Orji Uzor Kalu

Orji Uzor Kalu is a Nigerian politician and businessman. He is the Chairman of SLOK Holding, a West African conglomerate with interests in shipping, banking, oil trading, manufacturing and the media. Kalu is the Chairman of the Daily Sun, a daily print newspaper and the highest selling newspaper in Nigeria, as well as the New Telegraph, Nigeria’s first politically independent all-national newspaper. He also served as the Governor of Abia State from 1999 to 2007.

After studying at Barewa College, Zaria, he enrolled in the University of Maiduguri, where he studied political science. During his time at the university, Kalu became a student activist and participated in the “Ali Must Go” riots against the education minister. His participation resulted in his suspension. While his fellow students later took the school authorities to court, Kalu left school to build his own business. Kalu has a degree from Abia State University, a Certificate in Business Administration from Harvard University and honorary doctorates from Maiduguri and Abia State’s universities.

In 2019, Kalu was convicted by the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court and sentenced to 12 years in prison for defrauding Abia State’s government, using his company, Slok Nigeria Limited. Recently, the supreme court nullified his conviction and ordered his release for a re-trial.