A Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) with interest in promoting accountability, transparency and openness in public service, Accountability Lab Nigeria has selected Comrade Inyali Peter as one of its thirty integrity icons of the year.
In an unveiling message posted on the organization's official Facebook page, the NGO described Inyali, publisher of online news platform, Fearless Reports and Lectures in the department of Mass Communication, University of Calabar as a public servant of "good virtue".
The NGO narrated how the University Don has severally turned down gratification of any kind in exchange for favour.
According to the NGO, "Inyali Peter is a public servant of good virtue. For the past five years, he has been a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communications at the University of Calabar. He is currently ON a national assignment at the Federal Ministry of Power, Office of the Minister of State. At his university, the students have grown wary of attempting to offer him bribes for grades. Rather, he rewards students with the highest marks in his course with a textbook or some money for lunch every semester".
The NGO added that, "His closeness with a past Vice-Chancellor of the University attracted a lot of attention from people who would offer him bribes for jobs and admissions. In one situation, a former colleague offered him N300,000 to help his wife get a job at the University. He refused the money but rather, asked him to get her a good recommendation instead".
While examining further how he has distinguished himself, they maintained that "Inyali suffers the challenge of working in an environment where the pay is not commensurate to the enormity of problems faced in Nigeria, both from home and on the job. Yet he’s expected to conduct quality research and publish in high-impact factor journals to grow in the profession. Meeting up with these responsibilities while shouldering the burden of a low salary is a testament to his discipline.
For his good deeds, he has received awards from the Students’ Association in his Faculty and from the National Youths Council of Nigeria, Abi Chapter even though he’s not an indegene of the local government. He has also received the FBI Blogger of the year award and has turned down several other award nominations. Inyali is determined to push for integrity in the public sector and tries to promote this message wherever he goes".
Reacting, the elevated Inyali thanked the organization for the recognition while pledging to continue to promote responsibility, accountability and integrity in public service wherever he finds himself.
According to him, "I must confess, this is a very big one for me. I was contacted by this organization early this for some questions. When I asked why, I was told that some people have nominated me for this honour. It was a shock to me because I felt I've not done enough to deserve this kind of honour.
But, this has shown me that people are watching the little things we do. You don't need to occupy a big office to effect change. I want to thank the organization and those who considered me worthy to be selected from the pool of over 200m Nigerians.
As Nigerians, it's only we who can effect the change we desire. Government cannot successfully fight corruption without we, the people. Our country is going through a lot, we need to ask ourselves some pertinent questions and think of how in our little ways, we can contribute to making a difference".
Inyali added that, "I want to encourage the Accountability Lab to keep up the good work. This recognition is a challenge for me to be even more disciplined. There's no society that's completely free of corruption but we can work together to reduce recklessness in public service to the barest minimum. I'll continue to do my best anywhere I find myself ".
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