By BestMan Kanny
The Student’s Union Government (SUG) of the Cross River University of Technology CRUTECH penultimate week honored a taxi driver in Calabar, Mr. Hossana Nnana, 35, who found a passengers’ bag in his car and returned it to the owner on the same day.
The owner of the bag, Comrade Emmanuel Ulayi, a graduate of the University of Calabar and corps member serving in Ebonyi state, had forgot the bag in the taxi he boarded when he visited Calabar recently only to remember hours later.
Recently, at an award night which held at the Transcorp Hotel Calabar. The taxi driver was conferred an award by the students’ union government of CRUTECH.
The event drew dignitaries from the political, business and academic circles respectively that were found worthy to be honored for their positive contributions to society.
However, the SUG President, Comrade Steven Idiege said out of other notable personalities in the state, the good Samaritan taxi driver was also found worthy for recognition during the 2015 award night organized by the executive members following his rare show of kindness by returning the bag which was forgotten by his passenger with valuables worth close to N500,000 in it.
But to the owner of the bag, Comrade Emmanuel Ulayi, 26, a National Youth Service Corps member and graduate Nurse from the College of Medical Science, University of Calabar, perhaps Sunday 29 November 2015 was his saddest and happiest day in his life since he was born, the day the incident took place.
He said the bag contained valuable items including credentials which he obtained from the university after completion of a five-year program in nursing science.
The corps member and former Speaker of the Students’ Union Government parliament, (UNICAL) while carrying out his primary assignment in Ebonyi State had travelled to Calabar, Cross River State capital for another official assignment but luck ran out of him when he alighted from the taxi along Marain Road, forgetting his bag which contained documents including his practicing license as a nurse, National Identity Card, ATM cards, NYSC credit card and Samsung phone worth N50,000 and a wallet with some money inside.
At the event, Hossana’s brief story narrated by the Master of Ceremony (MC) drew attention from the guests as he was given a standing ovation by the dignitaries including the Cross River State Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Ntufam John Okon and other state House of Assembly members.
The short story as narrated was that, Hossana after realizing that someone had left a bag in his car did not hesitate to turn on the phone which was in the bag for the owner to possibly call and claim it.
It was gathered that after the owner of the bag had dialled his line to locate the driver, fortunately the phone rang and taxi driver directed the owner to come immediately and claim his property and that was how the corps member found his bag.
Speaking at the event, the state PDP chairman described Hossana as an icon who should be emulated by the younger folks to have exhibited such a rare character especially not minding the menial job he was doing for survival.
He maintained that if the society could have at least 70 per cent of Hossana’s caliber, the society would become a better place, adding that the taxi driver had the opportunity of selling some of the valuables but did not do it rather he returned it to the owner.
Speaking to a CrossRiverWatch reporter, Mr. Hossana said what he did was borne out of his childhood sincerity to mankind maintaining that he ensured that he did not tarnish his integrity especially as a young man.
According to him “I hold strongly that what does not belong to me should not be taken without the owner’s consent that is why immediately I found the bag in my car, I had to turn on the phone I found inside the bag so that the owner could call and claim it and luckily, when he came I handed over everything to him.
“He was very happy when he got it and we exchanged phone numbers. he appreciated my gesture and promised to help me when he is back from service but at the meantime, he nominated me for an award of recognition for selfless service to humanity, I am very happy for the prayers offered to me by the elders in this very occasion and I enjoin every other Nigerian to always do the same thing so that Nigeria can become a better place,” he said
Also, owner of the bag, Ulayi said “it is a thing of joy, I visited Calabar from my primary place of assignment at Ebonyi state to do some things so, when I alighted from the taxi I boarded, I did not remember that I had a bag inside and I left straight to the house it was when I arrived home I remembered that I forgot everything in the taxi I boarded. I later called my line and it rang, from there I was able to locate the driver to get my bag. In that bag was my license to practice as a nurse also was my NYSC debit card, Samsung hand set worth N50,000 among other valuables. But my license alone worth over N100, 000.
“I have only shown my appreciation to this man by nominating him for this prestigious award I have promised him that I will do better things for him when I am back from service.
“I do not know how to express my joy for finding these important items. May God bless Hossana, the taxi driver and I urge others to emulate this young man so that our society can become a better place,” he said
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