Opinion
Kalu: Changing The Leadership Narrative In The Green Chamber
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Udora Orizu writes that within a short period in office, the Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has proven to be a leader beyond party affiliations but for all.
Max De Pree, the author of the book Leadership is an Art, once wrote, “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.”
The above quote resonates with the Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who has proven that to be an effective leader, you must capture the essence of truth, and display sincerity, reliability, integrity, and candour.
On June 13th, a month after the National Working Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) endorsed him and Hon. Tajudeen Abbas as Deputy Speaker, Speaker respectively, the duo emerged victorious.
Since then, the second-term lawmaker, representing Bende federal constituency of Abia State assumed office, with the determination to deliver quality service, and the common good to the Nigerian people.
With recent interventions in the area of security and peace negotiations, the Deputy Speaker has shown true leadership by attempting to move the nation away from disputes and pushing them towards a peaceful path for the growth and prosperity of the society.
An instance was seen at the “All Markets Conference 2023 in Lagos,” themed: Catalysing Partnership with Traders through Innovation, Technology, Analytics & Sustainability.
Delivering a keynote address, the Deputy Speaker lamented that about N4 trillion has been lost to the stay-at-home problem in the southeast region within the last 2 years.
Kalu said that the situation observed every Monday in the region with the 5 States of Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo has crippled businesses and also stifled opportunities for economic growth.
He noted that violence was alien to the region and therefore called for a collective efforts by all Igbo sons and daughters to end the menace.
The Deputy Speaker said, “The existential threat to Igbo entrepreneurship and businesses now is the insecurity and sit-at-home problem in the Southeast. The mutation of this problem is largely unfathomable. It is becoming a cankerworm that is eating deep into our collective fortune as a people. We have to rise up to nip the problem in the bud. The first wave of the migration of Igbo businesses post-civil war was in the late 1980s and the 1990s, when, due to incessant kidnappings, thievery and a rise in occultism, Igbo businesses domiciled in Igbo land moved en masse to other parts of Nigeria and the west & central African region to thrive.
“We are currently witnessing the second wave of such migration of the Igbo businesses, this time around, due to the insecurity and the sit-at-home problem in our beloved region. Umunnem, this is not us. We are not known for these. If I do not tell you these truths as your son, then it will be difficult for anyone in governance from Ala-Igbo to tell you. I am pained by what our dear land has become. We have to be honest and sincere with ourselves.
“I make a heartfelt plea to each and every one of you. We cannot afford to retreat from our business endeavors. The stay-at-home order on Mondays has resulted in staggering losses of N4 trillion in the last two years in the Southeast alone according to statistical data by analysts at BusinessDay. This is also affecting the businesses of our brothers across Nigeria especially in the supply-chain. We must find lasting solutions to the security challenges in Igbo land, addressing them collectively with innovative strategies. My brothers and my sisters. We must think and think again!
“In this spirit, let us remember the longstanding harmonious relationship between the Yoruba and the Igbo, especially in Lagos and other parts of the Southwest. We have come a long way together, both economically and politically. We can draw inspiration from past collaborations, such as Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu’s role as the founding president of The Nigerian Stock Exchange in Lagos, and the partnership between Nnamdi Azikiwe and Sir Herbert Badmus Macaulay during the glory days of the then National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). Umunem na Umunnam, Igbo bu Igbo, let me assure you that my colleagues and I from the South East are committed to this task in the next four years of the current administration. With me as the Deputy Speaker, we will work together towards an inclusive and prosperous Nigeria.”
Again, on August 2, the Deputy Speaker urged members of the APC and Igbo leaders in the South-east to unite as one and pursue their common destiny against all odds.
Kalu who made the appeal when the leaders of the ruling party in Abia State paid him a courtesy call, also underscored the need to defeat insecurity in the South-east region.
He said, “I’m most delighted to have you here. The realization that we are all in this together, whether it’s in success or failure. There’s an igbo adage which says “Onye ahala nwanne ya”. We can’t achieve any major milestone as a people without being together. Our nemesis has always come when we believe we could be lone rangers. It doesn’t work, you will agree with me that it has never worked. The difference between our leadership and that of people from other jurisdictions, we find it difficult to stick together for a long time.
“That’s what differentiates us from others who are playing politics in other jurisdictions. I’m sure you’re not in doubt, if you are in doubt, check President Tinubu’s team yesterday and today and tell me who has changed. Is it Femi Gbajabiamila, Fashola, I can go on and on, they know what it means to stay together for a long period. Does it mean that all of them are scents in politics? Does it mean that nobody is offended in the course of politicking? The answer is no. The wisdom that has guided them to achieve what they are achieving today is the same wisdom that made them understand that a house that’s divided itself cannot stand and that progress is found in unity.
“We must therefore continue to push and together we shall overcome. Please push for more unity. I like the way spoke, go into reconciliation, open the windows and doors, let’s embrace people, that’s the spirit of togetherness, the spirit of democracy. With this mindset, I guarantee you, we will achieve a lot soon.”
The Deputy Speaker has also intervened in the areas of perceived marginalization of the Igbos, appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to give more slots to the zone. He pressed further his appeal when he visited the National Chairman of the ruling party, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
The events of the past two months have proven that the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu is a born leader. It’s no surprise when former minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Nwogu said God has prepared him for leadership.
His words, “You didn’t ask for leadership but we are bestowing leadership upon you. Take the first. Today marks a political watershed in the history of APC in Abia. You came at the right time when we had difficulties. You are a unifier. In a state where you do not have a serving, the highest political office holder becomes the leader. You have traits of leadership. You are a man born to be a leader. God prepared you.”
Just last Saturday, the Deputy Speaker was amongst the guests at the wedding of the son of the former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Lloyd and his wife Tiffany without minding that it was more or less, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dominated event.
Kalu was there amongst other dignitaries, three former Senate Presidents – Anyim Pius Anyim, David Mark, and Bukola Saraki,
Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, and Minister-designate, Senator David Umahi. Such interactions provide a launch pad for national cohesion and connection for the stability and progress of the country.
Udora Orizu is the Special Assistant on Press Affairs to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives
Opinion
Safeguarding Professional Autonomy and Healthcare Equity in Nigeria: A Call for Legislative Prudence
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Nigeria’s healthcare system stands at a critical crossroads. The recent alarm raised by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) regarding proposed amendments to key health regulatory laws deserves deep reflection, responsible dialogue, and urgent national attention.
The fundamental issue at stake is not professional rivalry but the preservation of professional autonomy, healthcare equity, regulatory integrity, and optimal service delivery for over 220 million Nigerians.
The proposed legislative changes, particularly those targeting the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) Act and allied regulatory statutes, appear to dangerously tilt toward regulatory centralization under a single professional group. This approach contradicts the global best practices of healthcare governance, which emphasize interprofessional collaboration, mutual respect, regulatory independence, and functional decentralization.
Professional Autonomy: A Pillar of Safe and Effective Healthcare
Globally, healthcare systems thrive when distinct professional groups operate within clearly defined regulatory frameworks, overseen by specialized councils.
Nigeria has long upheld this principle through statutory bodies such as the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria (RRBN), Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), and others.
Judicial precedents have consistently reaffirmed this regulatory independence. Notably, the Federal High Court judgment of October 2007 upheld the statutory powers of the PCN to regulate pharmacy practice across both public and private sectors. Similarly, the 2016 National Industrial Court ruling affirmed the autonomy and professional equality of medical laboratory scientists under the MLSCN Act. These rulings collectively establish that no single profession holds monopoly over healthcare governance.
Any attempt to override these long-standing regulatory frameworks risks eroding institutional balance, professional morale, and public trust.
Legislating Amid Judicial Consideration: A Constitutional Concern
The ongoing appeal in the matter FHC/ABJ/CS/559/2018, involving the scope of MDCN regulatory authority, raises serious constitutional red flags. Established parliamentary convention strongly discourages legislative interference in matters under active judicial consideration. Proceeding with amendments on these sensitive issues risks institutional conflict, legal contradictions, and governance instability.
Implications of the Proposed 2026 Medical Bill
The provisions of Section 42 (3) and (4) of the proposed Medical and Dental Practitioners Act 2026 represent a worrying departure from global healthcare trends. In many advanced and emerging health systems, pharmacists, nurses, and community health practitioners are increasingly empowered with structured prescribing rights, particularly for preventive, chronic disease, and primary healthcare services. This shift has demonstrably reduced patient waiting times, enhanced service efficiency, expanded access, and improved health outcomes.
Restricting prescribing authority solely to medical doctors undermines Nigeria’s Primary Healthcare (PHC) revitalization agenda, contradicts task-shifting and task-sharing policies, and threatens to overload an already strained medical workforce.
Pharmacy Regulation and National Drug Security
Pharmacy practice remains one of the most sensitive domains in healthcare governance due to its direct link to drug safety, national security, and public health protection. Nigeria’s inclusion of pharmacy regulation in the Exclusive Legislative List reflects the gravity of this responsibility.
The historical evolution of pharmacy legislation from colonial ordinances to the Pharmacists Act of 1964 and subsequent PCN Acts has firmly entrenched professional autonomy as the foundation of safe medicines management. Introducing loosely defined “community interest” positions into professional regulatory councils risks politicizing technical decision-making and weakening regulatory rigor.
Healthcare Apartheid: A Dangerous Path
JOHESU’s characterization of these reforms as an attempt to establish an “apartheid-style” regulatory system may sound strong, but it reflects deep professional anxiety over systemic subordination and institutional marginalization. Healthcare thrives on collaboration, not hierarchy; mutual respect, not dominance.
Nigeria cannot afford a healthcare system fractured by professional supremacy battles. Our focus must remain on patient-centered care, universal health coverage, health workforce motivation, and system resilience.
A Call to the National Assembly
I respectfully urge the National Assembly to approach these proposed amendments with constitutional caution, professional sensitivity, and national interest at heart. Laws governing healthcare must be instruments of unity, equity, efficiency, and safety, not tools for professional dominance.
A truly sustainable health system recognizes that doctors, pharmacists, nurses, medical laboratory scientists, radiographers, physiotherapists, and community health practitioners are equal partners in saving lives.
Conclusion
Nigeria’s health sector requires integration, not subjugation; collaboration, not centralization; respect, not regulatory conquest. The National Assembly must therefore reject any legislative attempt that threatens professional autonomy, judicial integrity, and healthcare harmony.
The future of Nigerian healthcare depends on balanced governance, shared responsibility, and collective commitment to national wellbeing.
Dr. Obube Olumide Abiodun, B.Pharm, MPH, MAW, FAIPH, PhD
Pharmacist | Public Health Scholar | Health Policy Advocate
Immediate Past Vice Chairman, PSN Ogun State Branch
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When Ogun State was created on February 3, 1976, I witnessed that moment as a fourteen-year-old student on the assembly ground of Nazareth High School, Imeko. We stood under the watchful eyes of our Principal, Reverend Akosile, and cheered with the innocence of boys and girls who sensed significance without fully grasping its weight. History arrived quietly that day. Its meaning unfolded over time.
That same year, my father, Prince Tijani Adebowale Isiaka, passed on. He was a transporter, a philanthropist, and a man devoted to community service. His life revolved around the people. His death left a deep silence. In that fragile season, the newly created Ogun State awarded me a scholarship that enabled my transition from a day student to a boarding student at Nazareth High School. The State became a steady presence when certainty disappeared.
Life at Nazareth broadened my understanding of Ogun beyond geography. I studied alongside children of farmers, traders, artisans, and civil servants from across the State. We shared classrooms, meals, struggles, and aspirations. Those bonds endure. Many of my classmates chose paths outside politics and became teachers, entrepreneurs, and leaders in other fields. They became the quiet backbone of Ogun. When I meet them today, I am reminded that leadership finds its true meaning in how policy shapes everyday lives, often far from public attention.
Secondary school formed my habits and values. Those habits later became the core of my ambitions. Discipline, fairness, teamwork, respect, and honesty defined daily life. Effort carried consequences. Responsibility demanded consistency. Through those years, Ogun was quietly forming my character, long before public service entered my thinking.
After a brief stint in the Mass Communication Department of the then Ogun State Polytechnic, like many sons and daughters of this State, I stepped beyond its borders to prepare for professional life and higher responsibilities. University life at Ife expanded my intellectual horizon. I encountered new ideas and perspectives. I observed how institutions thrive under discipline and falter when values weaken. Education sharpened my capacity while my identity remained firm. I carried Imeko with me.
I served first as Director of Organisation, and then as President of the then Egbado Students Association. That role clarified the meaning of representation. You speak for people who trust you to carry their voice. You listen carefully, balance interests, and act responsibly.
Ogun stayed present in my thinking, defining my sense of duty and restraint. Each step outward was taken to build capacity, and each time I returned to Ogun, I did so with a deeper understanding.
When I entered the corporate world, the lessons Ogun had planted in me proved essential. Corporate leadership demands discipline, accountability, and clarity of purpose. Targets must be met. Resource management requires prudence. I learned that leadership rests on systems, structure, and trust. The values instilled early prepared me for corporate responsibilities and equipped me to shoulder responsibility when opportunity arose.
My formal entry into public service came through Gateway Holdings, the investment company of the Ogun State Government, as the pioneer Group Managing Director. The mandate centred on professional asset management, protection, and value creation. I approached the role with a clear sense of duty, serving Ogun as a son of the soil, conscious that every decision reflected on the communities that raised me. Gateway Holdings was a public trust, demanding transparency, method, and respect for resources. Through this work, trust grew steadily, anchored in accountability and fidelity to process.
I subsequently entered into the journey of partisan politics and electioneering, taking me into the nooks and crannies of Ogun State. Those journeys deepened my understanding of the culture, diversity, and the peculiarities of our people. I saw their resilience, their aspirations, and the ways each community preserves its identity while contributing to the broader fabric of Ogun State. Every encounter reinforced my sense of duty and the weight of responsibility that comes with serving this State.
Ogun has taught me that trust grows quietly. It is built through consistency, through sustained presence, and through genuine attention to people’s concerns. The confidence I enjoy today rests on years of engagement, patience, and respect for institutions.
I have remained present beyond election cycles. I have listened more than I have spoken and consulted more than I have announced. I have learned that trust is gradual. It is earned through action, through reliability, and through a lifetime of shared experience.
I lived in Ogun as a child. I have learned and impacted Ogun through growth and through the communities that nurtured me. Ogun has moulded who I am. It has instilled in me values, discipline, and a sense of responsibility that guide every decision I make. The State is in me. Its lessons continue to inform my character, my purpose, and my commitment to service.
My Ogun story did not begin with politics. It began in Imeko. It grew through experiences. It matured through service and has been sustained by impact. Ogun formed my character before public service shaped my path. It prepared me for leadership long before ambition took shape. It remains the foundation of who I am.
As Ogun State celebrates its Golden Jubilee, I acknowledge the dedication of our leaders, past and present, whose vision and service have guided our growth and stability. Their efforts, sustained by the enduring belief of the people, continue to inspire our responsibility toward a brighter and more prosperous future.
May this anniversary renew our resolve. May it deepen our belief in service that places people first, in institutions that endure, and in a future worthy of the trust invested in us. Ogun has given me its values. I continue to believe in its promise.
Congratulations and happy Golden Jubilee, my dear Ogun State.
Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (GNI)
MHR, Yewa North/Imeko-Afon Federal Constituency
Chairman, House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development
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The Awujale of Ijebu Land is not merely a crown; it is a sacred trust rooted in centuries of custom, lineage, and collective consent. It is deeply alarming that, right before the beginning of the nomination process for the open stool, a single name, Abimbola Onabanjo, has been relentlessly amplified across blogs, social media, and online news platforms as the “new Awujale,” raising serious questions not just about the individual involved, but about the motivations behind such premature narratives.
More disturbing is the scale and coordination of the publicity. Media observers and social media monitors estimate that no fewer than 70 bloggers and content promoters, operating across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter (X), including several obscure and anonymously run platforms, have circulated the same unverified reports presenting Abimbola Onabanjo as the Awujale-in-waiting, or worse, as the crowned monarch himself. The repetition of identical language, imagery, and celebratory framing suggests something more deliberate than coincidence.
True leadership demands accountability. It would have reflected integrity for Abimbola to own the spread of these unverified reports. To now distance himself by blaming supporters for what is plainly a coordinated false-news campaign is disingenuous and unworthy of the moral stature required of a contender for the revered stool. Approval of misinformation, whether active or passive, undermines the dignity of the throne being sought.
Why the rush? Why the insistence on public coronation before traditional endorsement? In some quarters, Abimbola has been referred to as the online Awujale!
When an aspirant appears more invested in controlling the media narrative than respecting the process, it inevitably creates the impression of desperation for power and undermines the integrity of the selection process before it even begins.
The implications for Ijebu unity cannot be ignored. A kingship contest involving over 60 contenders requires restraint at the highest level. An aspirant falsely elevating himself prematurely risks inflaming tensions within the Fusengbuwa family, delegitimising the eventual outcome, and dragging a revered institution into unnecessary controversy.
It must also be asked whether this aggressive narrative reflects a deeper anxiety about relevance and authority.
This is not a declaration of guilt, nor a denial of Abimbola Onabanjo’s lineage or possible eligibility—if such eligibility exists. Rather, it is a call for restraint, transparency, and respect for tradition. True royalty does not need to shout. It waits.
Until the rites are completed, the staff formally handed over, and the people of Ijebu Land collectively recognise their monarch, there is no Awujale. Any portrayal to the contrary, whether by 70 bloggers or a hundred more, is premature and misleading.
Power pursued too loudly often exposes its own insecurity. And in the matter of the Awujale’s throne, patience is not weakness; it is tradition.
Gbenga Odugbesan is a social commentator, an Ijebu indigene, and writes from the United States of America
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