The Chairman of LEADERSHIP Group Limited, Zainab Nda-Isaiah, alongside the Niger State government, has emphasised the critical importance of patience as a cornerstone for achieving success among youths.
They stated this during the inauguration of a trustee board in honor of Auwalu Salisu, a Kano-based commercial tricycle rider recognized for his extraordinary act of honesty in returning N15 million that he found in his tricycle.
In 2023, Auwalu was named LEADERSHIP’s Outstanding Young Person of the Year for his remarkable integrity. During the ceremony, Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago promised him a total of N250 million, which includes N50 million in scholarships from himself, President Bola Tinubu, ministers, the APC Governors’ Forum, and the Niger State government.
Auwalu also received a scholarship offer for a PhD program at Baze University from Mr. Peter Obi, a fellow awardee and presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), during the LEADERSHIP Annual Conference Award.
Recently, the Niger governor fulfilled his promise of the N250 million gift to Salisu, leading to the establishment of the trustee board.
The board consists of representatives from the Niger State government, LEADERSHIP Group, the Sam Nda-Isaiah Foundation, and Auwalu’s family to ensure the funds are utilised effectively, particularly for Auwalu’s education and skill development.
At the inauguration in Abuja yesterday, Mrs. Nda-Isaiah praised Auwalu’s act of honesty, commending Governor Bago for his commitment to keeping his promises.
“Auwalu’s decision to return such a significant amount of money is truly inspiring. The temptation he faced must have been immense, but he chose integrity over personal gain.”
She also shared a personal anecdote about the governor’s pledges, expressing her initial skepticism but ultimately being impressed by his fulfillment of promises without hesitation.
“This event is a celebration of integrity and a testament to the governor’s mandate to ensure these funds support Auwalu’s development,” she added.
Mr. Aminu Suleman Takuma, the Commissioner for the Ministry of Industry, Trade, Investment, and Private Sector Development, Niger on his part, said patience often leads to great rewards.
Takuma who represented the Niger state SSG, Alhaji Abubakar Usman
said, “Those that want to rush where do they end up? This advice does not only go to the young ones, it also goes to the parents.
“There are so many good things we are not showing out there this has demonstrated the kind of individual farmer governor is this is a gentleman.”
The Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP, Azu Ishiekwene, highlighted the importance of recognizing acts of integrity through their annual conference and awards.
He noted that Auwalu’s story exemplifies the extraordinary integrity that LEADERSHIP seeks to promote.
He also called on other LS who made the pledge to redeem their pledges.
“Every year LEADERSHIP has what is called leadership annual conference and award and it has become a goal standard. Like we have done it in the past, we identified, do our research and get extra ordinary act of integrity that is how it happened.
“Auwalu find 15 million in his Keke and return it to the owner and LEADERSHIP newspaper find out that the extra ordinary work of integrity and held him up as standard,” he said
The trustee board is set to visit Kano to meet with Auwalu and his family, further strengthening the support network around him.
