By Robert Egbe
An Air Force Sergeant, a senior lecturer at the University of Ilorin, and an-ex banker at the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) have won the 2019 Gani Fawehinmi Impact and Integrity Awards.
Sergeant Bashir Umar was the Outstanding Integrity Award (OIA) winner, Dr. Kadiri Kehinde won the Outstanding Impact Award, (OIA) while the Whistle Blower Award (WBA) title went to Mr. Murtala Aliyu Ibrahim.
The event, the second edition, was organised by the Human and Environment Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) in honour of the late human rights icon who died of cancer in 2009.
It is celebrated by HEDA with support from MacArthur Foundation on every World Human Rights Day, December 10.
Sergeant Umar won in the Outstanding Integrity Award, (OIA) category for his integrity in returning the $37,000 he and his colleagues found at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
Other nominees in this category included Deputy Commissioner of Police, (DCP) Abba Kyari and the Bornu State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum.
Dr. Kehinde beat Pastor Tony Rapu and Imam Abdullahi Abubakar in the OIA category, for using pictures to drive humanitarian projects in rural villages in Kwara State.
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Her organisation “The Grass Root Aid Initiative” provides potable water to vulnerable communities through funds raised by social media crowd funding platforms.
Mr Ibrahim, Unit Head, ICT/Process Audit and Special Investigation Unit at the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), who paid with his job for exposing corruption in the bank, beat detained journalist, Agba Jalingo to the Whistle Blower Award.
Chairman of the occasion Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, recommended Fawehinmi’s integrity as a “shining example” to the younger generation.
HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, who was represented by the organisation’s programme officer, Sina Odugbemi, said the awards “is aimed at promoting integrity, accountability and whistle-blowing, and is conferred annually on deserving Nigerians of imperturbable character, courage, selflessness and honesty.
“The goal of Gani Fawehinmi impact and Integrity 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.”
Participants at the event included friends, beneficiaries, acquaintances and mentees of the late Icon as well as rights activists, among others.
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