Auwalu Salisu, a Kano-based commercial tricycle rider, is in a giddy mood at the moment after receiving scholarship offers up to PhD level of education to the tune of N250m.
Auwalu was celebrated by LEADERSHIP Media Group yesterday at its annual conference and awards ceremony as the winner of its ‘Outstanding Young Person of the Year 2023’ Award for his rare act of honesty in returning N15 million he found in his tricycle to the owners.
He first received scholarship offer to the Abuja-based Baze University up to PhD level from a fellow awardee and presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi.
Also, another fellow awardee and Niger State governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, who was celebrated as LEADERSHIP ‘Outstanding Governor of the Year 2023’, offered N250m scholarship award to Awwalu to appreciate his act of honesty and to encourage other young Nigerians to emulate his virtue.
Bago said Auwalu will get N50m scholarship each from him personally, President Bola Tinubu, his Ministers, APC Governors Forum and Niger State government respectively.
Bago added that he would name one of the road projects he was undertaking in Niger State after the Kano-based-commercial tricycle rider and the son of a fresh meat hawker.
Expressing his excitement and appreciation for the award, Auwalu said the LEADERSHIPs outstanding young award is one of the many recognitions he has received since his simple and honest act of returning the N15 million he found in his tricycle to the Chadian owners.
“I am humbled and grateful to LEADERSHIP Newspaper for this honour. I’m really excited because I never expected the simple act of returning money to the owners would earn me this kind of fame and honour.
“Though, hunger would not allow some people to return the money, but you have to control yourself because honesty does pay. I have received several gifts and awards from people, including members of the Kano State House of Assemble and Emir of Kano after I returned the money to the owners. And for me, this LEADERSHIP award is a testament to the fact it is good to be honest,” Auwalu said.
According to the organisers of the LEADERSHIP Annual Conference and Award, in the country honesty hardly makes sense to many young people nowadays, and that Auwalu has reinvented hope in tomorrow’s youth by his display of integrity.
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