By Kevin Onyemaechi Eze
I have known a long time ago that human beings especially politicians, no matter how you choose to look at them, are not yet grounded in the art of allowing common sense and wisdom to take centre-stage. They still play politics of bitterness, hatred and jealousy and sell themselves to undue emotionalism.
Long enough Orji Uzor Kalu has been on the road-in the thoughts-in the know-in many ways.
Business successes, a romance with national and international politics, found himself in the muddy waters, but still in the same politics that produced him as a governor, formed a political party; saw him compete for the highest office with a narrow miss; now a senator, a Chief Whip; smeared and conquering.
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His travails began way back before he became a governor. How could a young man of 38 beat every other titan to become Governor ? It looked impossible at that time but he had the capacity and wherewithal.
As a founding member of the People’s Democratic Party and a major financier of the party, Kalu donated huge sums of money to the party at inception, specifically N100 million for its registration in 1999 and another N100 million to former President Olusegun Obasanjo as support for his presidential campaign in the same year.
Kalu was powerful as a PDP governor and wielded so much influence as one of the most courageous, active and fearless public servant. He served two terms in Abia State . He also won election into the Nigerian Senate to represent Abia North District in the National Assembly (2019). Relying on the enormous goodwill and political network he has across the country, kalu was elected the Senate Chief Whip, which placed him as the fourth in leadership ranking of Senators in Nigeria.
Previously as Governor between 1999- 2007, he transformed Aba into a major economic hub in Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region.
He left behind a legacy of public infrastructure, affordable and inclusive health system, strong, free and accessible education, strong industrial base, pro-poor focused social services, job creation, as well as attractive and competitive investment climate in the state. Till date, the development strides he ignited in the state is yet to be surpassed by his predecessors and successors.
As a Senator, he built 19 roads in his first year in the Senate and plans to have more than 60 completed roads in Abia North in four years . He has also continued to build schools, hospitals and street lights.
Despite his achievements, his enemies continue to despise him, dragging his name and working hard to change the narratives about him especially his records as Governor. Few times they succeeded many other times they failed. It is time these enemies look deeper and give up on him. Kalu has a throne mentality and a winning attitude. He is a destined child and his enemies will remain his footstool.
With the protruded pregnancy in the envisaged political landscape ahead to 2023 and peace returning to the disturbed South East region, many watchers of Nigeria politics postulates that Senator Kalu has a big role in the emerging leadership in the next dispensation.
Penultimation again, whether it should be presented to the southeast or not. It should go there, of course; it is what Nigeria, overtime, has become; the rotation and power display to be worn by all, and the exception should not be the southeast.
It is its time, its moment. Where maturity and the political intent of good purpose should be shown and evidently transparent.
He is shrewd, yes; one would not expect him not to; you need that shrewdness to succeed, and he has succeeded and still in the business of it where others have since given up and licking their agonies.
Yet, he is the expectations of what fullness should be: a complete human mien, detribalised and all- accommodating and embracing. His politics and his mindset are fine; his first thought and reasoning is the national relevance and cogency, as in all trueness should aspire and ascribe to the little and small needs of all.
In a politics wrapped up in fears, in distrust; right from time he has become and he is a member of the national and local uomo di fiducia: he can be trusted with the nation’s national entity as well as its entire facets.
He has made friends; these are true friends, not based on politics, not based on business, but true friendship in the true sense of it, because of the values he thinks and knows and places in what friendship really is about.
He has invested in both political, business and intellectual as well as the cultivation of youthful friendship.
Humble, but not meek to any human failings.
And this friendship is across boards without any discrimination, which atimes has been grossly misunderstood as the betrayal of their local trust and belief.
He is a personality of loyalty, that loyalty that can be counted upon; the reason for his membership of uomo di fiducia of a country yearning for the breakthrough he can help broker and achieve.
Look at him and you would see the face of a true Nigerian that stretches to the roots of Nigerianness.
Kevin Onyemaechi Eze, a political analyst writes from Awka .
