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.
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.
Awesome kids. They are heroes indeed
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