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.
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.”
been rewarded with N1m for rescuing a
boy during a boat accident in Mgboudohia
waterfront, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
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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