...........𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚'𝒔 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒔 Earlier this week, the corridors of power in Abuja reverberated with the hopeful aspirations of a group dedicated to the preservation of Nigeria's rich linguistic heritage.  The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, welcomed the Governing Board of the Nigerian Institute of Nigerian Languages (NINLAN), led by the esteemed Professor Victor Ukaogo.  This courtesy visit was more than a mere formality; it was a pivotal moment in the journey towards recognizing and enhancing the importance of indigenous languages in a rapidly globalizing world. As the discussions unfolded, it became clear that the primary focus of the meeting was the proposed bill aimed at upgrading NINLAN into the University of Nigerian Languages, a transformative step that promises to reshape the educat...

  ........... 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆𝒔 𝒕 𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏  Last week, the House of Representatives presented a total of 81 bills, covering a wide range of topics.  Out of these, one bill stood out and stole the spotlight – the Fiscal Responsibility Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2024, presented by the Deputy Speaker Rt Hon Benjamin Okezie Kalu, the Member representing Bende Federal Constituency. The Bill, also known as HBs 1478, 71, 873 and 109, aims to repeal and enact the Fiscal Responsibility Act, as well as amend it for better effectiveness.  With its comprehensive approach and focus on addressing loopholes in the existing framework, this bill has emerged as the STAR bill among the 81 presented. The Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) was first enacted in 2007 with the objective of promoting prudent and transparent management of the nation's resources, ensuring long-term macroeconomic sta...

  ........... 𝒂𝒔 𝑹𝒕 𝑯𝒐𝒏 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒏 𝑲𝒂𝒍𝒖 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒕𝒊 𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒕  In the heart of Geneva, the 149th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly recently convened, bringing together global leaders and lawmakers to discuss pressing international issues.  Among them was Nigeria's Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, who stood firm in his commitment to resolving one of the most enduring conflicts of our time: the Israel-Palestine conflict.  His words resonated with a clarion call for justice, self-determination, and mutual respect—principles that underpin the aspirations of both nations. Rt Hon Kalu's address was not merely a reiteration of Nigeria's longstanding position; it was a profound acknowledgment of the unique role that parliamentary diplomacy can play in fostering dialogue and understanding.  In a world wh...

  ............ 𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒊 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒅𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒘 𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕  In the grand tapestry of global politics, few threads shine as brightly as that of Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives in Nigeria.  His remarkable journey from the local halls of Bende Federal Constituency to the prestigious podium of the World Parliament stands as a testament to the power of dedication, excellence, and cultural pride.  This narrative not only celebrates his achievements but also reflects the potential of African leadership on the global stage. Benjamin Kalu's ascent through the ranks of legislative bodies is nothing short of extraordinary.  Having represented Nigeria in the ECOWAS Sub-regional Parliament and the African Union Regiona...