital transformation.
Kalu also stressed that the changing nature of work and information consumption underscores the need for education to adapt. He emphasized that many traditional jobs have become obsolete due to automation and digitalization. Similarly, the shift from traditional media to social media has raised concerns about misinformation, highlighting the need for universities to train students in fact-checking, digital forensics, and AI literacy. For Kalu, the simple import of this is that in the fast-paced world of digitization and digitalization, theories should be commensurate with practicals.
Kalu’s lecture also unveiled the vast potentials in the Nigeria’s mining, blue economy, and maritime sectors. The guest lecturer underscored the urgency of harnessing these resources to build a truly prosperous nation.
He said: “In Nigeria, we must align our educational priorities with the resources that define our economic potential. One such opportunity lies beneath our feet. Nigeria is abundantly blessed with solid minerals, yet for decades, our education system has focused more on theoretical disciplines than on harnessing the country’s vast natural wealth. The North Central region holds significant deposits of tin, columbite, tantalite, and barite, all critical for modern electronics and industrial applications. The North West is home to gold, granite, and limestone, offering vast potential for the jewelry and construction industries. In the North East, gypsum, kaolin, and bentonite remain largely untapped, despite their importance to cement production and pharmaceuticals.
The South West boasts of reserves of bitumen, feldspar, and lithium—minerals essential for road construction and battery technologies, while the South East is rich in lead, zinc, coal, and also shares in the oil and gas reserves that have historically defined the nation’s economy. The South South, beyond its dominance in oil and gas, possesses large deposits of limestone, clay, and rare earth elements, which have yet to be fully explored.
“This administration has made commendable strides in repositioning the mining sector. The amendment of mining laws has created a more attractive environment for investment and responsible exploration.
“Just as Nigeria’s wealth lies beneath the ground, it also stretches across our vast coastline—an untapped economic powerhouse. The Blue Economy, which leverages ocean and water resources for sustainable growth, remains one of our most promising yet underdeveloped sectors.
“With over 853 kilometers of coastline and 200 nautical miles of exclusive economic zone, Nigeria is strategically positioned to leverage its vast maritime resources. According to a study by Owoputi Adetose Emmanuel, Nigeria’s inland waterways cover approximately 149,919 square kilometers, constituting about 15.9% of the country’s total area, which, if properly harnessed, could revolutionize trade, transportation, fisheries, tourism, and energy generation. Despite these immense opportunities, the sector remains largely untapped due to insufficient investment, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of specialized knowledge. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Africa’s marine and coastal tourism sector has the potential to generate over $100 billion in revenue by 2030. Additionally, projections indicate that the continent’s blue economy could yield $576 billion annually and create 127 million jobs by 2063. Yet, Nigeria’s maritime assets remain underutilized”.
Kalu’s erudite lecture also highlighted the paramount importance of gender parity in the education sector, while commending the current government’s laudable strides in education.
As the proud sponsor of the Seat Reservation for Women in Parliament Bill, the Deputy Speaker astutely argued that geographic quotas have hitherto failed to harness the latent potentials of female students, pontificating that gender parity should be prioritized to augment women’s participation in governance and leadership.
Referencing President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which envisions a future propelled by economic growth, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, and digital innovation, Kalu expressed his unequivocal concurrence with the President’s statement, underscoring the transformative potency of education.
“As we set our sights on Agenda 2075, it is time to rethink our approach to quotas in higher education. For the past five decades, admissions in Nigerian Universities have largely been determined by geography, a system that, while addressing regional disparities, has done little to harness the untapped potential of our female students. Instead of geographic quotas, we must prioritize gender parity to increase women’s participation in governance and leadership. Our quota system should serve as a tool for empowerment, ensuring that women—already the backbone of our homes as chief executive officers—step confidently into boardrooms and decision-making centers.
“President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda envisions a future driven by economic growth, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, and digital innovation. As the President aptly stated, “Education is that light at the end of the tunnel; no matter how sluggish you move, it will give you the light and the hope.” I couldn’t agree more.
“On April 3 2024, President Tinubu signed the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, a transformative policy designed to remove economic obstacles. This Act provides interest-free loans repayable only after employment, with special provisions for the disadvantaged, ensuring that every capable student has a fair chance to succeed.
“Consider the remarkable progress made by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which disbursed ₦23 billion in loans to 94,000 students in 2023. This milestone has not only improved access to education but also reaffirmed our commitment to empowering our youth”, Kalu emphasized.
Notwithstanding the significance of the lecture, Kalu’s visit to his alma mater was a multifaceted engagement. He did not only reunite with his classmates but also traversed the city of Calabar, leading a health walk around the university premises, a novelty football match and a mock lecture in various law courses with his mates.
In Calabar, Kalu and his classmates were graciously hosted by two eminent sons of Cross River State: Senator Ndoma Egba (SAN) and Honourable Legor Idagbo, both of whom had previously served as distinguished members of the National Assembly. Notably, both Senator Egba and Honourable Idagbo share a common alma mater with their guests, having graduated from the prestigious Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar. This is not forgetting that the Acting Governor of the State, Dr. Peter Odey, also an alumnus of the university had earlier hosted Kalu during a courtesy call on him on his arrival in the State.
The Deputy Speaker and his classmates also visited the new Faculty of Law, where they announced a generous donation of N15 million worth of book resources to restock and re-equip the faculty’s library. This philanthropic gesture is aimed to prevent the faculty from losing accreditation from the federal authorities. Additionally, Kalu unveiled plans to construct a convocation arena and event center for the university.
Renowned for his philanthropic inclination towards children and the downtrodden, Kalu also visited the Infant Jesus Orphanage in Calabar where he donated food items and announced scholarships for orphans in the Home who opted to study law, covering their primary to university and law school education.
To culminate the celebrations, Kalu hosted his classmates to a dinner, thereby demonstrating that even after 27 years, the bonds of friendship, conviviality and camaraderie remained indomitable.
Undoubtedly, the Deputy Speaker’s visit to University of Calabar and the city that moulded him served as a paradigmatic testament to the transformative power of education and community. This further stamps his unwavering commitment to empowering the youth, promoting gender parity, and giving back to his alma mater.
For me, these are truly inspirational as Kalu has through his array of legislative activities, oratory prowess and philanthropic gestures that also earned him special recognition and award by the university after delivering the “powerful” convocation lecture affected his contemporary world. And for many years to come, these will also resonate with posterity and generations yet unborn.
• Nwabughiogu is the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, CON the Deputy Speaker, 10th House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria