Amid reports of fraud and other criminal activities in Nigeria, a good Nigerian, Mr. Auwal Dankode, chose the path of honour by returning the sum of $10,000 (about N15million) he found while cleaning an aircraft operated by EgyptAir in Kano. The money, which was left behind by a passenger, was returned to the airline’s station manager. Dankode, who is a member of staff of National Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO Aviance), was promptly invited to Lagos and honoured by NAHCO for his exemplary behaviour. The company also rewarded him with a Golden Time award, converted him to a permanent employee with instant promotion and a handsome cash reward. It also appointed him NAHCO brand ambassador.
In the words of the Group Managing Director of the company, Mr. Indranil Gupta, “We are truly proud of the exemplary character exhibited by Auwal. He is a true NAHCO ambassador and an embodiment of what NAHCO stands for: honesty, integrity, diligence and hard work. We celebrate your being and want this to be just the beginning.”
The intriguing thing about the 28-year-old Dankode’s action was that he reportedly had only N3,800 in his account when he returned the dollars. Though he is a holder of the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) in Biology and Geography from the Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education, Kumbotso, Kano, he was a contract cleaner for more than six years.
Dankode is not the first Nigerian to be so honoured for honesty and integrity. Three months ago, a 52-year-old Nigerian pilgrim, Abba Limawa, was honoured for returning a huge sum of money he found in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, while on his way to pray at the Masjid Haram. Specifically, Limawa, who is from Dutse local government area of Jigawa State, returned the sum of 10,500 Russian rubles, $800, and 690 Saudi riyals to the ex-executive chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Jalal Arabi, during the post-Arafat conference held in Makkah. Arabi commended him for his integrity and positively representing Nigeria on the international stage.
Last year, a 32-year-old employee of Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos, Miss Ngozi Mary Kekwaaru, found and returned the sum of $70,000 left behind by a guest after checking out of his room. Kekwaaru, who is from Emohua local government area of Rivers State, got handsome rewards from her company and music icon, Davido, who reportedly gave her $10,000.
Some two months ago, another Nigerian youth, Anjola Femi, returned $14,000 mistakenly credited to his account by a foreign crypto trader. Femi had won $100 worth of Solana from the foreign trader, but in an attempt to credit him, the trader mistakenly sent the $14,000. The crypto community rewarded Femi with over N7.5million for his honesty.
A 22-year-old Kano tricycle operator, Auwalu Salisu, was similarly rewarded recently for returning N15million a passenger forgot in his tricycle. He returned the money after a radio announcement where numbers to be contacted were called out. The owners rewarded him with N400,000. The Kano State chapter of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) also rewarded him with a cheque of N100,000. The Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission appointed him ambassador of the agency and also rewarded him with N100,000. There are many other examples of Nigerians with integrity and honest attributes.
A common factor in the life of these honest Nigerian youths is their family background and how they were raised. Both Dankode and Kekwaaru, for instance, spoke of their good parental upbringing. They were brought up to be honest and not to take anything that doesn’t belong to them. Dankode’s proud father, Ahmad Abubakar, was happy that his son had not forgotten his advice just as his mother reportedly prayed that young ones should emulate him.
Few people in our country do not believe that honesty pays. These are the people who have sullied our image such that in most international airports, Nigerians are singled out for thorough search. Unlike the NAHCO employee, some other Nigerian youths have taken to drugs, advance fee fraud and some other criminal activities. Abduction for ransom has become almost a daily affair. The activities of the few dregs in our society give the impression that Nigeria is a den of evil and corrupt people. But it is not entirely so as has been seen with the story of Dankode and some others.
We join other Nigerians to commend these youths for making us proud. It shows there is still hope and there are still good Nigerians. We also commend NAHCO for honouring and rewarding Dankode. Public-spirited individuals should also reward him. He has demonstrated that he has integrity. It’s like a silver lining for us. Without mincing words, he and others like him are the type of people we want to see in the country’s honour’s list every year.