Benjamin Okezie Kalu is a

Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was derived from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jo ...

politician who is currently serving as the deputy speaker of the

House of Representatives of Nigeria The House of Representatives (also called Green Chamber) is the lower chamber of Nigeria's bicameral National Assembly of Nigeria, National Assembly. The Senate of Nigeria, Senate is the upper chamber. The Green Chamber has 360 members who ar ...

since 2023. He represents the Bende federal constituency.

Life, education and political career

Benjamin Okezie Kalu was born on 5 May 1971 in Agbamuzu, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. He holds multiple degrees, including a Master of Business Administration from

Oxford Brookes University Oxford Brookes University (OBU; formerly known as Oxford Polytechnic) is a public university, public university in Oxford, England. It is a new university, having received university status through the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. Th ...

, a Master of Law in terrorism and international humanitarian law (distinction), and a Bachelor of Law (LL.B Hons.) from the

University of Calabar The University of Calabar is a federal university situated in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. It is one of Nigeria's second-generation federal universities. The University of Calabar was a campus of the University of Nigeria until 1975. ...

. Kalu was called to the Nigerian Bar after completing his studies at the Nigeria Law School in Enugu State, Nigeria. In addition to his formal education, Kalu has obtained several certifications in Migration and Human Rights from

John Cabot University John Cabot University (JCU) is a private American university in Rome, Italy. It was founded in 1972 and it offers undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and study abroad programs to English-speaking students. The university has more than 700 ...

, Italy, Illicit Trade from the

University of Groningen The University of Groningen (abbreviated as UG; , abbreviated as RUG) is a Public university#Continental Europe, public research university of more than 30,000 students in the city of Groningen (city), Groningen, Netherlands. Founded in 1614, th ...

, Netherlands, Governance and Development from

Miami Herbert Business School Miami Herbert Business School (officially the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School) is the business school of the University of Miami, a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida. The school was founded in 1929 ...

, Miami University, USA, Environmental Crimes from the

United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) is one of the five United Nations Research and Training Institutes. The institute was founded in 1968 to assist the international community in formulating and imple ...

(UNICRI), Italy and International Commercial Arbitration from the

Chartered Institute of Arbitrators The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (abbreviated as CIArb) is a professional organisation representing the interests of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) practitioners. Founded on 1 March 1915, it was granted a royal charter by Queen Elizabe ...

(CIARB) at the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

, United Kingdom. Kalu's political career began in 2002 when he contested for the House of Representatives primaries. He served as the Local Government Chairman (Transition) for Bende Local Government Area,

Abia State Abia is a state in the Southeastern region of Nigeria. The state's capital is Umuahia and its most populous city is Aba. Abia is bordered the west by Imo, east by Cross River, south by Rivers, northwest by Anambra and northeast by Enug ...

and held various advisory roles to the then Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu. He has also served as the National Chapter President of the Peoples Democracy Party in Diaspora, the youngest Local Government Chairman of Bende Local Government Area, and Senior Special Adviser to Theodore Orji on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Abia State, Nigeria. He was re-elected in 2023 and he is currently the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria. His roles in the 10th Assembly include chairman of the Constitution Review and Amendment Committee.

Legislative activities

As the spokesperson of the 9th Assembly, Kalu proposed and supported various bills, motions, and acts, including the Acts Authentication Act, and the Nigerian Communications Act. He currently serves as Chairman of the House Committee on the review of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

Projects

Kalu is the convener of the Peace in the South East Project (PISE), which aims to use non-kinetic means to resolve insecurity in the South East Region of Nigeria. He also led the Sudan Darfur Project in Australia for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, focusing on fundraising and providing orientation for refugees. He is also the founder of the Benjamin Kalu Foundation, a charity organization.

Personal life

Kalu is married and has five children.

Awards and recognition

* Valuable Parliamentarian by OrderPaper * Outstanding Representative Member of the Year at the Democracy Heroes Award Africa * 2021 Zik's Award of Excellence on Civic Engagement * South East and Abia State Federal Lawmaker of the Year Award by Independent Newspaper * Outstanding Legislative Contribution Award towards Improving Tuberculosis policy and Funding in Nigeria * Leadership Excellence (LEEX) Awards * 2019 Humanitarian Service Award * FLO FM Icon Award as the Most Impactful Lawmaker of the Year * Model of Media and Public Relation Matters Award

Membership

* Member of the African Union Pan African Parliament, serving under the Finance and Admin Committee * Member of the ECOWAS Parliament, serving as the chairman of the Finance, Administration and Budget Committee * Fellow of OSHAssociation United Kingdom * Fellow of the Chartered Institute of International Arbitrators (CIARB UK) * Member of the

Nigerian Bar Association The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is a non-profit, umbrella professional association of lawyers admitted to the Bar by the Council of Legal Education in Nigeria. It is engaged in the promotion and protection of human rights, the rule of law and ...

(NBA) * Fellow of the Institute of Administrative Managers (F.Inst.AM)

Publications

* Kalu, Benjamin & Miebaka, Nabiebu (2024). The International Criminal Court: Analyzing Its Efficacy in Combating International Crimes in the 21st Century. Advances in Law, Pedagogy, and Multidisciplinary Humanities, 2(1), 85-104. * Benjamin Okezie Kalu & Amarachukwu Onyinyechi Ijiomah (2024). The Evolution and Impact of Terrorism in Africa: Historical Context, Key Actors, and Counter-Terrorism Measures, PINISI Journal of Art, Humanity and Social Studies, Vol. 4 (1), E-ISSN 2747-2671. * Benjamin Okezie Kalu and Ugonna Obi-Emeruwa (2024). Climate Adaptation Policy and Food Security in Nigeria: Evaluating Strategies, Challenges and Future Directions, Journal of African Gender, Peace and Security Studies Review, Vol. 3, No. 1, ISSN 0189-7934. * Kalu, Benjamin Okezie & Miebaka, Nabiebu (2024). The International Criminal Court: Analyzing Its Efficacy in Combating International Crimes in the 21st Century. Advances in Law, Pedagogy, and Multidisciplinary Humanities, 2(1), 85-104. * Ugonna Obi-Emeruwa, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Oyindamola Kolapo (2024). Need for Africanization of Militaries in Africa, Journal of African Gender, Peace and Security Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 1, ISSN 0189-7934. * Kalu, Benjamin Okezie & Ijiomah, Amarachi (2024). Rethinking Islamophobia: A Transnational Crisis of Identity for the Potential Terrorist. Advances in Law, Pedagogy, and Multidisciplinary Humanities, 2(2), 1-23. * Benjamin Okezie Kalu and Amarachukwu Onyinyechi Ijioma (2024). The Impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on Economic Growth and Development in Nigeria: Prospects, Challenges, and Policy Implications, GNOSI: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Human Theory and Praxis. Volume 7, Issue 2, July-December, 2024 ISSN (Online): 2714-2485. * Kalu, Benjamin Okezie & Ijioma, Amarachi Onyinyechi (2024). International Legal Regime: Analysis of Cases Relating to Global Terrorism. GNOSI: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Human Theory and Praxis, 7(1), 246-245.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kalu, Benjamin Living people All Progressives Congress politicians Nigerian political candidates University of Calabar alumni Year of birth missing (living people) Members of the House of Representatives (Nigeria) from Abia State Members of the 9th National Assembly (Nigeria) Members of the 10th National Assembly (Nigeria)