Liberia, Monrovia — A teenager in Liberia, who became a national hero after finding $ 50,000 and returning it to a legitimate owner, said he would meet the country’s president next week.
Emmanuel Turoe told The Associated Press on Friday that he was invited to meet President George Weah on Monday.
“I’m ready to go see the president, and when I meet him, I’ll tell him about my education,” said the 18-year-old. “I tell him I want to go back to school.”
He said Turoe dropped out of school in grade 7 and drove a taxi on a motorcycle to make money to help his family.
“There is nothing, so ask other young people to leave the bike and go to school. [the motorcycle taxi business],” He said.
Turoe’s father confirmed the meeting with Ware and said Cheong Wa Dae officials had called for an invitation.
Tuloe told AP that he was driving a motorcycle taxi on the freeway on Tuesday and saw a lot of money wrapped in a plastic bag that had fallen unnoticed.
“I was scared because it was plenty. [of money] So I took it home and gave it to my aunt to keep it until the owner could request it, “he said.
On the radio, Mus Yancey, a businessman who lost money, said on the radio, “I cried for money and appealed to those who found it.” So he brought it to her.
The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission praised Tuloe for returning the cash.
Tuloe praises his actions while many Liberians praise his actions, while others, including some friends, are plagued by poverty as the country slowly recovers from a long and continuous civil war. He said he was ridiculing him for doing something unusual in Liberia.
“Since my decision, there has been a breakdown on the freeway and when some of the rider’s friends look at me, they don’t help. They acted stupidly to find and return the money. He told AP from his hometown of Gbolor Dialla on the border with Côte d’Ivoire.
“They tell me I’ll never be rich in my life,” he said. “They say I’ll live poor and die because I’ve returned such an amount.”
He also said he was threatened with his actions. “I need to protect myself,” he said.
However, Tuloe strongly defends his honesty and advises others to return money, cell phones, or other items they may find.
“If the owner asks, we don’t know the future, so they should return it,” he said.
He said the businessman rewarded Tuloe with about $ 1,500 worth of cash and materials.
He said he would share the rewards with some people who were traveling with him on his bike.
“But the mattress I got is handed over to my grandma,” he said firmly.
By Jonathan Paye-Layleh
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