By Suleyman Dunoma Abuja,
Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has gifted Auwalu Salisu, a commercial tricycle rider, the sum of N100,000 reward for returning about N15 million left in his vehicle by a passenger in Kano state.
Mr Salisu, a 22-year-old school dropout, had been receiving accolades and goodwill for exhibiting honesty by returning the whopping sum of money to the rightful owner on Saturday.
Speaking during presentation of the cash gift, Umar Farouk, chairman of ACF in Kano, said they decided to honor the tricycle rider to serve as lesson to other youths in the country.
According Mr Farouk, the tricyclist had exhibited the highest sense of honesty when, despite economic challenges decided to return the money to a Chadian passenger, who forgot the money in the vehicle.
He said, “it is not about the amount, is the recognition ACF accorded to him. This boy has indeed exhibited highest form of honesty because, despite his economic challenges, he returned the money.
“ACF would not only donate money to him, but involve him in its activities to serve as a lesson and example to his friends and youths in the country,” he said.
Mr Farouk added that the action of Mr Salisu means there is still hope in Nigerian youths, noting that he also elevated Kano and Nigeria’s integrity in the eyes of Chad and the world at large.
Narrating the incident, the tricyclist said he carried three passengers on Thursday from Badawa to Yankaba motor park and after dropping them off he discovered the money.
“I then rushed to our house and showed my mother. It was wads of foreign currency. My mother quickly informed my father, who also inform his elder brother.
“When they came to the house, the decided we should not announce finding the money on radio, but wait till the owner announce it,” he narrated.
According to Mr Salisu, two days after keeping the money with his mother, she heard the announcement on Arewa Radio FM in Kano and recorded the numbers given to contact the owners.
“I collected the numbers and called one of them five times but it was not answered. When I called the other number, it was picked. I spoke with the person and introduced myself as the tricyclist that carried them on Thursday.
“He was happy and arranged to meet at the Arewa Radio where they announced the missing of the money. We met there and they were happy. They gave me N400,000.
“I did that for the sake of God. I was even chided by my friends. They said I am mad for returning such amount of money. I call on my fellow youths to emulate me and be honest always,” he appealed.
