A taxi driver, Mr Imeh Usuah on Thursday received an award from the National Orientation Agency (NOA) for returning N18 million, about $120,000, (About 18 Million Naira) left in his car by a passenger.
Governor Babatunnde Fashola of Lagos State will also receive N30,000 from the agency for stopping soldiers driving on the dedicated lane for Bus Rapid Transport (BRT).
Mr. Mike Omeri, Director General of the agency, said these in Abuja while giving the award of N30,000 to Usuah for his honesty and patriotism by returning N18 million to the rightful owner.
The taxi driver was also given an award for his courage to do the right thing when most people would have seen the money as a way to enrich themselves.
Fashola had on July 17 arrested two military officers who drove on the dedicated BRT lane in Lagos.
The two military officers were accosted on the BRT lane at the Outer Marina in Central Lagos, where Col. K. I. Yusuf drove in an army green Peugeot 406 with registration No BO1 – 150 NA and Staff Sgt Adeomi A.J, drove in a black Toyota Camry car.
Realising that the game was up, Yusuf came down from his car, saluted several times and kept muttering: “I am sorry, very, very sorry” with the governor enquiring why, a senior military officer, chose to break the law instead of preserving it.
Fashola described as very unfortunate the fact that those who ought to stand in defence of democratic values were the ones violating them.
Omeri said that every Nigerian that did good including Fashola would be honoured by the agency.
The NOA DG, who eulogised the exemplary life of the taxi driver said that every Nigerian “who toed the path of honesty and displayed a rare integrity must be celebrated”.
He said that for Fashola to have shown courage by stopping the soldiers on the lane meant only for the BRT bus, NOA would not hesitate to honour him.
Omeri said the award would be given to any Nigerian irrespective of status or class that showed act that depicted the values and culture of Nigeria.
The DG said that those who often saw Nigerians in bad light should desist from that and began to see her in good light, adding that peace, honesty and love was a Nigerian factor.
He said that for Usuah, a taxi driver, to have returned N18 million showed that Nigerian still had men and women of integrity.
Usuah, who plies the airport road in Abuja, said he was at the car wash when he discovered there was a bag left behind after dropping the man off in a hotel and immediately returned it.
“My mind went back to the man who I dropped at the hotel and I immediately alerted my chairman and he instructed me to go back to the place where I dropped him. I saw him and delivered his bag to him.“
Mr Oche Elias, who represented the Minister of Aviation, said it was a rare display of honesty, adding that it was “a huge integrity and trust exhibited by Usuah”.
He said that with that act, the country’s image was being corrected, adding that everybody should be involved in the image management of the country.
Elias said the aviation ministry would organise a dinner in his honour to show to the world that integrity paid.
Items often recovered by taxi drivers at the airport include handsets, books, laptops travelling bags among others.
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Mere 30,000 naira! Thats is very poor for a reward! It would have been better he is left alone. Tis humiliating!
ReplyDeleteD compensatn could ve bn in d range of 300k - 500k. haba! it is unfair
ReplyDeleteThis is not encouraging. I was expecting him to get like 500k.
ReplyDeletePoor Nigerian Driver's action makes Nigeria proud while Nigerian government's actions of looting and corruption shame the country.
ReplyDeleteI pray FG learns from this driver.
=))º°˚˚˚°ÂºÐ½aĦaнaº°˚˚˚°Âº=)) Nigerian pple we cannt change!dis man I̶̲̥̅̊n̶̲̥̅̊ question deserve †Ñ’ξ best.
ReplyDeleteIf I were the one,returning the money would be my last option...30k?to buy chewing gum or what?This is wickedness,I swear...What's all dat?If I were d driver,I would have thrown the 30k back in their face...Lastly,NE,y don't u guys publish my comments? This bn happening for sometime now..
ReplyDeleteHe should be' celebrated in all the 4 coners of the country And be' show case wide in the media so that his good deed williams be' a step ing. Toe for And others could follow . Not mere 200 dollars
ReplyDeleteWhy is the identity of the owner of the money hidden? why was he carrying that much money in a cab? Don't nigerians deserve to know who was carrying the money and for what purposes? ....cashless policy meant for poor mem!!!!
ReplyDeleteThough the reward is too small but it‘s an act of encouragement. Mr. Usuah don‘t worry your reward is in heaven, am sure.
ReplyDeleteThe reward is too small but it‘s an act of encouragement. Mr. Usuah don‘t worry tour reward is in heaven.
ReplyDeleteSo what if given 30k! Why do people always expect to be rewarded for returning someone else's stuff? I await the day our folks will look beyond gratification and remember we brought nothing into this world and we'll take nothing out! It's better to take God's reward and not man's award. God bless Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteThis is unfair! Out of #18m, 30,000 was given to the man.It is not an act of encouragement at all11
ReplyDeleteYou people have forgotten that the money does not belong to NOA. And from which purse should 300K come from as reward? IMO, NOA has done well by recognising the man with the small token, it is left for the man who misplaced the money to appreciate Mr. Usuah
ReplyDelete@Anonymous AUGUST 3,2012 9:10AM
ReplyDeleteYou are right..........Who is the person carry large cash about?Be it Dollar or Naira,it should be an offence.EFCC should go after the person.May be,it's those Legislators(Thiefs)............May God deliver us from them......This act is rubbishing cashless economy program if not properly investigated.
Where is dat man taking 18M to? D reward is not encouraging, and i guess he's a family man
ReplyDeleteThe Taxi driver would have been given good Job opportunity.so that people should see the reason to be honest and God fearing.
ReplyDelete30k is like telling the Man why must you bring back the money that suppose to change your entire life.
30,000 Naira reward is humiliating; discouraging and awful. Those people offering the driver such money are indirectly indicting him for returning the money because if such money comes their way they would not have behaved same.
ReplyDeleteTherefore, i am of the opinion that the driver gives back the so called reward and stand by ordinary thank you, if they are not able to pay him 500k and above. Ladipo, James
People should be sensible when they comment. The man was appreciated by NOA for his act of courage and honesty. The owner of the returned item should choose to thank him in whatever way he feel from his heart. I believe Mr Usah knew that he might not even receive a 'Thank you' from whoever after returning the money but he chose to. Must one get reward for doing something that is good? Why are people trying to bias Mr Usah's good mind.This is why moral and value is no more in our society, people first check for what to gain before they can render any help even when life is involved. Please Mr Usah, never be discouraged, keep on doing good!
ReplyDeleteN30,000 may be a miserly reward, but I want to say that his actions go a long way. A seed has been sown by this honest man. He may look stupid for returning that money in the first place but I bet you that Mr. Usuah will reap something even greater than that amount he returned. Anybody who wants to blast my comment can go ahead. Mr. Usuah did the right thing and it is good for anybody in his right mind to emulate such a good conduct.
ReplyDeleteGreat job Mr. Usuah, that N30,000 is not your last bus stop. You may not be mega billionaire but you will never go hungry. May your generation be a blessed generation and only good things shall come your way. IJN, Amen!
NOA you should not have awarded mr Usuah the money. If 18million didnt matter to him, what will 30k matter? To me you insulted the intergrity of this rare breed. What you should have done is to recommend him for a National award(MON,MFR etc)or better still introduce him to the president for one on one talk for laundering the image of this country and for being a role model to the young ones and not this insultive package as if money is everything.
ReplyDelete@ Kilo, @ Anonymous(1.30pm) & @ Vendita, thank you for your sensible comments. When people get to the point they realise that God is watching and will eventually judge our every move, Nigeria will become the country of our dreams. God bless Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteNOA shuld just recommend dis very rare Nigerian for a good job placement..I think dat will better his life rather dan a miserable 30k!dats very discouragin!anyway MR Usuah has done well,he shuld take solace in d fact dat God's reward is d best...
ReplyDeleteFor the Driver to be rewarded with only N30,00, returning the money dose not make any meaning. The N18m is a blessing in disguise but the Driver foolishly returned it only to be praised and called the most honest Nigerian. Our politician are capable of looting $millions yet God have not rewarded them with evil; instead they are place in positions and titles in our churches.
ReplyDeleteMr Usuah your type is rare,i respect and salute ur faith.the Lord help you to keep this up.
ReplyDeleteI carefuly read every comment and l observed dat if all dose who made comments were in dat man's shoe,none of dem wil return d money. Mr usua or what is ur name,u ar a STUPID man and i am not sure if u can get out of poverty.God cant come down 4rm 2 bless u.if l,mr johnson omo oba of our town,see dat kind of money eeeejigbijigbi.kai.if i happen 2 b ur wife i wil divorce u IMMEDIATLY.Kai.
ReplyDeleteU guys 4got dt d owner of d N18m must hv rewardd mr Usuah @d point of d return.d obj of NOA is 2comend gud deed & promote d image of d nation.bt in adendum NOA,i strongly advise dt u offer dis guy a gud job so dt it ll motivate d more morallity in dis nation.emeka chinedu michael
ReplyDeleteU guys 4got dt d owner of d N18m must hv rewardd mr Usuah @d point of d return.d obj of NOA is 2comend gud deed & promote d image of d nation.bt in adendum NOA,i strongly advise dt u offer dis guy a gud job so dt it ll motivate d more morallity in dis nation.emeka chinedu michael
ReplyDeleteU guys 4got dt d owner of d N18m must hv rewardd mr Usuah @d point of d return.d obj of NOA is 2comend gud deed & promote d image of d nation.bt in adendum NOA,i strongly advise dt u offer dis guy a gud job so dt it ll motivate d more morallity in dis nation.emeka chinedu michael
ReplyDeleteOnly God can reward to satisfaction. He will surely reward you & the reward will touch your children, even to the fourth generation. Kayjoe
ReplyDeleteGood works is a responsibility of every decent human being. Not a task to expect a reward for. For all those who thinks reward of 30k is humiliating, then you are not better that the fuel subsidy thieves. We should all strive to do the right not because we expect to get "paid" for it but because God commands it.
ReplyDelete.Ppl it was the agency that gave him 30k. una knw wetin the owner give the man? But all the same being honest is not about getting instantaneous reward. It’s a thing of conscience. I have returned phones not cos i wanted a reward from the owner but it is right in God's eyes and I will wish that mine be returned too if lost. So let pray that God rewards him handsomely and that he should always have his integrity whether rewarded by man or not. The greatest reward is from God.
ReplyDeleteThe guy calling the driver a stupid man is the biggest fool ever. If u know the ill luck that follow some of the rich thieves’ you envy and want to b like u will want to be poor. May God forgive for despising someone who upheld his principle of honesty. You must be a jobless yahoo fraud star. And I believe your condition is worse than the drivers own that is why the only thing that came to ur mind was that he should have run away with the money.
ReplyDeleteIt is well! I dis man is educated, he shld be given a job in a ministry. God bless Nigeria.
ReplyDeletehe should honored for his humility
ReplyDeleteUSUAH, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING INTEGRITY. MONKEY DEY WORK BABOO DEY SHOP. 30K FOR A MAN WHO HAS RETURNED 18M N TOOKE NIGERIA'S NAME ROUND THE ENTIRE WORLD IS A SHAME AND DISGRACE. MR. USUAH SHOULD BE GIVEN THE MONEY MEANT FOR TH DINNER PARTY AS 75% OF INVITEES TO THE DINNER WOULD NOT RETURN SUCH MONEY.
ReplyDeleteYou could see why it is uphill task to get this country's output positive. A better % here r angry he returned lost money. Mind you, urs cud go missing 2moro n I hope U dont have it returned. Shameless minds n kudos to NOA
ReplyDelete30k is 0.003 of 18m returned (integrity)
ReplyDelete30k is 0.5 of Gov arresting Col n S.Sgt(courage)
.'. 5m is for Omeri (NOA)arranging dinner party.
chai monkey dey work baboo dey walakolonbo.
Usuah, dont listen to people but God who will reward in secret.
NOA should forwarded his name to the presidency for MON or OON award instead of giving him a paltry sum of 30,000naira. If I were Mr Usuah I would have rejected n threw d money at their face, just as Chinua Achebe threw their useless award back at d presidency twice! I know there is millions of naira dat accompany the national awards like MON, OON, GCFR etc!
ReplyDeleteu guys r funny bt truth b told it was a worthy atitude worth imulatin by all. However, i suport the school of thought dat said he should return d money n wait for God's blessing. I also fail to see reasons as to why a party should b hosted in the first place! That money should be chanel into making usuah's life something worth dan a driver rather a party. Secondly while comendin d works of NE pls giv us full details of the owner of d cash. Thank you
ReplyDeleteThe man was not returning the money to get a reward, he simply wanted to be honest, so stop passing comments that will make him feel bad. A mere certificate could have don it, the money may look small, but the blessing that comes with it would not be bought with 18M,Mr President and your advisers, when next you start dishing out your national honours, shine your eyes before confirmed crooks like P. ete n the likes will carry all.
ReplyDeleteNOA decision to honour Gov Fashola for accosting military personnel driving on BRT lane shows that the agency is in full support of Gov fashola's action. I think the agency should have looked at the issues invoved objectively before taking a decision. Did the officer's action of driving on BRT lane at the time he did obstruct BRT operations or movement in any way? Lagos is not the only city in the world that lanes are created seperately for public buses; in such places across the globe especially in advaced countries, military personnel and the police are granted special concession of using the lanes. The officer accosted by Gov Fashola was been driven in an official vehicle which shows that he was on official duty. For goodness sake these people (the millitary and the police) are involved in the maintenance of security in the state and therefor need to be prompt in their duty posts as any delay could be costly. The Governor as the chief security officer of the State should recognize this and allow them to use the lanes only when they are on official duty. If NOA is cconsidering Gov Fashola for any award; they should consider the officer for honour as well for his high level of discipline and humility for stopping at all to answer the Gov.
ReplyDeleteHonestly speaking N30,000 reward for such a very honest act is very very mean on the part of N.O.A. or any individual.
ReplyDeleteGuys easy, the reward is from NOA abi? The so called owner have not given him his own share?We are waiting to hear from him abi? By the way, who is he to be carrying such amount of cash?//??
ReplyDelete