Nigerian Gateman Rejects House Gift, Requests Community Borehole

“Goodwill is the one and only asset that competition cannot undersell or destroy.“

 - Ludwig Borne

There are still selfless men on the surface of the earth and it is the few like this who carry the hope for sustained humanity in the world despite the unimaginable hardships and heartlessness that have overshadowed us all.

The internet has gone abuzz with the news making the rounds of a poor Nigerian gateman who, after serving his Indian boss diligently for twenty-five years in Lagos, rejected a house gift as compensation in the request that a borehole be built for his community back in Jigawa State.

Satisfied with the diligence, patriotism, and dedication to work of his gateman over the years, the Indian expatriate decided to honor Musa Usman with the surprise of building him a house of his own. But he was shocked by the response he got.

Musa thanked him for the kind gesture but requested that the money be used for his house be used instead in building a bore-hole for his community back home in a small village of Giljimmi, located in the northern Jigawa State..

Jigawa is a state in northwestern Nigeria. It is known for its desert lands and high water shortages.

This is the story of Musa Usman has attracted a lot of attention online with a reputable media agency in the country, The Daily Trust reports that Usman continues to live with his family in a thatched house whiles his gesture has saved the community that hitherto suffered acute water shortage.

The Indian expatriate who is a Managing Director of a Lagos-based pharmaceutical company was quoted as saying he did not regret opting for the communal good over his personal gain.

The story of Usman has attracted widespread commendation especially on social media platforms – Facebook and Twitter.

Would you refuse a house in favor of a community borehole?

Header Image Credit: Qwenu!