Imo Deputy Governor, Madumere, Bags Integrity Man Of The Year Award

The Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere has been announced as the winner of this year’s highly coveted “Integrity Man Of The Year” Award at the just concluded Nigerian Association of Christian Journalists’ Annual “Integrity Award & Lecture 2018.

Dr. Charles Okhai, General Secretary of the association, said the choice of Madumere for this year’s most prestigious award category is hinged on the association’s discovery of whom he is and the qualities embedded in his character.

“Having watched him (Madumere) with keen interest over the years, we are proud to identify with his personality, diligence, patriotism, honesty as one of the best Deputy Governors in Nigeria, demonstrating high level humility that is not known in politicians of nowadays,” Okhai said.

“From his days as Chief of Staff, now as Deputy Governor of Imo State, we came to the realization that none other is worthy of this award at this present time other than he, as this honour is bestowed on eminent Nigerians who have over the years distinguished themselves in all spheres of their careers as integrity conscious leaders which Madumere symbolizes, a rare bred politician in Nigeria, therefore this award.”

The association also said Madumere’s unassuming nature, loyalty and obedience to laid-down rules and regulations as a Nigerian politician, even when not convenient endeared him to them.

“The humility he exudes and that which he shows towards his boss, even in the face of total deprivation as his office as Deputy Governor would require is one you can’t find anywhere near any politician of today and so the association decided to use him as Role Model amongst Nigerian politicians with this symbol of honour bestowed on him at this award ceremony,” Okhai declared.

The selection that culminated into the choice of Madumere for the most revered award went through a rigorous process during the association’s National Executive Members Nomination Exercise which produced him as the best amongst two others, after-which voting was carried out by members through SMS nationwide, which also had him emerged as the most deserving candidate for the award.

The award identifies Eze Madumere as Nigeria’s Symbol of Integrity and a worthy Ambassador of the Nigerian Association of Christian Journalists (NACJ).

In his acceptance of the honour, Madumere said: “When I got the news of my being chosen as the recipient of this year’s highly sought-after award from this great association of Christian Journalists, I asked myself what I had done to merit such as honour, it wasn’t until the letter of nomination was given to me that I understood the criteria for such an award and I simply say, ‘I am further humbled by this show of love coming from an association that comprises of Nigerians across the entire nation’. What this award tells me is that I am being noticed in my very little corner in Imo State where I ply my political trade as the People’s Deputy Governor and that nothing is hidden anymore.”

The Imo State Deputy Governor added that integrity as the word sounds is something that is noticeably disappearing in the society today, therefore, when anyone is chosen among many to be honoured for displaying such attribute in his daily activities, it is something worth giving glory to God for.

“I give thanks to God for the opportunity such as this in my political career in Imo State and in Nigeria as a whole. I strive daily to uphold principles of dignity, sincerity, integrity and total humility in all I do as a Nigerian politician and these are the qualities that have seen me comes this far in politics in both Imo State and in Nigeria.”

Retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Tunde Ogunsakin, chaired the occasion which had other prominent Nigerians such as the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari; Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari; former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu; Chief Justice of Lagos State, Hon. Justice Opeyemi Oke; Senator Ben Murray Bruce; Hon. Bayo Osinowo of the Lagos State House of Assembly; Dr. Kunle Hamilton; Dr. Uche Ogah, and Dr. Alex Otti among others who were honoured at the event.