By Robert Mbey
Nigerians particularly Igbos must change their socio-economic perspective and direction to be able to fit into a new generation of Igbo race being packaged by the Imo State Merit Award Scheme (ISMAS).
The committee is also determined to go through the whole hug to ensure that things are done differently this time with the isolation of men and women of questionable character and backgrounds from grabbing and dominating the socio-economic or political ladder of fame.
The Chairman of Imo State Merit Award Committee (backed by law) and the Anglican Bishop of Owerri Diocese, Rt. Rev. C.C. Okorocha made the clarification at the NUJ Press Centre, Owerri Tuesday.
Bishop Okorocha explained that the objective of ISMAS is to restore integrity, transparency, accountability and the fear of God to the heart of greatness and achievement in all aspects of life in the contemporary society while the goal is to motivate Ndi Imo and Nigerians to put the fear of God and the sincere love of the people first in their lives.
According to the Bishop this is vital in achieving the transformation and re-orientation which are currently elusive in the society.
He declared” ISMAS aims to restore the dignity and prestige of Ndi Imo and the high esteem at which they were once held throughout the world in all areas of life be it social, political or academic”.
Specifically, the Bishop emphasized that the award scheme aims to remind a people in an achievement- motivated society that the pursuit of economic, political academic and social greatness must henceforth be underscored by transparency and accountability. To rescue the society from self destruction the scheme further insists that it is no longer enough that some people “have made it” in whatever field of endavour rather, the question of how they made it must now be paramount.
On identifying such role models, he advised people to feel free to send the details to the committee for possible consideration. Besides the details, there should be a brief write up on the person to justify his choice.
The cleric further cautioned that the process of choice or suggestion must be done in confidence because if the person nominated happens to be privy to it, he gets disqualified.
The write-up in a sealed envelope should be addressed to the Secretary, Imo State Merit Award Scheme (ISMAS) to the Permi Sect Block 10 Imo State Secretariat, Ministry of Info Culture and Tourism Owerri.
The directive warned that the envelope which should be written strictly confidential on the top left hand corner must get to the addressee not later than April 30th, 2013
