In an era where empowerment has been reduced to ordinary food as palliative and other unsustainable greekgifts, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of of the House of Representatives decided to take a different line to empower his people.
Instead of doing the similar eye service empowerment that are unsustainable, he decided to invest in his people’s small businesses so that a drop of water can turn to be a mighty ocean in future.
DrumAfricanews gathered that precisely on the eve of the New Year, as Abians and Bende people crossed into 2026, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu made a decision that would change the lives of some young people in Bende, as he empowered some Bende youths with 1 million naira each to start something meaningful for themselves.
From information gathered, many recipients of the money did not see the N1 million as just about giving them money. They took it like giving them a chance. Not just a mere chance, but a chance to dream again, a chance to learn a skill, and of course, a chance to start a business.
They equally saw a chance to become financially independent, a chance to look at themselves and say, I can actually do something with my life. And seven months later, something beautiful happened, as perfect testimonies are beginning to come.
DrumAfricanews took up the testimony of one of the beneficiaries, Ms Mary. Just recently during his visit at home, a young woman named Mary walked into the presence of the Deputy Speaker, his Chief of Staff and members of his caucus, carrying something she had made with her own hands.
After a seven-month gap, Mary came with the evidence that sustainable empowerment pays. She came not to show just her products but to encourage the Deputy Speaker that the funds he mapped out for the empowerment had not been wasted.
She thanked the Deputy Speaker for believing in and investing in her and stressed that she decided to make that belief count. Mary took the opportunity she was given and learned how to make snacks, pastries, or small chops, including her very sweet chin-chin, which she named “Uncle Ben’s Chin-Chin”.
Any Bible reader here will understand that Mary’s action is a complete allusion to Matthew 25:14-30. She was given 1 million, and seven months later, she returns to you with a product she had produced with the opportunity you gave her. Speaking in her own words, Mary said, “Sir, look at what your empowerment helped me become.”
The above moment must have been incredibly emotional for Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, because sometimes, as a leader, you don’t need another speech, another certificate, or another photograph. Sometimes, all you need is to see that the person you helped is standing on her own feet.
It is beyond you seeing that the money you gave did not disappear. It is all about seeing that your intervention became someone’s beginning, and also seeing that your decision to invest in a young person produced something tangible, and that was exactly what Mary showcased.
Most times in life, it is not just about being given. It could be about wishing that those you gave something to made it in life and that was exactly the joy that Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu felt, as he was not just very proud of himself, but proud of his decision seven months ago.
Mary is equally a lesson to young people out there. She could have chosen to simply receive the money, spent it and moved on, but she decided instead to learn, build, produce and come back to show gratitude and encourage the giver to continue in that line, as it pays.
Mary’s gratitude earned her more blessings, as witnesses to her testimony showed her that action attracts similar reaction. People who were present began bringing out more money to support Mary. Not because she begged for it, but because they’ve seen that she is industrious and will definitely put it to good use.
It is high time politicians and most philanthropists learnt that empowerment is not just the money you give someone. It is the story that comes after the money. It is the business that emerges with the money, and it is the skill that is acquired with the money, as well as the confidence that grows with it.
Mary and other young people from Bende who were liberated by the 1 million have stopped waiting for someone to save them because they now have something they can build with. They will not end up there because they will soon become wives and mothers who can now contribute to their family needs.
As young people, they can help employ other young persons. As women, they can look at their children and say, Mummy is doing something, and she will solve your problems soon.
Nothing is impactful like investing in people, believing in people and giving people the opportunity to express and explore what they can do to impact the world.
Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu has done his part and is still doing more. However, Mary’s story is bigger than mere empowerment to produce things like chin-chin. It is a story about opportunity given and opportunity taken and a story of trust that survived the challenges. It is simply a story about what happens when leadership chooses to invest in people.
DrumAfricanews reports that the most beautiful part of this story is that Mary did not come back to ask for another handout. Rather, she came back to show what she had done with the first opportunity. That is the kind of story that should make any leader proud.
When Rt Hon. Benjamin Kalu looked at Mary and saw more than a packet of chin-chin. He saw impact. He saw possibility. He saw a young Bende woman who had been given an opportunity and decided not to waste it.
He saw the very reason why empowerment matters. And one can only imagine what was going through his mind at that moment. Perhaps he was thinking, so this is what the 1 million became, from a decision made on the eve of the New Year.
One can only say, let Uncle Ben’s Chin-Chin become bigger than the name. Let it become a testimony. Let it become a brand. Let it become a business that employs other young people. Let one person’s opportunity become an opportunity for many others, because that is how communities grow.
That is how empowerment becomes sustainable. That is how leadership leaves footprints in the lives of ordinary people. Rt Hon. Benjamin Kalu did not just give Mary money; he gave her an opportunity to discover herself.
He gave her a chance to learn and equally gave her a platform to start. Today, she came back carrying the fruit of that opportunity in her own hands. That is what empowerment feels like. That is what it looks like when leadership puts people first. That is what happens when you do not just talk about empowering youths but actually put resources in their hands and allow them to build.
It is not debatable that this is the Bende everyone wants to see. A Bende where every seed planted through genuine empowerment continues to produce fruits that will outlive the moment it was planted.
People want a Bende where young people are not only given opportunities but are encouraged to turn those opportunities into something lasting.
People want a Bende where empowerment is not just a photograph or a ceremony, but a journey from receiving to learning, from learning to producing, and from producing to becoming self-reliant.
Mary’s story is proof that sometimes, all a young person needs is someone to believe in them and give them a chance. When that chance is given, beautiful things can happen.
