By Elizabeth EZE
A News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) Staff, Mrs Bukola Adewunmi has been awarded the Integrity Idol Award for displaying honesty in the line of duty.
Adewunmi, a senior correspondent with NAN and five others were presented with the award on Thursday in Abuja.
Other awardees include, Mr Abdul Majid Oniyanyi, a Magistrate with FCT Magistrate Court, Mr Bravo Otahabru, Supply Chain Director, National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA).
A state Director, National Youth Service Corps, Anambra and Mr Benson Agwu, Mr Aremo Kehinde, a journalist with Ebonyi Newspaper.
Chief Executive Officer of Accountability Lab, Nigeria, organiser of the award Mr Friday Odeh, said the Integrity Idol was a national campaign led by the Lab in partnership with Ford Foundation and Mac Arthur Foundation.
Odeh said the essence of the award was to identify and celebrate Nigeria’s honest government officials.
“While Oniyanyi was awarded for his transparent judgement and high morals in executing his duty in the court, Otahabru was awarded for instilling integrity in the procurement and supply chain in (NACA).
“Similarly, Adewunmi was awarded for her integrity and non-compromise in investigative journalism where she was arrested alongside her children in trying to get information on fraudulent transaction between public and private sector organisations in Abuja.
“Kehinde was awarded for maintaining high standard of data base operation at the NYSC in Anambra and exposing sharp practices by some officials of the scheme and corps members to the point his car was burgled.
“Awgu was exiled from Ebonyi for nine years for exposing fraudulent documents involving senior government officials; regardless of threats, he remained steadfast in exposing corruption in the state,’’ Odeh said.
According to him, lack of integrity remains at the heart of Nigeria’s challenges and citizens often feel helpless to do anything about it.
“But through Integrity Idol, citizens can engage in a positive discussion about how to change these dynamics and celebrate the kind of people that can reform government.
“Integrity Idol is now in its second year in Nigeria and has begun to reframe the national narrative around corruption from `naming and shaming to `naming and faming’ heros of accountability,’’ Odey said.
It would be recalled that, a voting process was used for the selection process.
