Mrs Josfin Chibuzor, a National Honours awardee, has called on Nigerian youths to imbibe the virtue of honesty to promote national development.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Muhammadu Buhari on Oct. 11 conferred the Member of the Order of Niger (MON) award on Chibuzor, an employee of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
She was honoured for being honest while carrying out her duties at different international airports in the country.
Speaking with NAN on Thursday in Abuja, Chibuzor said the award was as a result of several millions of naira and dollars she had found and returned to their owners.
According to her, the MON award she received was a surprise as she did not know that her being honest could bring such great honour to her and the FAAN.
“I am very excited. I did not know that such a thing could come my way.
“The first (money I returned) was the one in Enugu which involved N10.2 million and that was in 2006.
“In Lagos, I also returned N7 million, then N80 million naira, followed by 12,000 dollars and another N200,000,“ she said.
Chibuzor urged other Nigerian workers and youths to abstain from anything that was not theirs, adding that indulging in stealing was evil.
According to her, honesty is a major key that can help the present generation grow the nation.
“I will like to advise the youths in Nigeria that if you see something that does not belong to you, return it.
“Just be honest in anything you are doing; it pays to be honest. This will help this new generation to grow well,” she said.
Also speaking with NAN, FAAN Managing Director, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu, described the award as a great achievement an honour to the entire aviation sector and Nigeria.
“If my employees are honoured, we are all honoured, FAAN is honoured, all our management team is honoured and I think by extension all Nigerians are honoured.
“If one Nigerian does well, we all feel proud. If one Nigerian, God forbid, does anything bad, we will all feel bad.
According to the managing director, Chibuzor is the only worker with MON from the Federal Government out of the entire FAAN staff at present.
Yadudu urged other FAAN employees to intensify efforts in doing well at all times, pointing out that Chibuzor`s feat had laid down a foundational block in FAAN for others to build on.
“We have a lot of very sound and honest people working across Nigeria. She is our own visible example in FAAN that has come to the attention of the nation and Mr President.
“By God’s grace today, she is a Member of the Order of the Niger. She is the only MON we have in FAAN that is why we decided to honour her.
“You thought she had only one chance of being honest, but she counted many across the airports she worked in,” he said. (NAN)