The chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has commended a Nigerian, Mr Ikenna Nweke, living and studying in Japan, for returning a lost wallet containing huge sums of money as well as a credit card to its owner through the police.
Dabiri-Erewa gave the commendation in a statement signed by Mr Gabriel Odu of the Media, Public Relations and Protocol Unit of NIDCOM on Sunday in Abuja.
“It is indeed a great opportunity to celebrate you. This is what Nigeria is about. All the negative information you tend to hear about are far outstripped by the positive information that are hidden and not told like the ones of people like Mr lkenna. You have portrayed the image of Nigerians in the Diaspora as unique, honest and cultured set of immigrants,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
Nweke who is a PhD student at the University of Tsukuba, Japan, and a Teaching Assistant in the same university said he stumbled on the wallet while climbing the staircase to buy some items for the wife at the Tsukuba center.
Nweke who hails from Amauzari in Isiala Mbano local government area of Imo state, said he was born and raised in Okpoko, Onitsha, Anambra State, but relocated to Japan in 2013 through a Japanese government sponsored scholarship programme.
His words: “On the 19th of June 2020, while I was going home from the university, I decided to get my wife her favorite kebab. As I was climbing the staircase around Tsukuba center, I noticed something on the ground.
“As I drew closer, I saw that it was a wallet. When I opened it, I saw a huge sum of money, a credit card, and other valuables. I immediately reported to the police. One of the officers was surprised and asked me why I did not take the money. I told him that there was no need for that because I was raised by responsible parents, and that I am also a Christian.”
In her reaction, the NIDCOM boss added: “Honesty remains the best policy. We must exhibit such behaviour in whatever position we find ourselves. That is the path we have chosen to take, and our country will eventually get to a new shore.”
