COTONOU, BENIN REPUBLIC — A Nigerian journalist and election observer, Ebenezer Adurokiya, has recounted a striking moment of honesty in Cotonou that has since stirred reflection on public trust and civic values back home in Nigeria.
Adurokiya, who was part of an ECOWAS observer team for Benin Republic’s April 12 presidential election, told his colleagues that the incident occurred shortly after he and his colleagues arrived in Cotonou from Avrankou, near Porto-Novo, on Sunday morning.
According to him, the team stopped at a roadside restaurant upon entering the city, pleasantly surprised to find a familiar Nigerian delicacy—amala and ewedu on the menu.
“It felt like home instantly,” Adurokiya said. “The meal was excellent—the amala was smooth, the ewedu rich, and the fish very delicious. We were also warmly attended to by a Yoruba-speaking staff member who made the experience even more enjoyable.”
However, the pleasant outing nearly turned sour when Adurokiya realized shortly after leaving the restaurant that he had forgotten two mobile phones on the table.
“We immediately turned back,” he recounted. “I was hopeful, but still anxious.”
On returning, their driver reportedly walked into the restaurant and retrieved the phones without difficulty.
“They were safely kept for us. Nothing was missing,” Adurokiya said.
The development drew a sharp reaction from one of his colleagues, a police officer from Abuja, who contrasted the experience with what he believes might have happened in Nigeria.
“He said, ‘If this were Nigeria, those phones would have been gone,’” Adurokiya added.
Reflecting on the incident, Adurokiya noted that the experience highlights broader concerns about public trust and everyday integrity in Nigeria.
“It raises important questions about our values as a people,” he said. “We often blame leadership, but real change may begin with individual responsibility and honesty in our daily lives.”
He concluded that Nigeria’s progress depends not only on institutional reforms but also on a collective commitment by citizens to uphold integrity.
“When we are ready as a people to move forward, we will,” he said.
Adurokiya is the Warri Correspondent of Daily Champion and participated in the ECOWAS observation mission for Benin Republic’s presidential election.
