Kalu Advocates for Dismantling Inequality-Induced Obstacles

House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Rt. Mr. In order to protect communities, Benjamin Kalu has urged for the removal of obstacles brought about by disparities in access.

He made this statement during the 5th Amaka Ndoma-Egba Memorial Lecture, which took place over the weekend with the theme “Beyond Boundaries – Building Resilient Communities For Tomorrow” and was organized by Start-Rite Schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in partnership with the Victor & Amaka Ndoma-Egba Foundation (VANEF).

The purpose of the memorial lecture was to honor the memory and legacy of Mrs. Amaka Lauretta Ndoma-Egba, the late founder of Start-Rite Schools.

Dr. Clifford Ogbede, an executive director of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), served as the event’s chair.

“The late Mrs. Amaka Ndoma-Egba was more than the Founder of Start-Rite Schools, she was someone who embodied a rare blend of discipline, compassion, and unwavering belief in the transformative power of education,” stated Kalu, the event’s chairman, through Dr. Ogbede in his introductory remarks.

“She felt that every child should have the chance to overcome the constraints of their surroundings and that excellence should not be limited by circumstances.”

“Resilience is not accidental, it is built through values, vision, and intentional investment in people,” the deputy speaker said, urging leaders, educators, legislators, and parents to work toward developing inclusive, inventive, and future-ready systems and communities.

“The idea of going beyond boundaries is a call to stretch our imagination about what education, leadership, and community development should be,” he said. It calls on us to tear down the unseen barriers that inequality and access disparities have built.

“Mrs. Ndoma-Egba’s work serves as a reminder that when we dare to reimagine what is possible and then take audacious action to make it real, transformative progress occurs.” In a similar vein, developing resilient communities calls much more than just infrastructure or legal systems. Character, empathy, solidarity, and a shared dedication to the common good are all necessary. Resilience is the key to surviving in a society where social, technological, and economic changes happen quickly. Understanding this, the late Amaka Ndoma-Egba founded a school that not only imparts knowledge but also develops people capable of navigating uncertainty and leading meaningful lives. A community like that guarantees that tomorrow will be more resilient than today.

Former Cross River State Governor Mr. Donald Duke, the keynote speaker, emphasized the value of giving back to the community.

“Most societies in the world have been built not necessarily by the government,” the former Cross River helmsman stated. However, those private persons who have succeeded and are contributing. And Amaka Ndoma-Egba has carried out this action.

“We will be a great nation if every single one of us in Nigeria’s elite class can give back something to those outside our immediate family,” he declared.

“There are three stages in life,” Duke remarked, urging the Start-Rite students to focus and maximize their time. The first 25 years are the initial stage. That’s the learning period. You take in as much information as you can, study as much as you can. Earn as much as you can within the next 25. That brings you to fifty years. And after fifty years, you offer more than you anticipate. Giving back is that.

“For the records, the Amaka Ndoma-Egba Memorial Lecture is more than a commemoration,” said Advisory Board Chairman Ndoma-Egba, who also happens to be the Pro-Chancellor/Chairman Governing Council of Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE). It is a center for ideas, a marketplace for information, and a venue where the goals of the next generation are met with the experience of today’s leaders. With its motto, “Securing the Future,” Start-Rite Schools gives young people the chance to interact with visionaries, pick the brains of great leaders, and develop the attitude necessary to lead with impact, integrity, and innovation.

Mr. Femi Akinlade, the principal of Start-Rite Schools, claimed that five years after the founder’s passing, the school has continued to grow stronger under the direction of the Board, which is managed by her husband, Senator Ndoma-Egba, as he welcomed attendees to the event.

The establishment of an advisory board led by her husband, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, OFR, SAN, CON, LLD, following her tragic death on November 19, 2020, provided us with stability as we navigated the next chapter without our founder. Akinlade said, “Tonight, we see that dream alive, vibrant, and growing stronger every day; it is a legacy that keeps blossoming, stretching into new horizons.”

“We have recorded a 77% increase in students in just five years,” he continued. The variety of talent we currently foster is evidence of the welcoming ethos our founder promoted, and our classrooms are fuller and our hallways are alive with new ideas.

“We achieved a 100% pass at distinction and credit levels in the West Africa Senior School Certificate (WASSCE) this year, as we did last year.” The over 90% distinctions across all disciplines, rather than the 100% credit pass, which was also obtained last year, are what made this outcome better than the previous one.

In his statement, Mr. Joseph Oru, the chairman of VANEF, stated that the Foundation was founded to uphold the principles that the late Amaka advocated.

“Mrs. Amaka Lauretta Ndoma-Egba finished her time here five years ago and left a mark that continues to speak,” Oru said. Many children were given possibilities they might not have dreamed of because to her work in education and community assistance. One of their manifestations is Start-Rite Schools, but so were the humanitarian projects she supported and the scholarships she discreetly funded.

The Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, OFR, CON, LL.D., SAN, pledged to establish a framework that guarantees this influence does not diminish over time in order to uphold the principles she stood for. The Victor and Amaka Ndoma-Egba Foundation (VANEF) was established as a result of this dedication.

Former Edo State Governor Senator Oserheimen Osunbor, former Justice Minister Chief Bayo Ojo and his spouse Justice Folashade Ojo of the Court of Appeal, Cardinal John Onayekan, Bishop Anselm Umoren, former Justice Minister Chief Kanu Agabi, Senators Nicholas Ugbane, Musa Adede, Mathew Mbu, Hon. Victor Abang, the departing VC, Professor Abayomi Fasina, and the VC-designate, Professor Joshua Ogunwole, are among the FUOYE Governing Council members.

The memorial lecture included an art and photography display that highlighted the kids’ artistic abilities, talent, and inventiveness.