Reactions to the above article poured and continue to pour in torrents. I am touched by how powerfully Nigerians identified with m...
Reactions to the above article poured
and continue to pour in torrents. I am
touched by how powerfully Nigerians identified with my story. Abdulrahman
Dauda, the driver who saved me from myself, told me he has been inundated with
phone calls since I published the article. This fills me with a lot of joy and
hope. Find below a sample of readers’ reactions:
As
hopeless as we might be about the Nigerian situation—the perennial larceny of
the thieving elites—there are still good Nigerians, honest and dependable people
which the Yoruba people call Omoluabi and your encounter has exemplified this.
I was shocked to the marrow when I heard of the items you forgot but my shock
waned and disappeared completely as I read on the article.
Despite our strains as a nation, our seemingly outright loss of hope occasioned by years of inept leadership and the monumental graft that has made the country an odd one among the comity of nations as well as the pervasive moral decadence, Abdulrahman's honesty has re-enlivened our hope that there are still good people in this country. Every Nigerian should, however, take a cue from Abdulrahman and live a life of honesty, sincerity and trustworthiness to collectively change the status quo.
Abdullateef Aliyu (aabdullateef@yahoo.co.uk)
Despite our strains as a nation, our seemingly outright loss of hope occasioned by years of inept leadership and the monumental graft that has made the country an odd one among the comity of nations as well as the pervasive moral decadence, Abdulrahman's honesty has re-enlivened our hope that there are still good people in this country. Every Nigerian should, however, take a cue from Abdulrahman and live a life of honesty, sincerity and trustworthiness to collectively change the status quo.
Abdullateef Aliyu (aabdullateef@yahoo.co.uk)
This
is a beautiful story. I did a feature story on the airport taxi driver who
returned the 18 million naira to a Brit published in the Daily Trust of Friday, August 17, 2012. Mr. Imeh Usua, the Akwa
Ibom state born taxi driver, plies his trade at Abuja international airport.
Hamid Yunus, Abuja
Thank
you for sharing this inspiring story! Someday I hope to visit Africa and your
column lets me know that most Nigerians are as friendly and honest as those I
have been privileged to know in the US.
Rick Herder, Assistant professor,
Southwestern Minnesota State University, Marshal, USA
Congrats
for finding your stuff. This man with little education and money said he won't
take what doesn't belong to him. Our fuel subsidy scammers, who have the best
education in the world, think otherwise.
Dr. Raji Bello, Abuja
Is there any reward for good other than good?
May Allah bless you for rewarding him. A
similar case happened twice with the same person sometime ago with a staff of
Nigerian Aviation Handling Company and on neither occasion was he rewarded.
Mahmud Aboki, Gusau
The
taste of pudding is in the eating. You were lucky to eat a palatable pudding;
you probably could have eaten a bitter and unpalatable one and the mood of your
essay would bear this experience. In spite of self-inflicted rot, decay and
degeneration in values, leadership and sense of pride in our nation, you are
sure to meet with teeming but unsung Nigerians, North and South, whose
tolerance, understanding and integrity provide one with assurances that Nigeria
can be great( it's not great now) , given the right environment and right
leadership. And this is the fear, a pathological one, that our ruling elite and
their cohorts in the so-called private sector have: that ordinary Nigerians are
capable of coming together. This reality was playing itself out during the fuel
subsidy protest before the political BH was created and given a national
outlook. Your experience is a great one that is worth sharing to especially
outsiders by those of you in the diaspora. To Abdulrahman and countless others
out there eking a miserable living with honesty and integrity, we salute your
courage and join to pray that this scalless injustice and deprivation won't
continue forever.
Mahmud Zukogi, Bayero University, Kano
I
am not sure if you remember, but I am friends with Brenda Adams. We met a
couple of times during your time in Louisiana. Over the years, Brenda has
shared several of your posts and this is another one that brings tears to my
eyes. For all the bad things we hear about
Nigeria, it is so nice to wake up on Saturday and get to read this story.
Thanks you so much!
Erin Belsom, Lafayette, LA, USA
I just finished speaking with [Abdulrahman
Dauda] on phone and he was thanking and talking enthusiastically as I was busy
commending him for such a superb help he'd done. I'm at least glad Nigeria is
now able to redeem its tarnished image both locally and internationally. And I do
hope your friends from the States read this comment.
Muhammad El-Bonga Ibraheem, Abuja
Your
resolve to celebrate him has made him a celebrity in our eyes and it's
praiseworthy! Few minutes after reading the post, I managed to call him. Though
his line was busy for some time, we finally talked. From my experience with
him, I would say he is respectful, innocent, and calm. Indeed he is one of the
lucky and strong few that refuse to become fishes in the artificial lake of
corruption, scam and so many contagious crimes that rule in our dear country
Nigeria. I pray every good Nigerian gets a chance to prove his goodness. I pray
taxi drivers would not be inspired by your fare comparison to increase fares or
expect extra pay/reward. I believe they are wise enough to know that the living
standard cannot allow so.
Abdulmalik Mustapha Abbamaina, Abuja
Good
initiative for giving a personal testimony of the integrity of an ordinary
Nigerian.
He's an exemplar of a teeming population of Nigerians who would rather make an honest living than indulge in sharp practices. This belies the bad media that stereotypically labels Nigerians in general terms as roguish. Much as there are many criminally minded Nigerians, there are even many more of our compatriots committed to good conscience and morality. Oftentimes, the bad broods gain the blitz more easily, thereby fostering negative reputation on the average Nigerian. Your experiential account goes some way in showing that the largely bad media image of the Nigerian is really not reflective of the true picture in all ramifications.
He's an exemplar of a teeming population of Nigerians who would rather make an honest living than indulge in sharp practices. This belies the bad media that stereotypically labels Nigerians in general terms as roguish. Much as there are many criminally minded Nigerians, there are even many more of our compatriots committed to good conscience and morality. Oftentimes, the bad broods gain the blitz more easily, thereby fostering negative reputation on the average Nigerian. Your experiential account goes some way in showing that the largely bad media image of the Nigerian is really not reflective of the true picture in all ramifications.
Vincent Oyefeso, Abuja
Your
experiences with this extraordinarily honest Nigerian deeply touched me and
strengthened my conviction that something good can still come out of Nigeria. Another
interesting thing is that he does not even consider his action out of ordinary (from
your account and speaking with him). I look forward to a Nigeria when people
like Mr Dauda will be the majority, when you can deal with a Nigerian with a
high measure of trust and that trust will not be misplaced. I rejoice with your
good fortune.
Bertrand Chijioke
What
a brilliant accolade to selfless honesty, epitomized by the exemplary
Abdulrahman Dauda. It is most kind of you to celebrate and proclaim his
honesty. It contrasts greatly with the dystopic image of corruption [not without
some justification] of some notorious Nigerian elite, which you didn’t fail to
point out.
As a young foreigner in Nigeria in the late 90s, I came to embrace the country as my second home, after meeting people like Dauda from every rung in the social fabric of the country. I could juxtapose his honesty with the rapaciousness, debauchery and thievery of top officials; one of whom I had the displeasure of encountering. What goes around comes around; applicable to both you, Farooq, and our hero of the day, Dauda. Thanks for sharing.
As a young foreigner in Nigeria in the late 90s, I came to embrace the country as my second home, after meeting people like Dauda from every rung in the social fabric of the country. I could juxtapose his honesty with the rapaciousness, debauchery and thievery of top officials; one of whom I had the displeasure of encountering. What goes around comes around; applicable to both you, Farooq, and our hero of the day, Dauda. Thanks for sharing.
Samira Edi, London
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