It was Thursday, 25th September, 2014 and the occasion was the 2014 National Award Ceremony. A little known and less fancied Akwa Ibom man of unparalleled integrity was to be honored with ‘Member of the Federal Republic’ (MFR). No, it was not Godswill Obot Akpabio who can only be described by his uncommon transformation of Akwa Ibom State. It was also not Arc. (Obong) Victor Attah, the former Governor of the State who’s antecedents and manner he piloted the just concluded National Conference drew widespread accolades and encomiums by his kinsmen. It was Ime Usua, an Abuja airport cabman, an Akwa Ibom man of unequalled reputation for integrity who returned $120,000 left in his cab by his foreign passengers who he earlier dropped off at a hotel in the Capital.

It is quite uncommon to read stories of integrity in Nigeria, but Usua, even as a cab driver who made a paltry N4000 from the foreigners and with a large, highly dependent family, it makes more sense that a man struggling to meet family needs, could be as upright as to return over N18m to it owners.

No, the police did not go after him, he was not coerced; he simply took a briefcase he discovered in his cab after the days’ job and headed back to the hotel where he had dropped off his foreign passengers. And even as the event took place in 2007, the administration of Goodluck Jonathan honored him in 2014. This is indicative that integrity pays after all. Giving back to the people what belongs to them pays. But as we have seen overtime, it is almost non-existent that the people get what belongs to them. The people’s rights are brazenly taken away from them in tyranny and our society is riddled in all forms of corruption and distrust.

Can there be another Ime Usua? YES, we found another and from Akwa Ibom State. He is Prince Nsikak Okon. He is asking to represent the people of Uyo Senatorial District in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is one man without an iota of dent to his name and though I did not set out to write on his aspirations, it is important to mention he is one, Uyo Senatorial District can trust to return to them what belongs to them.

pls relax with ur nsikak okon,ita enang is representing uyo very well.he's d best senator after d exit of udoma udo udoma