“I Virtually Live In The Air now, Crisscrossing Continents.” Orji Uzor Kalu

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Former Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu, on Friday, shared his retirement experiences with serving governors at the 4th Retreat of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Mr. Kalu, who spoke through Gabriel Akinadewo, the Managing Director of the New Telegraph newspaper, said that public office should not be the beginning and end for anybody.

“It should not be the case that the quality of your life should drop drastically when you quit public office, simply because you have no second address,” Mr. Kalu said.

Is any of us born in Government House? No. Even if we were born there, a time to leave would come, as the next occupant of the place would show up. So it should not be that we become objects of pity after public office – sad, lonely, idle.

“For me, before public office, I was active in business, involved in corporate governance, both nationally and internationally. And when I left office, I returned to my original calling, which is business. That is the way it should be,” Mr. Kalu added.

The former Abia governor lamented that his businesses shrunk during his eight years tenure as governor due to the demands of public office.

Today, however, God has repaid me in several folds. I can hardly keep pace with all my investments in different parts of the world, and I virtually live in the air now, crisscrossing continents.”

While advising the governors to lean towards entrepreneurship at the end of their tenures, Mr. Kalu told them to remain politically active.

As a former governor, they will think you have all the money in the world, so they will continue to bring their needs to you. Therefore, think towards entrepreneurship, so that you can still meet the needs of people round you.

“You do not need to give them free money. Rather, you can give them opportunities in business where you have dominant shares, or link them with other colleagues and friends who equally have investments.

“If you don’t do this, they will abuse you as a selfish man, who does not give opportunities to others,” he said.

 

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