The Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede has urged Nigerians to play their part in the fight against corruption.
Oloyede gave the advice while speaking at the maiden edition of the Gani Fawehinmi Integrity and Impact Awards on Monday in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was organised by Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), a civil society organisation, to celebrate Nigerians who have shown uncommon integrity and made impact in the society.
Oloyede was recognised for his integrity and accountability at JAMB, while the Publisher of Saharareporters, Omoyele Sowore and Adesegun Adesanya, Convener of #EndSARS#movement got the awards for outstanding impact.
Oloyede, while receiving the award, said it would be easier to defeat corruption if Nigerians in their various areas did the right things.
Represented by Babatunde Bamishaye, Co-ordinator, Lagos office of the Board, the JAMB Registrar said corruption is a threat to development and it must be fought at all costs.
“My advice is that corruption cannot be fought by the government alone, but by collective efforts of all Nigerians.
“The government cannot be everywhere. So, anywhere we find ourselves, we should play our own part to fight the menace by doing things right,” he said.
He thanked the Board’s staff for keying into his vision of an accountable JAMB, saying their co-operation helped change the fortunes of the organisation.
Sowore, in his speech, said integrity and courage were critical to leadership, and urged leaders to always lead by example.
Represented by Tope Gomez, Director of Broadcast, Sahara TV, he said the country would be a better place if leaders serve the nation diligently.
He said the need to promote accountability in government informed his brand of journalism, saying the people deserved to know how their commonwealth was being utilised by leaders.
He thanked HEDA for the recognition, promising to do much to promote transparency in government.
Adesanya, while receiving his award, said the country could not continue to do things the old way and expect to get different results.
He said the law establishing the police had become obsolete, adding that there was the need to review it to strengthen the force.
Adesanya said cases of police brutality against citizens was becoming one too many.
He said the #EndSARs movement was to give voice to the oppressed and call government attention to the excesses of police officers.
“We started the movement to call attention to the excesses of SARS men and to give voice to victims of their activities.
“We believe the police should protect the people and not oppress them. And we believe the government needs to do a lot to make the force what it should be,“ he said.
Earlier, Chairman of HEDA, Mr Lanre Suraj said it was wrong for people to believe everybody in Nigeria was corrupt.
He said in spite of the prevalence of corruption in the country, there were still people doing the right things and making impact in the society.
Suraj said HEDA organised the awards to celebrate some of such distinguished Nigerians in order to inspire others.
NAN reports that Mr Adebayo Yebovi was also recognised at the programme for his uncommon integrity.
Yebovi had returned a lost jewellery worth thousands of pounds to its owner, Rapper CDQ who promised to give him scholarship.