Nigerians have been encouraged to strive for integrity and also be committed to honesty, justice and truth in their dealings to wipe out corruption in the nation.
Shina Odugbemi, Project Manager, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) Resource Centre, gave the advice, while speaking during the second edition of the Gani Fawehinmi Impact and Integrity Awards, instituted by HEDA with the support of MacArthur Foundation which took place in Ikeja, Lagos.
The award was in honour of the late human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Gani Fawehinmi to immortalise him as a symbol of honesty, integrity and transparency.
He stated that the award was aimed at promoting integrity, accountability and whistle blowing in Nigeria, stressing that the award was conferred on deserving Nigerians of imperturbable character, courage, selflessness and honesty.
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Odugbemi who represented Suraj Olanrewaju, HEDA chairman at the event noted that the goal of the Award, is to encourage Nigerians to strive for integrity and patriotic commitment to honesty, justice, truth and fairness in the quest to stamp out corruption in both private and public spheres.
Barr. Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, chairman of the occasion, while speaking, said that the late legal luminary remained a shining example to the younger generation, while encouraging the youths to emulate his honesty and integrity.
Sergeant Umar Bashir won the outstanding integrity award category, while Dr. Kadri Kehinde, a senior lecturer at the University of Ilorin won the outstanding impact award category and Muritala Aliyu Ibrahim, Unit Head, ICT/Process Audit and Special Investigation Unit at the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) won the whistle blower award category.
Sergeant Umar won in the category based on when he and his colleagues, while on patrol at Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, found $37,000 belonging to one Alhaji Ahmad. He had called the owner and returned the money.
Dr. Kadiri clinched to the prize for using pictures to drive humanitarian projects to rural villages in Kwara State, while Ibrahim got the award for paying with his job for exposing corruption in the bank.
