“Heroic airport cleaner inspired me to return N3 million lost cash” – UBA security guard
One good turn fuels another.
That is the case with a security guard with the United Bank for Africa (UBA) who returned N3 million lost by a bank customer.
Mohammed Ogbanago reportedly found the $3,000 cash on April 7, 2016 close to the main gate of the Oba Akran branch of the UBA after it fell from an $84,500 withdrawn by a bank customer.
The 29-year-old guard handed the cash to the bank’s operation manager who returned it to the customer when he revisited the bank in search of a money he probably feared was gone forever.
So this security guard at UBA Oba Akran branch saw $10,000 (N3m) on the ground & decided to return it.
Unparalleled display of integrity!
— Miz Cazorla (@MizCazorla) July 3, 2016
“Although my salary may not be enough for my upkeep, especially with the current economic situation in the country, it is no excuse to take what is not mine,” Ogbanago said in a recent interview with Punch.
“I have been campaigning that to make Nigeria great, we all must prove to be good Nigerians in our small corners. Not all Nigerians are corrupt.
“I am happy I had the chance to prove myself and I want other Nigerian youths to learn from it.
“I want our youths to know that a good name is better than riches,” said.
Ogbanago has been hailed as a true Nigerian hero after the incident became public. He told Punch in a recent interview the honest actions of another Nigerian hero inspired him.
That would be the story of Josephine Agwu, the airport cleaner who returned the N12m she found at work on January 23, 2015.
Ogbanago earns a meager N30,000 from his current job but he doesn’t fancy getting rich from another man’s sweat.
“When I heard about this story, I knew I had to meet the man, who despite facing rising petrol and transportation prices and ‘tomato Ebola,’ returned such a huge sum of money,” UBA CEO Tony Elumelu said.
Despite being praised by some, Ogbanago said others now call him a fool for “missing a chance to change your life.”
“Got gave you a major call and you placed him on call divert,” one man had said after hearing of Ogbanago’s good deeds. “Put yourself in the shoes of the man who lost the money before you condemn the guard,” another replied him during an argument on the incident.
One thing is clear, Josephine Agwu the airport cleaner and Mohammed Ogbanago have become the faces of many other Nigerians who would not take a shortcut to riches.
Ogbanago said he had boasted to his friends that he would do better if he had the chance.
“And my chance came on that day,” he said. He said his good upbringing also helped him decide right.
Josephine Agwu was also at the receiving end of ridicule for returning the $28,000 and other foreign currencies totaling N12 million she found at the Lagos airport where she worked.
Agwu was later showered with many blessings from the hands of the Lagos State government. Private institutions were not left out. Agwu also got her salary increased to N15,000 from N7,800
But Agwu said she already felt fulfilled by doing the right thing. Ogbanago said, praises or not, he felt the same..
