A
14-year-old pupil, Divine Toruemi, has been rewarded with N1m for
rescuing a boy during a boat accident in Mgboudohia waterfront, Port
Harcourt, Rivers State.14-year-old pupil wins N1m for rescuing boy in boat accident
Also, Mohammed Kenubu, who rescued a
baby in a bomb blast in Kano, received N750,000; while David Adekunle,
who cannily got the police to arrest some armed robbers, got N500, 000.
The trio earned the Indomie Independence Day Heroes Awards for 2013 at an event organised by Dufil Prima Foods Plc in Lagos.
They were among the 14 children earlier selected for performing bravery act by the organisers.
Toruemi, a Senior Secondary School II
pupil of Foundation Group of Schools, Port Harcourt, said her
recognition by the firm would spur her to serve humanity better.
The youngster, who said she did not expect any reward for her act, pledged to always go the extra mile in assisting people.
She said, “We were travelling in a boat
on Mgboudohia waterfront that day when the boat capsized. Those of us
who could swim maneuvered and luckily, we found ourselves at the bank of
the river. From that point, I saw a boy who was still floating and
struggling to swim.
“I felt pity and decided to risk my life
to return to the water to rescue him. Others that escaped did not
bother to do anything. But thank God, I brought the drowning boy out of
the river successfully and he did not die. At the end, 49 people died in
the accident.
“If I had not done what I did by saving
the drowning boy, I probably wouldn’t be here for this award. My message
to children out there is to help save lives whenever they can. I’d like
to say a big thank you to Dufil Prima Foods for the cash prize, which
will be very helpful to me and my family.”
For Kenubu, who picked a baby in a blast in Kano, it was mere instinct that propelled him to accomplish the feat.
He said, “I was going and I just heard
the sound of a blast. Everybody started running and I ran too. As I was
running, I decided to look back and I saw a woman with her baby beside
her.
“People were jumping over the mother and
baby, but my mind told me to go and pick the baby. I later ran back to
pick the baby and took him home. When I got home, my mother was shocked
and furious at me. She asked me to return the baby to where I found it,
but I begged her to let us save the baby’s life.
“She agreed, reluctantly. The second day
after the blast, we decided to go back to the garage to see if the
mother was alive or looking for her baby. We met those in the garage and
they told us that the mother had been crying around looking for her
baby and when we found the mother, we gave her the baby.”
Eight-year-old Adekunle of Galaxy
International School, Minna, Niger State, who got robbers arrested
through his intelligent, careful and good judgment, said he took the
decision because he hated stealing.
He said, “I was washing plates in the
kitchen that day when three robbers came into our house. They went into
our bedroom and took my daddy’s laptops and other electronics.
“They never knew I saw them. Immediately
they went down, I followed and started tracking them. Luckily, I saw a
neighbour of mine who rides motorcycle. I stopped him and explained what
happened. I told him I wanted to know where the robbers were going to.
“The robbers at a point suspected that I
was tracking them, but each time they did, I pretended as if I was
playing. I later found out where they were going to and went to my dad’s
office to explain everything to him. My dad and I reported to the
police station and the robbers were arrested.”
The winners, who were tagged ‘Heroes”, thanked the firm for the money given to them.
Justifying the awards, the Chairman,
Dufil Prima Foods, Mr. Haresh Aswani, said the gesture was meant to
identify and reward children whose heroic acts touched lives.
He added, “This event is significant
because it is rooted in the recognition of those whose best efforts are
very often overlooked by the society. On a daily basis, our beloved
Nigerian children perform thousands of heroic acts at great personal
risk.
“In 2008, we decided to take up the
challenge by not only recognising these young heroes, but also providing
them scholarship opportunities since their actions have touched lives
in their immediate communities and beyond.”
The company’s Chief Executive Officer,
Mr. Deepak Singhal, in a documentary tagged ‘IIDA: The Journey So Far’,
promised that the company would always celebrate children who serve as
change agents in their communities.
Human rights activist, Dr. Joe
Okei-Odumakin, who spoke on “Children as Agents of National
Transformation”, lamented the dearth of moral standards in the country.
She said, “The future of every nation is
dependent on the youth, many of whom are children. Hence, it is
pertinent for a nation that wants to grow to make conscious efforts to
provide a better future for them, as the nation’s destiny lies in their
hands.
“Initiatives such as the Independence
Day Awards were necessary, since they gave children the hope of a
brighter tomorrow. Dufil Prima Foods Plc is rekindling the hope of the
Nigerian child with this enviable initiative, which rewards unique acts
of bravery and heroism among our children, thereby inspiring them to
aspire to greater heights.”
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