The All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator, representing Kogi West in Nigeria's National Assembly, Otunba Dino Melaye, will on July 25 be conferred with the 2015 Africa Achievers Award.

The popular United States-based Exclusive Accolade International Magazine had about two weeks ago informed Melaye that he would be conferred with award in recognition of his strict stance against corruption in Nigeria between August 21 and 23 at Sheraton Atlanta Hotel, Atlanta Georgia, United States.

Before his election as a Senator, Melaye was the Executive Secretary of Anti-Corruption Network (ACN), a platform registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) through which he checked the excesses of corrupt government officials and Convener, Citizens Arise Movement of Nigeria (CAMON).

The Principal Partner of African Achievers Advisory Board and the Institute of Leadership and Management/Achievers Media, Rex Idaminabo, in a letter to Melaye dated June 15, said he would be conferred with the “Anti-Corruption Icon in Africa.”

The conferment has been scheduled to take place at Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg in South Africa.

Idaminabo said: “An independent panel of community leaders from South Africa and United Kingdom, including former highly respected recipients had difficult task selecting this year’s honorees. More than 650 nominations were submitted under your category, demonstrating how many remarkable people are positively influencing the world around them-people just like you. We commend your exceptional strides as a way of encouraging you to do more.

“It will interest you to know that the African Achievers Awards ceremony is geared at recognising excellent individuals and institutions that have distinguished themselves in their contributions to the growth and development of Africa. Our focus is to motivate all African leaders including the prospective leaders and the youths through recognising the persons and organisations that have contributed remarkably to the development of Africa.”

According to Idaminabo, the award would be dedicated the over 200 female students of Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, who were abducted by Boko Haram Islamic sect since April 2014.

Melaye, who is the Convener of ‘Like-minded Senators’, the group which spearheaded the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as Nigeria;s Senate President in the newly-inaugurated 8th National Assembly, said on Thursday in Abuja that his commitment to the fight against corruption is a battle of no retreat, no surrender.

“I thank the organizers of the award and accept in wholeheartedly. I dedicate the award to the missing Chibok girls. I also use this opportunity to pray for their return and this award can only propel me to do more in the anti-corruption fight in Nigeria.

“The battle to rescue Nigeria from economic cankerworms and financial scavengers is a battle of no retreat, no surrender. I use this opportunity to call on Nigerians to join the battle against corruption that has become the bane of our development because in an unjust society, silence is a crime,” he said.

•Photo shows Senator Melaye.

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