Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu receiving a Chieftaincy title
Traditional rulers in Abia State have conferred on Kalu the traditional title of Enyi Abia (Strength of Abia). The Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty, Sir Linus Mbah, conferred the title of Deputy Speaker in recognition of his legislative contributions at the National Assembly. A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Levinus Nwabughiogu, said the conferment ceremony was organised by the Abia State Governor Otti at a grand reception held in his honour by the Abia State government at the International Conference Centre in Umuahia, the state capital.
Also, Kalu has said the Igbo are proud of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. Kalu said the Igbo holds President Tonubu in high esteem. The Deputy Speaker said the Igbo never had so many representatives under previous governments, stressing that the Southeast now has many Southeast indigenes in key positions in President Tinubu’s administration.
He hailed the President for allowing Abia State to produce the Number Six Citizen, to produce the Chief of Naval Staff and other key members of his Cabinet, including the Minister of Works. He urged the Igbo to discover their spirit of togetherness and work towards “collaboration to live a legacy of peace and progress for generations to come”. Kalu also praised Governor Alex Otti for his leadership advancement in the state, saying the governor has shown commitment to giving attention to infrastructural development in the state, especially road and urban renewal as well as education and healthcare.
Otti described Kalu as a good man with a good spirit. The governor said the Deputy Speaker deserved all the encomiums and celebrations from Abia residents.
“What we have done today is what should be done. Rt. Hon. Ben Kalu deserves all the encomiums and all the celebration and, if we continue to celebrate him till the end of this year, we won’t have done too much. “Why? It’s because, first and foremost, he is a good man with a good spirit. From my personal bias, he is my younger brother, my friend of several years, more than 15 to 20 years.”
