Orji Uzor Kalu is a business tycoon cum politician who has served as the Governor of Abia State in Eastern Nigeria from 29th May 1999, to 29th May 2007. He is the chairman of SLOK Holding and the Daily Sun and New Telegraph newspapers in Nigeria, both of which are popular firms across Africa.
Background
Orji Uzor Kalu was born on the 21st of April, 1960 in the industrial city of Aba, Abia State into the family of Chief Tom Ikoro and Eunice Uzor Kalu. His father was a very influential colonial warrant chief who built the first storey building in Umuahia as early as the 1930s but was highly acclaimed for his insistence on discipline.
Education
Uzor went through his academic career at Christ the King School, Aba for his primary education, Eziama High School, Aba; Government College, Umuahia for secondary education and tertiary education at University of Maiduguri; Abia State University, Uturu where he obtained B.Sc in Political Science, Harvard University Graduate Business School (AMP 153) Boston, USA IEA Certificate by USAID, honorary doctorate degrees in Law by the University of Port Harcourt, Abia State University, Uturu, and City State University, Los Angeles, USA.
After rounding up his tertiary studies, Orji Uzo Kalu borrowed $35 from his mother with which he started trading in palm oil. He would buy the oil in the Eastern Nigeria and travel all the way to the North to sell them and make reasonable profit. He later started trading on furniture which he would buy and resell for some profits. Later, Orji Uzor Kalu founded a company called SLOK Holdings, a conglomerate that consists of other companies he had founded like International Bank Limited, Adamawa Publishers Limited, Ojialex Furniture Company, Supreme Oil Limited, SLOK Airline, SLOK Botswana, Cotonou, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, South Africa, SLOK Korea, SLOK Nigeria Limited, SLOK United States Incorporated, SLOK United Kingdom Limited, SLOK Vegetable Oil, Aba, SLOK Paper Factory, Aba, Sun Publishing Limited etc.
Orji Uzo Kalu later ventured into politics and became the governor of Abia Sate of Nigeria from May 29 1999 to May 29 2007.
(He is presently the Coordinator of Njiko Igbo, a non part...)
Religion
Athough Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has not made public his religious affiliation but it seems to be Christian because he is Igbo and the majority of the Igbo people are Christian.
Politics
His political views are best described from his works. His administration built over 300 roads in both urban and rural areas, renovated 820 schools; planted 510 hectares of rubber, 2 million pineapple suckers, 5 million palm and cocoa seedlings; distributed over 10 million day old chicks to civil servants, schools churches and cooperative bodies to boost the protein intake of the people of the state. Added to these was the establishment of a free medical scheme that saw about 1.5 million persons treated; introduction of tuition-free education in both primary and secondary schools, distribution of free computer sets, textbooks, mathematical sets, and desks; and the regular payment of workers and teachers salaries. His poverty eradication package was about the best in Nigeria. Apart from creating employment opportunities for thousands of youths, he empowered many indigent persons through the distribution of interest-free loans, motorcycles, buses and cars. It is also on record that his government paid arrears of pension and gratuity owed retired workers by past administrations in the state since 1991. His achievements when he was at the helm of affairs in Abia State is endless which fetched him THE ACTION GOVERNOR OF NIGERIA within six months of assumption of office in 1999, by President Olusegun Obasanjo who was on a state visit to Abia State on February 26, 2000.
Views
Quotations:
"A good businessman must have nose for business the same way a journalist has nose for news. In places where people see a lot of obstacles, I see a lot of opportunities. A good businessman sees where others don’t see."
"I am saying that an Igbo man should be president in 2015. It matters where the president comes from, because all segment of the society had been president. People continue letting Ndigbo down because they think we were defeated during the war, which is not true. And until an Igbo man rules this country, the country will not move anywhere."
"A good businessman sees where others don’t see. What I see, you may not see. You cannot see because that is the secret of the business… the entire world is a big market waiting for anybody who knows the rules of the game."
"If we should tell ourselves the truth, all things being equal, President Jonathan will be re-elected with minimal stress, because of his sterling performance in the last six years."
Membership
Uzor belongs to many professional and trade bodies which includes, Nigerian Institute of Directors, Nigerian Association of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria, Nigeria-Philippines Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nigeria Importers and Exporters Association, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Nigeria-British Chamber of Commerce, Nigeria-Israel Association, Spartansburg Chamber of Commerce S.C. USA and Association of Nigerian Products Exporters, Nigeria. He was a member of the National Sports Commission under the chairmanship of Chief S.B. Williams between 1989 and 1990, and Federal Government Commission on the Re-grading of Traditional Rulers.
Personality
Orji Kalu is a renowned philanthropist and humanist. This is evident with the scholarships his foundation has awarded to thousands of indigent students from all over the country. His milk of human kindness is unfathomable from the bridges of friendship he has built across cultures, races, and religions. His intimidating political profile, stupendous wealth, international connections, acceptability among his fellow politicians, transparent leadership, crusade against social injustice, corruption and inequity and above all, divine anointing are some of the qualities that stand him out.
Physical Characteristics:
He is Black, and has an average height.
Interests
A sports enthusiast par excellence, he is the chairman Nigeria Judo Federation. He was able to change the fortunes of the once comatose Enyimba Football Club of Aba. The club won the Nigerian League back to back. Enyimba Football Club, for the first time in the more than 38 years history of the African CAF League Cup Competition, won the trophy for Nigeria. It repeated the feat in 2004 when it defeated Esperance F.C. of Tunisia to win the trophy the second time. It crowned this feat by winning the CAF Super Cup back to back in 2004/2005.
He has won many local and international awards, the prominent being the Industrialist of the Year by the Nigeria Chamber of Commerce, Trade and Industry; Humanitarian Award by the Humanitarian Club of the prestigious University of Nigeria Nsukka; Volunteer Award by the International Association of Volunteers; and the National Merit Award of the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON), Youngest Bank Chairman Award by the famous Top Magazine when he became the chairman of Cooperative and Commerce Bank in 1987, a special award by the European union in Brussels, Belgium, Special Award by the Enugu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Fellow Bauchi Polytechnic, Fellowship Institute of Certified Management Accountants, and the prestigious Leon Sullivan Award by the World Bank, Washington. He is also a visitor of Miami Dave County in the State of Florida, United States of America.
He has won many local and international awards, the prominent being the Industrialist of the Year by the Nigeria Chamber of Commerce, Trade and Industry; Humanitarian Award by the Humanitarian Club of the prestigious University of Nigeria Nsukka; Volunteer Award by the International Association of Volunteers; and the National Merit Award of the Member of the Order of the Niger (MON), Youngest Bank Chairman Award by the famous Top Magazine when he became the chairman of Cooperative and Commerce Bank in 1987, a special award by the European union in Brussels, Belgium, Special Award by the Enugu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Fellow Bauchi Polytechnic, Fellowship Institute of Certified Management Accountants, and the prestigious Leon Sullivan Award by the World Bank, Washington. He is also a visitor of Miami Dave County in the State of Florida, United States of America.