Tricycle operator who returned passenger’s forgotten bag of valuable documents rewarded by hotel owner
….says the passenger is the hotel’s guest.
By Onome Naomi
The Chairman of Aceland Royal Gardens, Eze Alex Nwoye, the Bobaselu of Ejigbo, has generously rewarded Chukwudi Okeke, a diligent tricycle operator, for returning a guest’s bag that contained foreign currencies, pricey jewelry, and documents that were left in his tricycle. This was carried out after Okeke portrayed an honorable deed.
Of recent, the tricycle operator who operates within the suburbs of Ejigbo transported the passenger ( names withheld), a Nigerian based in the United States of America to Aceland Royal Gardens. On that fateful day, Chukwudi Okeke narrated that while calling for passengers at night on Friday, 6th December, 2024, he saw the passenger at Jakande Gate at about 11 pm, which was late, with some bags. He said initially he had wanted to pass but then changed his mind and transported the passenger to the Aceland. He further explained that upon approaching the hotel, some workers in Aceland who knew the passenger excitedly offered to offload the owner’s bags from the tricycle but forgot to pick the last bag, which contained the valuable documents.
It took Chukwudi Okeke two days to decide whom the bag might be for; he said he noticed the bag but was not even sure of the owner. He only suspected that the bag belonged to the said passenger, whom he had dropped off at the hotel. Before the return of the bag to the owner, he opened the bag to see if he could find a number to call but only discovered documents, foreign currencies, and other things. He then decided not to tell anyone about it, including the person he’s squatting with, for fear of confiscation or tampering, but rather traced the owner to the hotel.
Okeke also mentioned that despite his predicament of homelessness and catering for a sick sister, he will never take what does not belong to him owing to his grandmother’s upbringing. More so, he’s been a tricycle rider for 11 years, and presently, he is riding on a higher-purchased tricycle that needs repairs but would rather struggle than steal or take what’s not his.
After the return of the bag, he told his friends about the incident; they mocked him and called him’Ode”—that God decided to bless him, and he threw the blessing away. But he said he had no regrets because he knew it was the right thing to do.
In response, the bag’s owner, stated that he was still in disbelief that someone like Chukwudi Okeke existed in Nigeria. He said he had given up on seeing the bag and was listening to assurances that it was not a life-or-death matter. Despite not knowing the Keke rider, hotel owner Eze Alex Nwoye showed faith by stating that they might yet return the luggage.
He verified that the bag included various foreign currencies, pricey jewelry, a laptop, credit cards, and important documents. He reported the incident to the Ejigbo Division police because of the type of materials found within. He clarified that nothing had been taken out of the bag when the rider returned it, and everything was in its original condition.
The passenger ( names withheld) commended Chukwudi Okeke for his honesty and said that he is unique among young people because of his high moral standards. He offered some money, but Okeke declined until he was persuaded.
The Aceland Royal Garden’s owner, Eze Alex Nwoye, also compensated the tricycle driver for his integrity in order to set an example for others and encourage young people to embrace this aspect of life for a bigger payoff. Chukwudi Okeke was also invited to the end-of-year celebration at Aceland Royal Gardens, where he was appreciated monetarily by many visitors when they heard about the story.
You can approach Chukwudi Okeke, the honest Nigerian, at 09112797792 to appreciate his good deed.
