Encomium
Sometime back, Monday Ubani’s Foundation took up Josephine Ugwu’s case, the airport cleaner who found and returned N12 million at the airport on Saturday, January 10, 2015. The foundation promised to raise 10 percent of the money found to her. Part of the promise was fulfilled when a cheque of N680,000 was presented to her on Thursday, 11, 2015, by the foundation. ENCOMIUM Weekly spoke with Barrister Monday Ubani and Josephine about it…
We learnt your foundation gave out money to the airport cleaner that returned the money she found?
Yes, it is true. We gave her a cheque of N680,000.
How does it feel putting smile on her face?
It is fulfilling, I am so happy, elated. I am grateful to Nigerians who yielded our call and gave generously. We are known for this over the years now. We raised money for a girl to go for surgery, MTN also raised money for her. The family gave the foundation a million naira for any other child to go for surgery.
We also raised N1.5million for Dana Air victims.
Can she expect more?
The foundation promised her N1.2 million, 10 percent of what she found and returned. God will help us get there. She was so happy when we presented it. It was when we brought up her case that people started inviting and honouring her. She has been invited by House Of Assembly, CLAM, TREM and so on. We have told the world that she is the face of integrity, she should be celebrated.
What do you advise her to use the money for?
I really want to empower her. What I want is something that is permanent. I want the government to give her a house. The big men in the country should come to her aid and give her a five bedroom bungalow so that when she wakes up, she will remember that she got the house as a result of honesty. She will be able to tell her children the story also. There is no amount we give her that will not finish. I want something permanent.
‘I am grateful, things have changed for me’ – JOSEPHINE UGWU (Airport cleaner)
How does it feel receiving a huge amount from Monday Ubani’s foundation?
I am very happy. God brought him to help poor people. If everybody is like him, Nigeria will be good. I pray God will keep him and his household.
How will you describe life since you returned that money?
I am grateful. Life is getting better for me, especially when people started coming to my aid. Though everything is not money. At the same time, I am grateful, things have changed for me.
What will you use the money to do?
I will start a business and at the same time continue with my job. I really want a better job. Please, help me appeal to the Federal Government to come to my aid and get me a better job.
– SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN
