A few days ago, or should I say few weeks ago, a video trended of a mechanic by the name of Mr. Timothy who refunded a whooping sum of N10.8 million (about $26,000 USD) that was sent to his account out of mistake by the sender. A customer to the mechanic was seen in the trending video complimenting the mechanic's honesty and urging others to employ his services for auto repairs in that video that went viral on social media.
Several people complimented Mr. Timothy for his brave act of integrity and undiluted honesty. In Fact he received many compliments for being a model citizen and true role model for others to emulate.
The mechanic received acclaim from online users for his honesty and integrity, with some of the netizens even suggesting that he should be given a reward. Something in return for his acts. The mechanic was initially seen in the video shaking his head in humility trying to turn down any praise or prizes. But, a few days later another video surfaced once more with words that he received the reward of 50,000 naira.
Now, many of course believed that the prize was too little or insufficient for such a kind act he displayed with some saying that they would not have kept the money if they had been in Mr. Timothy's position. Many had gone so far as to disparage him and say that Mr. Timothy was a coward who would live out the rest of his life in poverty due just because he returned money that wasn't his.
With such an attitude from people I began to think Nigeria has a long way to go in combating corruption for a nation that is trying to battle off its corrupt government officials and they are of this opinion.
So I'll try a little in my own ability to evaluate my perspective on this particular issues not forgetting to tackle some moral and ethical issues raised by his acts, first let me starting by asking:
Did Mr. Timothy Act Correctly By Returning The Money?
Well, Mr Timothy unquestionably without flinching or mincing my words acted morally correct by returning and surrendering the money that was not legally his. Although given the financial hardships that many Nigerians experience, many would argue that Mr. Timothy should have kept the money for himself. After all, there are so many things he could have utilized the cash to do both for his own personal development and also his family's quality of life.
This reasoning, however, made me realize that most times honesty and integrity are not regarded as virtues. For a society to be just and equitable, the society must prioritize honesty and integrity. Without them, people may lie, steal, and cheat without fear or no repercussions at all. And of course this could be devastating. Because trust between people as well as between people and society depends on honesty and integrity.
Let's face it, honesty and having integrity are not merely concepts that exist just in our little minds. But the lives of the people which are affected by these concepts in the real world it's what makes it real. In Mr. Timothy's situation, his choice to return the money demonstrated that there are still real humans, Nigerians who are prepared to act honorably even in the face of hardship. He brought honesty and integrity to life.
Besides, returning the money was not the only morally thing to do. but it was also the legally correct course of action. The law is crystal clear on the subject of mistaken transfer of funds. The recipient is required by law to return any funds that were sent to the incorrect account (I stand to be corrected). Failing to do so might lead to the money being tracked to him, and if discovered, legal action could be taken against him.
Now if you're wondering if money that was mistakenly transferred to the wrong account can be tracked, read on.
Yes of course, money that was mistakenly moved to an incorrect account can be traced. I have seen it happen Although not my own money, but with close relatives.
Banks have their ways of typically tracking down the money and getting it back from the wrong account. The procedure may be a little difficult and drawn out as this entails several procedures like getting in touch with the bank that handled the transfer and presenting proof that the money was delivered to the incorrect account.
The money will eventually be found and returned to the proper person, even though the procedure might take some time and run into legal issues.
Was the reward poor?
Some have argued that Mr Timothy should have received a greater reward in exchange for his true act of honesty. Absolutely, I concur with that. The reward ought to have been greater than only 50,000 naira.
But while it is true that 50,000 naira may not seem like a large sum of money in comparison to the 10.8 million naira that he returned. One question keeps on creeping into my mind when I think of it is; "what if it was my money, what kinda reward would I have given".
Before I conclude, you might be wondering. Since I've been shouting honesty and integrity, what would I have done if I was in Mr. Timothy's shoes?
It's very difficult to say that I would have done the right thing and returned the money at this point in my life because, in reality, making decisions in the heat of such a moment is definitely going to be more difficult.
I want to believe that Mr. Timothy probably found it difficult to decide to repay the money. He must have had people advising him to keep the money. I mean the benefits of keeping the money for himself must have weighed him down. But he also had to think about how his choice would reflect on him as a person and the ethical ramifications of it and also the dangers of getting detected and facing a theft penalty.
As a result, after giving it some serious thought, I came to the conclusion that, in Mr. Timothy's position, I would like to think that I would have reached the same conclusion and returned the money just like he did. Call me cowardly, but I was taught by my father that "a good name is worth more than riches." I wouldn't want to make a mistake that would come back to haunt me.
I don't know about you, although I would like to know what you would have done. Because everyone of us is a unique human with our own talents and limitations, so it is hard to predict how you would respond.
To be honest, Mr. Timothy the mechanic is a very great illustration of the value of standard morality our society needs today. The actions of Timothy and the reward he got serve as a reminder that while doing the right thing is always the correct thing to do, it is not always simple.
PS: I also think we shouldn't judge the owner of the reward money until we put ourselves in his position. Only then should we make decisions.