I remember listening to him in the faculty of arts UNN boardroom. I was a second year student of English and the Ansa building where the conference held housed two of the English and Economics departments.
Prof' Ogbu Kalu was of the Department of religion, and like most of us young Isiugwu Ohafia freshers, his office and residence down the professors' quarters were pilgrimage centers. Our families referred us to him. He was always helpful. I remember Prof sitting on the high table among other professors. Don't forget Prof promoted the Ohafia fashion everywhere he was. And when as the guest speaker he rose to speak, I was transported to another realm of Ohafia culture. Prof spoke on Ima inyinya in Ohafia and its significance in greatness among the Ohafia. He was using the symbol for a deeper importance I can't remember now. But the experience was awesome. Do they still have this inyinya cultural practice in Ohafia?
I'm not sure here how many really listened to prof's lectures. They were amazing and transformational. I would thereafter read his other works, seminal works on the coming of Christianity and the Ohafia or Igbo or African challenge at the UNN library named after its founder, Zik. There among the classics of the humanities were my uncle's works. His titles were cultural reflective of his position. He was proudly in support of the African cultural challenge to the encroaching colonial religion without rejecting or condemning the invading on the areas he liked.
His works in one word are classically evergreen.
And they are classic as any seminal works anywhere. Towards his end, though, I noticed a twist in his faith. He was becoming very born again, preaching and organizing crusades. How that affected his last book on pentecostalism, I am yet to ascertain. All I know is that among the stars circling the globe stare at us the eyes named Prof Ogbu Kalu from the land of the rolling hills, where the clay farms mashed in palms defy the ravages of the elephants.
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