Nigerian Bolt Driver Returns $4000 & Gets Heartfelt Recognition

The conversation that trumped the day at the launch of the book “The Ethical Dilemma” was the uncommon sincerity of an Uber driver who had returned $4,000 that was forgotten in his car to the owner without any prompt. This conversation grew at the book launch to the point that it brewed a conversation on the need for advocacy for the Nigerian society to comply with ethical standards.

The book launch was held at the Institute of Human Virology, Jabi, Abuja on the 13th of June, 2022. The author of the book, Tajudeen Toyin-Oke, stimulated conversations on ethical standards while he also unveiled the Uber driver, Francis Sunday Adedokun, as an example of a Nigerian with ethical standards.

The author of the book went ahead to narrate how the Uber driver took him and his wife home when they had an accident only for them to be confronted with an uncommon Nigerian attitude of Francis returning the $4,000 they had left in his car even before they had realized that they lost such an amount.

“What we are preaching is an ethical-complaint society. This gentleman helped my wife and me when we had an accident a few weeks ago. We forgot $4,000 in his car and he returned the money to us.

“We did not have his contact, we did not know how to get back to him and he saw that the money was not his own and returned it. I appreciate him and his wife and children. Like somebody said, whatever we are doing, the children are watching. So his kids are already watching and you would not be surprised that we still have this kind of people in Nigeria.

“I am giving you a copy of this book, the “Ethical Dilemma,” charting a new part for ethics and value in Nigeria. You are an example of what I am talking about in this book and I really appreciate you.”

Francis, who hails from Otu, Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State, said: “At first, for someone in need of money, a lot went through my mind when i saw the money in my car, but my conscience would not allow me to help myself with the money.

“That was how my parents brought me up. If we go out and we were given something, we must first take it home to them before any other thing. When I saw the money, what came to my mind was the fact that it was not mine, it does not mean I was not in need of money but I remembered that if i decide to make use of the money it will finish.

“What example would I be giving to my kids and other Nigerians? I thank my wife because when I stumbled on the money, I called her because she is really my better half, no matter what happens like that I always make a recourse to her. I am a Bolt driver and I have seen a lot of forgotten items, like phones which I have always returned to them.

“I called my wife to intimate her about what I saw, and she said I should come home. On getting home I showed her and explained she said we should return it.

“As I speak, my house rent expired since December, school fees of my children I have not paid, I am owing people, there are a lot I need money for but I felt if I used the money I may run mad at the end.

“Having returned the money, I have peace of mind, I am very happy.”