The poor but truthful boy
THE REWARD OF HONESTY By Ebalumhenta Ezekiel
Dedication This book is dedicated to God Almighty, the source of wisdom and truth, and to all young people who believe that honesty, though difficult, will always lead to true success.Acknowledgment I sincerely thank God for giving me the inspiration to write this novel. My gratitude also goes to my parents, lecturers, friends, and everyone who encouraged me to believe in myself and in the power of integrity. I also appreciate all readers who value truth and righteousness in a world filled with deception.Preface In a world where shortcuts are celebrated and dishonesty often appears profitable, many people doubt the value of integrity. This novel, "The Reward of Honesty," is written to remind readers that honesty may delay success, but it never denies it. Through the journey of an ordinary young man facing extraordinary trials, this story reveals that truth, patience, and moral courage are the real foundations of lasting greatness.Table of Contents Dedication ............................................. i Acknowledgment ........................................ ii Preface ................................................ iii Chapter One: The Poor but Truthful Boy ............... 1 Chapter Two: The Hard Decision ........................ 5 Chapter Three: Trials of Integrity .................... 9 Chapter Four: The Unexpected Opportunity ............. 13 Chapter Five: The Reward of Honesty .................. 17 Conclusion ............................................. 21 About the Author ...................................... 23Chapter One: The Poor but Truthful Boy In the quiet town of Ugbodo, where dusty roads met humble houses, lived a young boy named Daniel. Daniel was not rich, nor was he popular, but he was known for one rare quality—honesty.Daniel lived with his widowed mother in a small room behind an old market. Every morning, he helped her sell vegetables before going to school. Life was hard, yet Daniel never complained. His mother always told him, “Daniel, riches without truth are curses. Never trade your honesty for money.”One afternoon, while returning from school, Daniel found a brown envelope on the roadside. Curious, he opened it and saw a huge sum of money. His heart raced. With that money, he could change his life forever.For a moment, temptation whispered in his ears. But Daniel remembered his mother’s words. He decided to find the owner.Chapter Two: The Hard Decision Daniel asked people around the area about the envelope, but no one claimed it. Some even advised him, “Keep it. Nobody will know.”Yet, Daniel felt uneasy. He went to the police station and reported the lost money. Days later, a wealthy businessman named Mr. Adewale arrived, almost in tears. The money Daniel found was meant for an important business transaction.When Mr. Adewale confirmed that Daniel was the one who returned the money, he was shocked. “Many people would have stolen it,” he said. “But you chose honesty.” He offered Daniel a reward, but Daniel refused most of it, taking only enough to buy school books.Mr. Adewale never forgot that moment.Chapter Three: Trials of Integrity Years passed. Daniel grew into a brilliant young man. Despite his intelligence, he faced many challenges. At school, some students cheated in exams and mocked him for refusing to join them. “You are too righteous,” they laughed. But Daniel remained firm.One day, a lecturer mistakenly gave Daniel higher marks than he deserved. Daniel noticed the error. Instead of keeping quiet, he reported it. His friends called him foolish. But Daniel knew that honesty was his identity.Chapter Four: The Unexpected Opportunity After graduation, Daniel searched for a job but found none. Life became harder. Sometimes he wondered if honesty was truly worth it.One morning, he saw a job advertisement from a big company. When he arrived for the interview, he was surprised to see the chairman of the company. It was Mr. Adewale.The businessman recognized him instantly. “You are the boy who returned my money years ago,” he said with a smile. “Yes sir,” Daniel replied humbly.After the interview, Daniel was selected among many candidates. But his reward was bigger than employment.Chapter Five: The Reward of Honesty Mr. Adewale called Daniel into his office. “Daniel,” he said, “I have watched your story from afar. I investigated your character. You are not just intelligent—you are honest. That is rare.”He offered Daniel a scholarship for further studies and appointed him as a junior manager in the company.Tears filled Daniel’s eyes. He remembered the day he found the envelope on the road. If he had chosen dishonesty, his life would have ended in shame. That day, Daniel understood a powerful truth:Honesty may not bring instant success, but it always brings lasting reward.Conclusion Daniel’s life became a testimony in his community. Young people began to learn from his story. He later became a leader known for integrity and justice.And whenever people asked him the secret of his success, he would smile and say, “The reward of honesty is greater than the profit of deceit.”About the Author Ebalumhenta Ezekiel is a passionate young writer and student of Public Administration. He is an ND holder in Public Administration in the School of Business Administrative and Management, Auchi Polytechnic, Nigeria.He believes in the power of words to inspire change and in the importance of honesty, discipline, and moral values in building a better society. Through his writings, he seeks to motivate young people to embrace integrity and purpose in their journey through life.
