REPORTER'S DIARY: Meet Mr. Ojo Joel, the commercial driver who returned my lost phone after 11 days

Within and outside Nigeria, there is documented evidence of exceptional Nigerians exhibiting high integrity and moral standards of an uncommon nature in diverse areas. Many of these Nigerians have consistently shown that upholding values and high moral standards are matters of personal choice and decision.

11 days ago, while returning from a journey that took me to Ikeji Arakeji in Osun State, I lost my phone. That Wednesday morning, I got in a car coming from Akure en route to Osogbo. I sat alone in the front seat beside the driver until a plus-size lady joined me, making it very uncomfortable for both of us.

Every minute of the journey was painful. The seat was small; it couldn't contain the lady alone conveniently, going by her size, let alone both of us.

The journey wasn't a long journey, but the 1 hour and some minutes spent in the car was torturous and painful. My back, knees, and legs ache beyond words. By the time I finally alighted from the vehicle at Ilesa garage, it took me more than five minutes to regain my strength to move my legs.

When my legs finally regained strength to walk, I noticed that one of my two phones was missing. I tried to figure out how it happened. I then realised that due to space constraints in the vehicle, my left pocket was very close to the gear, and every time the driver tried to change the gear, his hands kept coming in contact with my pocket where the phone was kept. 

At that point, I was convinced the phone dropped in the vehicle. I dipped my hands into my other pocket and reached out for the second phone. I began to call. I called for more than 15 times, hoping the driver or the plus-size lady would pick it up, but that never happened.

I was frustrated that the phone was just ringing. I knew that I had put the phone on vibration and that might make it difficult for people to hear it ringing. 

20 minutes later, I picked up the phone again to call, and there was a response.

"Are you the owner of this phone?" he spoke calmly.

"I am the owner," I responded quickly.

"The phone dropped from my pocket."

He then replied, "I am about to return to Akure, but I will help you to keep it, and whenever I come to Osogbo, you will get it back from me," he said.

Four days after, he came to Osogbo. He called me to come around for the phone, but I couldn't go because of some circumstances that warranted it. Seeing I couldn't meet him, he promised to let me know whenever he was in town again.

For the number of days that he was with the phone, he called me about 5 times, assuring me that I will get my phone back.

Last Friday, Mr. Ojo Joel handed over my phone to me. While trying to compensate him with a token, the network was bad and the transfer wasn't going through.

He insisted that I should not bother myself because the network was bad at that time. 

However, I eventually transferred a token to him as a way to appreciate him for his exemplary 'omoluabi' values.

As I put this piece together, my shout-out goes to Mr. Ojo Joel, a true Nigerian worthy of commendation. He chose to return my phone when he could have easily converted it to his own.