A former security guard with the United Bank of Africa (UBA), Mr. Ogbanago Muhammed Ibrahim has been conferred Nigeria’s Federal Republic Medal II for his honesty in returning his Bank’s customer’s missing money.
The story of Ibrahim made light and became a pointer in 2016 while he was in the employ of Technocrime security company and posted to serve as a security man with one of UBA branches in Lagos with a salary of N30,000.
He saw a wad of $10,000, now worth over N7 million and without hesitation, returned it to the bank and the owner.
The gesture did not go unnoticed, as the Chairman of UBA, Mr Tony Elumelu, in rewarding the rare show of honesty and integrity grilled into one invited him to his office where Ibrahim met with some board members and senior staffers of the Bank.
About six years later, with other rewards and commendations he received, President Muhammadu Buhari found Ibrahim amongst 437 nominees worthy of National Honour Awards.
Ibrahim, a graduate of Kogi College of Education hails from Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State.
In an interview he granted after his encounter with destiny, he said he had no regrets returning the money.
He said “by the Grace of God. I am a honest and sincere Muslim. I believe that a good name is better than riches. I saw the money just by the gate. I brought it inside our office. 20% of me wanted to keep the money. The remaining 80% didn’t want to. Eventually i took the money to the Branch Manager Funmi Ojuile. She was surprised and was full of praises for me over what i did. Later the man who came to withdraw the money came looking for it. He prostrated on the ground for me and prayed for me on hearing what happened. He was only an employee asked to withdraw the money, which was part of the total withdrawals made from the company’s account that day. The man was almost in tears saying he would have been locked up in Kirikiri had the money not been found. He added that the education of his 3 children in the University would have suffered a great deal. He told me he had no money to give me, but prayed that his God would reward me.“
On his meet with the Chairman of the UBA Group, Tony Elumelu, Ibrahim stated that the meeting was “the highest point of this whole episode. You will agree with me that seeing an influential man like the Chairman does not happen easily. How many managers even have the privilege of seeing him let alone given the sort of attention and reception he gave me. I did not only meet him, but I met with the board. He asked me to address them, and that was worth more than anything for me.”
