Benjamin Kalu Mourns Gregory University Founder, Professor Gregory Ibe

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has mourned the death of Professor Gregory Ibe, founder and Chancellor of Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State.

Ibe, who was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the 2023 Abia State governorship election, was also the founder of Innov8 Hub, an innovation and start-up incubation centre in Abuja.

Kalu expressed his condolences in a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu. He described the late professor as a renowned scholar, industrialist, philanthropist, visionary and community leader whose contributions had made a lasting impact on society.

The Deputy Speaker said Ibe was a strong believer in education as a tool for empowerment and demonstrated that commitment by establishing Gregory University to provide educational opportunities for future generations.

According to Kalu, the late academic’s decision to establish the institution reflected his dedication to human capital development and his belief in the transformative power of education.

He also noted that Ibe’s involvement in politics was motivated by a desire to serve the people and contribute to the development of his community and state.

Kalu described the professor’s death as a significant loss to the academic community, Abia State and Nigeria as a whole.

“His death is a monumental loss to academia, to his community, to the state, and to Nigeria at large,” he said.

The Deputy Speaker extended his condolences to Ibe’s immediate family, the management, staff and students of Gregory University, his political associates and everyone whose life was touched by his work.

He urged the bereaved family and members of the university community to draw comfort from the late professor’s enduring contributions, particularly the institution he established and the people he helped through education and other initiatives.

“Please be comforted that his legacy lives on in the thousands of lives he lifted, the institution he built, and the values he stood for,” Kalu said.

He prayed for God to grant the family the strength to bear the loss, adding to the tributes honouring Ibe’s contributions to education, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and public service.