*Nigeria’s leading position in anti-corruption war gaining momentum – Respondent
*Lauds Asemota, says beyond Italy, Edo has given Nigeria a facelift in Qatar
“This guy, I must tell you, has done us proud and it is a sign that Nigerians abroad are keying into the Muhammadu Buhari uncompromising anti-corruption war faster than even we citizens living at home in the country. I pray that God Almighty will bless this Asemota for putting us as Nigerian people on the seat of pride at the global scene especially in the Islamic society like Qatar where law is followed to the core.”
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has lauded a Nigerian in the Diaspora living in Qatari capital of Doha, Michael Jonathan Asemota a.k.a Teddy, for his sincerity and honesty in returning QR1,502,000 ($441,127.99) about N150 million wrongfully posted into his account in Qatar.
A statement by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Special Assistant on Media to Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, stated that the President’s SSA gave the commendation when she received Mr. Michael Asemota in her office on Wednesday in Abuja.
The SSA, Balogun continued, said that such a rare display of honesty and sincerity from a Nigerian in the Diaspora had given the country as well as other Nigerians living in Qatar a facelift.
She urged Asemota to continue to be a good ambassador of Nigeria and implore other Nigerians in the Diaspora to emulate the positive image he had given to Nigeria in Qatar.
“With this exceptional act of honesty, you have become a positive image for Nigerians and Nigeria in Qatar in the midst of bad news tag against Nigerians in the Diaspora.
“We are truly proud of you and urge you to continue to extol the virtues and strength of the Nigerian heritage of honesty, integrity and honour. Your shinning beacon serves as inspiration to the Youth of Nigeria’’, Dabiri-Erewa stated in a letter of commendation personally signed by her and given to Asemota.
Michael Asemota, a native of Edo state but based in Doha, Qatar, had opened an account with a cheque of QR150, 200 with an undisclosed commercial bank, where he is the sole signatory to the account.
Narrating his experience to the SSA during the courtesy call in Abuja he said, “As I got back home, I received an alert showing that a QR1,502,000 had been credited into my account by mistake instead of QR150,200.
“I went to see the manager to report the error of QR1, 502,000 deposited into my account. After checking for confirmation, the manager gave me a warm handshake in appreciation.”
Asked why he alerted the bank about the error, Asemota said: “I knew the money did not belong to me and shouldn’t be in my account in the first place, so there were no motives and temptations to keep it.”
He advised people faced with similar situations to “immediately notify their bank to avoid any potential problems as the bank will eventually trace their mistake back to your account and withdraw the mistakenly deposited money.”
He said the singular act has given Nigeria and Nigerians positive image in Qatar in the midst of bad stories of Nigeria emanating from the country.
Asemota is an official of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation-Qatar (NIDO-Qatar), the umbrella body of Nigerian residents in the country.
A respondent, Adedoyin Fusika, has joined the Presidency and the office of the SSA to the President on Foreign Matters and Diaspora in congratulating Michael Asemota, who waged serious against his own soul in overcoming temptation of get-rich quick through unhealthy means.
“This guy, I must tell you, has done us proud and it is a sign that Nigerians abroad are keying into the Muhammadu Buhari uncompromising anti-corruption war faster than even we citizens living at home in the country. I pray that God Almighty will bless this Asemota for putting us as Nigerian people on the seat of pride at the global scene especially in the Islamic society like Qatar where law is followed to the core.”
