The National Association of Christian Journalists (NACJ) has awarded its prestigious Integrity Personality of the year award to Senator Victor Umeh who represented Anambra Central in the 8th Senate.
President of the association, Dr Charles Tola Okhai said the award was predicated on Umeh’s impressive track record of self discipline, transparency, professional exploits, honesty, selfless service to humanity with a high sense of integrity, particularly his passion for the less privileged through his education foundation which has sponsored hundreds of indigent students from primary school to university.
Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uche Ogah presented the award to Umeh.
Responding, Umeh who was the immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), commended the leadership of NACJ for finding him worthy of its honour and award. “I see this as encouragement to be more devoted to a selfless life and committed to uncompromising integrity. I dedicate the award to God Almighty, to my lovely wife and my ever supportive children as well as to all Media Practitioners/Journalists who uphold integrity in the discharge of their duties.”
Okhai said the award was a special honour bestowed on eminent Nigerians and corporate bodies who had distinguished themselves as men and women of integrity in their capacities as leaders, and encourage them to be “mentally integrity conscious” which would facilitate national development.
Dr Uche Ogah delivered a keynote address on “Integrity is Everything.” He urged public office holders and media practitioners to discharge their duties with integrity so as to move the nation forward.
Other awardees included Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former chief security officer to the late head of state, General Sani Abacha; Professor Is-Haq Olanrenwaju Oloyede, Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB); Etigwe Uwa, SAN, Senior Partner at the Commercial Law Firm of Streamsower & kohn; Lady Lilian Nkiru Ufondu, Deputy Director in the Department of Petroleum Resources; Apostle Theophilus Ebonyi, General Overseer, Faith on the Rock Ministries International; Dr Muhammad Bashir Shamsudeen Lamido, Group Managing Director, Aluqea Group UAE and Kalu Ijoma Ukeh, Chief Executive Officer, Punkinosis Chemical Company and Juliet Olele of the Shepherds Hand Foundation.
The NACJ’s 9th annual integrity lecture and award took place at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja on September 23.
