Date Published: 12/13/09

Dear Sir,

Orji Kalu and the visit to the Pope

People who took a look at the pictorial statements involving Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu’s recent visit to the Pope at the Vatican, may have had varied feelings. Many are saying that only God knows what he must have told the Pope or what prompted the visit.

Kalu true to self ensured that he did not only secure a handshake with the Pontiff but also kissed Papal hand. The most glaring was the picture in which Kalu sat in a congregation or was it an assembly; he stood out as the only black amongst the whites. He made sure he was the only black amongst the seated. A friend of mine squealed that Kalu must have ‘bribed’ the person who occupied that seat earlier in order to secure the posture in the photo-shoot, opining he may have wanted to pretend that he was the only black person in the congregation.

There were so many other schools of thought why he undertook the journey. A school of thought guessed that he must have gone there to solicit for prayers to get him out of the EFCC debacle or even seek Pope’s prayer for redemption of Nigeria. Another had it that after his alleged Okija outing, he may have gone for cleansing; making him a born-again. Yet another had it that it should not be ruled out that Kalu may come out with “OUK Seminary” or something of the sort.

But in all, many believe he did not go there for the fun of it. To me, I believe that Kalu went there on a good purpose. Only time will tell what his mission was.

Dr. Thomas Babatunde Fawora

185, Marina, Lagos