- Orji Uzor Kalu is the full name of this Nigerian politician.
- The 21st of April 1960 is the day when Orji Kalu was born.
- He is currently a family man, being married and raising four kids.
- He has Igbo blood running through his veins.
- Similar to his parents, he follows the Christian faith.
- He formerly served as governor of Abia State.
- He is now serving as the Senator for Abia North.
- He presently serves as the Senate’s Chief Whip in Nigeria.
- It is estimated that he is currently worth $1.3 billion.
- After being found guilty in 2019, he was eventually released the following year on the basis of procedural issues.
Who is Orji Kalu?
Orji Kalu is a prominent politician and businessperson in his home country of Nigeria. He currently serves as a senator for the Abia North Senatorial District. The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has appointed him Chief Whip of the Senate. The 21st of April, 1960 was the day of his birth.
From the 29th of May, 1999, until the 29th of May, 2007, Orji Kalu was the Governor of Abia State in Nigeria. He currently serves as the head honcho of the Nigerian newspapers Daily Sun and New Telegraph under the umbrella company SLOK Holding.
Before he was elected, he was the head of the Borno Water Board and the Cooperative and Commerce Bank Limited, respectively. Additionally, he was a member of the PDP and the PPA, in addition to serving as chairman of the PPA Board of Trustees.
He ran for office as a candidate for the All Progressives Congress in the 2019 elections, with the goal of representing the people of Abia North in the senate. With more than 10,000 votes, he was able to unseat the incumbent senator, Moa Ohuabunwa, who belonged to the People’s Democratic Party.
Orji Kalu’s Early Life
Orji Kalu is the son of Johnson Uzor Nesiegbe Kalu and Eunice Kalu. In Abia State, where Orji Kalu was born, the name of his hometown is Igbere. Igbere is an affluent suburb located in the Bende local government of Abia State in Nigeria’s South-East geopolitical zone. The town is the epicenter of the Old-Bende Division of the former Eastern Nigeria, and it is also commonly referred to by its other name, Igbere Ebiri. Igberian is a term that can refer to the people who live in Igbere as well as their heritage and anything that is related to or characteristic of Igbere or its inhabitants.
Orji Kalu’s Career
Orji Kalu got his start in palm oil trade, and eventually expanded to wholesale purchases and resales of furniture.
He founded SLOK Holding, a conglomerate that has aided businesses such as Ojialex Funiture Company, SLOK United Kingdom Limited, Adamawa Publishers Limited, SLOK Nigeria Limited, and many more.
In 1986, at the age of 26, Kalu Orji received Nigeria’s highest civilian honor, the National Merit Award, from President Ibrahim Babangida. He received the National Merit Award, the International Association of Volunteers’ Volunteer Award, the World Bank’s Leon Sullivan Award, and the Humanitarian Club Award. He was named Industrialist of the Year by the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce.
He became the head of First International Bank Limited when he was only 33 years old. While working as a principal at SLOK Holding, he was also responsible for managing Nigeria’s business connections with the SinoPacific Shipbuilding Company in China.
Orji Kalu’s Education
Christ the King School in Aba and Government College in Umuahia were the schools that Orji Kalu attended for his primary and secondary schooling, respectively.
Following the completion of his education at Berewa College in Ziara, he went on to pursue a degree in Political Science at the University of Maiduguri.
Orji Kalu has been awarded honorary doctorates from both the University of Maiduguri and Abia State University, in addition to a degree from Abia State University and a certificate in business administration from Harvard University.
Orji Kalu’s Political Career
In 1999, Orji Kalu won the election to serve as the Governor of Abia State on the ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In 2023, he won re-election to his position as Governor. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) served as his platform.
In 2006, he parted ways with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and established the Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA). In 2007, Orji Kalu ran for the presidency on the platform of the People’s Progressive Alliance.
In 2011, Orji Kalu ran on the People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) ticket as a candidate for the Senate seat representing Abia North. In 2012, he re-enrolled as a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Later on, Orji Kalu rejoined the Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA) in order to run for the Senate seat in the election that took place in 2015.
In 2016, he became a member of the political party known as the All Progressives Congress (APC). In 2019, he was successful in his bid to become the senator for the state’s Abia North district. In 2019, his fellow senators in Nigeria chose Orji Kalu to fill the role of Chief Whip of the Senate.
Orji Kalu has been a diehard supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he describes as a “close friend and father,” and believes that Buhari deserves all the support he can get to improve Nigeria.
Orji Kalu’s Arrest & Conviction
Orji Kalu was taken into custody on July 11, 2007, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on charges of corruption that he allegedly committed while he was serving as governor of Abia State. After some time, he was freed after posting bail. He said that the government of Olusegun Obasanjo had been punishing him both during and after the year that he had served in office.
A verdict of guilty was rendered against Orji Kalu on the 5th of December, 2019, by the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court. Because of the fraud that he perpetrated, he received a sentence of twelve years in jail as a result of his actions.
During the eight years that he served as governor of Abia State, he was accused of using his firm, SLOK Nigeria Limited, to perpetrate fraud against the state government. As a result, he was taken into custody and charged with the crime. When he was imprisoned, he was taken to Ikoyi Prison in Lagos.
In the same year that he was found guilty, Kalu Orji petitioned a Lagos High Court to be allowed to post bail so that he might be released from custody. In spite of this, the court did not grant his plea for parole since they concluded that there was no basis for it.
On May 8, 2020, the Supreme Court of Nigeria handed down a ruling that his trial had been improperly conducted. He was released from jail pending the outcome of his retrial, which was ordered.
Reportedly, Justice Eko stated that the trial judge who ruled against and condemned Orji Kalu and his co-defendant was already a justice in the Court of Appeal when he did so.
On June 3, 2020, after a great deal of back-and-forth with the Nigerian Correctional Service, Orji Kalu was finally allowed to leave their custody.
FAQs
What Is Orji Kalu’s Belief? Is He A Christian or Muslim?
Kalu Orji is a devout Christian from Nigeria’s predominantly Christian southeast.
What Is Orji Kalu’s Marital Status? Is He Married? Single, Divorced, Or In A Relationship?
Ifeoma Ada Menakaya, who is now known as Ifeoma Orji Uzor Kalu, is Orji Kalu’s wife. She is the one and only woman he has ever married.
Orji Kalu’s Children: How Many Children Does He Have?
Orji Kalu is the father of four children, and their names are Neya Uzor Kalu, Michael Uzor Kalu, Nicole Uzor Kalu, and Olivia Uzor Kalu.
What is Orji Kalu’s Net Worth?
Several different sources agree that Kalu Orji has a net worth that is greater than $1.3 billion.
