My Conduct of Oral PhD Defence By Dep Speaker Kalu at University of Calabar’s Faculty of Law

By Ikenga Oraegbunam

I have read what Prof Abiodun Ojo of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti and some others wrote concerning the attainment of Law PhD by the Rt Honourable Benjamin Okezie Kalu.

I say with every sense of responsibility that the write ups by Professor Ojo and some others were ill-made and the facts quite unverified.

However, I can only write about the viva voce (Oral) defence, which I was invited by the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, to conduct. The title of Kalu’s dissertation is “Evaluating the Efficacy of Anti-Terrorism Legislation in Nigeria: Human Rights Challenges and Lessons for Emerging Democracies”.

I was given a sufficient time to read the dissertation before fixing a date for the defence.

The Faculty did not, in any way, introduce the candidate to me before hand. In fact, I discovered it was the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives only when I was going through the Acknowledgements. As soon as I found out, I instructed myself to be more thorough in scrutinizing the dissertation.

At the oral defence (which lasted for almost 2 hours), before a full panel, I asked the candidate pertinent questions and insisted to get the answers without fear or favour. In fact, I drilled the examinee to the point of intellectual elastic limit.

More so, I was testing not just the intellectual capacity, but also the character of Benjamin Kalu in relation to humility, candor and prudence. I did this because I understand that both character and learning are essential elements of scholarship and of passing through a university.

I hereby make bold to say that Benjamin Kalu answered my questions brilliantly, satisfactorily and to the point. Where he seemed to derail, I made sure I brought him back to the issue. He discharged his onus as he had his onions.

Still more, he defended his work eloquently with humility, candor and dexterity. In fact, after the defence, in my general comments, I had to tell him in the open (coram omnia) that I became more thorough in the assessment just because of his status.

I have been an External Examiner for the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar for over one year now. I can attest that Benjamin Kalu’s work/viva voce defence is so far one of the best I have experienced.

Personally, I am not perfect, as no one is, but when it comes to academic thoroughness, I do not compromise standards. The quality of Dr. Kalu’s work was ensured and assured.

I humbly advise my brother Prof Abiodun Ojo and all others who share his views to please cross check their facts.

*Rev Fr Ikenga K. E. Oraegbuna is a Professor of Law and Applied Jurisprudence, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria