A 22-year-old Keke driver in Kano, who returned a missing N15 million, has been awarded a scholarship worth N250 million.
Auwalu Salisu, a 22-year-old commercial tricycle (Keke Napep) driver in Kano State, has been granted a scholarship valued at N250 million. Salisu gained attention in September 2023 when he returned a sum of N15 million that was left behind by a passenger from Chad who had come to Kano to purchase goods. Residing in Yankaba, Nasarawa Local Government Area, Salisu returned the money after hearing an announcement about it on a radio station in Kano.
JOIN OUR JUICY WHATSAPP CHANNEL : Click HERE
Telegram channel for more AMAZING STORIES, MOVIES ETC Click here to join
Since then, Salisu has received acknowledgment from government officials, organizations, and individuals, along with numerous gifts, including a new tricycle from a philanthropist. The most significant recognition came on Tuesday, March 5, 2023, when he was honored with the LEADERSHIP ‘Outstanding Young Person of the Year 2023’ Award in acknowledgment of his extraordinary act of honesty, accompanied by the N250 million scholarship.
Another recipient of the LEADERSHIP awards, Peter Obi.
Another recipient of the LEADERSHIP awards, Peter Obi, who is a presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), bestowed a scholarship upon Awwalu at Abuja-based Baze University, extending it up to the PhD level. In response, Niger State governor Mohammed Umar Bago, who also won the LEADERSHIP Governor of the Year Award, playfully remarked that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) couldn’t allow the Labour Party to outshine them.
As a gesture of appreciation for Awwalu’s honesty and to encourage other young Nigerians, Bago announced a N250 million scholarship award. This scholarship would be funded by contributions from himself, President Bola Tinubu, his ministers, the APC Governors Forum, and the Niger State government. Additionally, Bago pledged to name one of the road projects he was overseeing in Niger State after the Kano Keke rider.
Following his acknowledgment as politician of the year, Obi emphasized the necessity of investing in Northern Nigeria.
The North has no reason to be poor in Nigeria
He emphasized, “The North has no reason to be impoverished in Nigeria. We generate more revenue from agriculture than from oil. Consider that even amidst war, Ukraine is supplying Nigeria with grain. We have ample land and resources surpassing theirs. Yet, they export grain to us while 60 per cent of their land is cultivated compared to our uncultivated 60 per cent.”
Obi pointed out the vast land sizes of Borno and Taraba, the two largest states in the North East, with 70,000 and 55,000 square kilometers respectively, which is four times the size of Belgium. Despite this, Belgium exports significantly more than Nigeria in agricultural produce.
He advocated for job creation and the establishment of a business-friendly environment for youths as the ultimate solution to Nigeria’s economic crisis. According to him, reducing poverty among young people would lead to a decrease in crime rates.
