Popular Nigerian dermatologist returns $150 to forex bureau in Ghana after transaction error

Public speaker, entrepreneur and Lagos-based dermatologist, Dr. Oluwakemi Ajiboye, displayed the true Nigerian spirit as she returned an excess cash amount of 990 Ghana cedis, an equivalent of 65,000 naira she obtained while conducting a cash transaction at a forex bureau located at East Legon, a plush residence in Ghana's capital, Accra.

Dr. Ajiboye, who is on a trip to the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E) to attend the "Dubai Derma," a global dermatology conference, is in Ghana to obtain the required coronavirus reports to travel to the U.A.E. The Emirati country banned all travellers from Nigeria.

Narrating the experience to MyNigeria's correspondent in Ghana, Novieku Babatunde Adeola, the C.EO. of Crystal Shine Skin Clinic said she didn’t realise she was given more than she bargained for until she visited another forex bureau.

“So I got into Ghana on the 19th of June and decided to change naira to Ghana cedis at a forex bureau so I could eat. When I was at the forex bureau, the guy offered me a rate. Apparently, I didn’t understand how it worked, and I gave him 10,000 naira cash, he gave me 1,100 Ghana cedis.”

She continued: “All I wanted was to gather cedis so I could eat because I hadn’t eaten since my flight the previous day. So in about three, four days, my money finished so I needed to change more money. While trying to change this time around, I mean the second time, I realized there was an error.

I initially thought they were trying to play games with me, so I tried another forex bureau and I was offered the same rate as what the man offered me. At that point, I knew the guy made an error and there was no documentation. If I even had my passport number or name or something, he could have reached out, but there was nothing like that,” she said.

At the time of the transaction on Saturday, June 19, 2021, the official exchange rate was 0.011 naira to 1 Ghana cedis. This means, Dr. Ajiboye's exchange was meant to be 110 Ghana Cedis, not 1,100 Ghana Cedis.

Elvis Avayi, a teller at the unnamed forex bureau said they are extremely surprised at the actions of Dr. Shine. According to him, what makes it even more surprising is the fact that she is from Nigeria.



“I am actually surprised and I am even short of words because the day the incident happened, it was like the whole night we couldn't sleep and thinking about it but something told us she would be back definitely. So our instincts were right when we had that feeling, and lo and behold she has come,” Mr. Avayi said in excitement.

“It's not easy for a Nigerian to return 990 Ghana cedis. It's a miracle!” he said when asked if he was surprised she was a Nigerian.

Below is a statement addressed to MyNigeria by Minister Consular and Political, Sylvanus Dauda at the Nigerian High Commission in Accra

This is our Nigerian national coming back to return money that was given to her in excess. It is welcome and should be encouraged. We want to put it on record that it’s not all Nigerians that are often said to be bad are actually bad. We still have a large number of Nigerians, who even after noticing the fault which is not on their own side, are honest enough to come back and return the excess in good faith.

This category of Nigerians are everywhere even in Ghana. Therefore, Nigerians should not be tagged as completely bad, unreliable. There are Nigerians who are very honest, who will always find the means of giving back what is not theirs, and this is what we must continue to promote.

It is not in our character to take what is not ours. It is also not in our character to benefit where we have not sown. I agree there are some few bad eggs amongst us Nigerians in Ghana but the majority of Nigerians strive to live a good life and to remain honest.

This is an appeal to all of us that anytime we see that there is anything that has been given to us in excess which does not belong to us, we should return it back to the owner in good faith. That way, we would always be our brother’s keepers.