Posted: December 31, 2012 - 04:04
By Uzoma Ahamefule

How can Nigerians be governed with this high level of cruelty by means of obnoxious laws here and there? Why is it that laws are executed with the speed like that of an angry hunting lion when it has to do with the poor in this country but when it concerns the bigger criminals in the name of political leaders and elites every government begins to form committees that never find them guilty? Why this impunity of recklessness?

Why is it that Nigerian leaders at various levels are very insensitive to the cry of the people, but yet expect to win the war against crime and social vices? Objectively speaking, how can Nigeria’s “vision 2020” policy of being one of the world’s leading political and economical powers in 2020 be realized when average Nigerian citizens still live under $1 per day and their leaders do not see them as partners but rather treat issues concerning them like masters and slaves?

What have we Nigerians done wrong to our leaders?

Who is advising Governor Fashola with this heinous law to ban commercial motorcyclists popularly known as ’okadas’ in Lagos State without first of all honestly providing an alternative? This law is nasty and has got no human face. I was shocked and felt sick when I saw thousands destroyed motorcycles proudly displayed to news men/women as an achievement by the agents of Governor Fashola as ’okadas’ of those that failed the traffic laws. Oh, my heart bleeds! I do not know if Governor Fashola is aware that as his agents destroyed those thousands of 'okadas' that they also destroyed many homes, shattered many dreams, jeopardized the future of many children and created more hooligans and criminals.

By Nigerian standards of governance and development, Governor Fashola is one of the very few governors in Nigeria that I still respect and that is why I am making my stand known. Can somebody please tell Governor Fashola that he has at this juncture woefully failed the people because the reason of banning ‘okadas’ is shallow and laughable? If part of the reasons of banning commercial 'okada' operators was because many of the riders were engaged in nefarious activities with their ‘okadas’, can we now say because of some people that may be thieving politicians in Lagos State that we should stop having a government in the state?

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo said that there are rogues and thieves at the National Assemblies. Can we now ban law making in Nigeria because of many of these merciless Nigerian law makers in the National Assemblies whose primary interests as evidence has shown have always been to increase their salaries without recourse to its effect on the nation and without plans to make laws that could rehabilitate the shameful health system in Nigeria or to build railways or undergrounds in order to make the everyday agony of life for poor Nigerians easier that ignited the 'okada' business? Can we say because there are too many air crashes in Nigeria due to the fact that a few individuals assigned with the responsibility to certify that planes are in very good conditions before they are put in use have collected bribes in order to allow coffins to airlift Nigerians ban the use of aircrafts? Or can we because of numerous motor accidents in Nigeria as a result of the failures of government at various levels ban the use of motors?

Governor Fashola said that it was because of many ‘okada’ accidents that made him ban commercial motorcyclists. What did he do to reduce the number of accidents before this unfounded action? Is it not the responsibility of every government to find out the causes of problems? Did Governor Fashola’s government try to find out why there were many 'okada' accident cases? Do the agents of the governor, ‘LASMA’ who is the body of the executioners of this unfriendly law have the ordinary alcohol testing instruments in order to examine and know who is driving under the influence of alcohol on Lagos roads especially when an accident occurs? Did the government of Governor Fashola provide standard traffic signs and speed limits on all the roads where he has banned ‘okadas’? Can Governor Fashola scientifically prove how many of these ’okada’ riders are qualified riders or that are mentally stable to use motorcycles?

Take sentiments and emotions away from the fact that there have been 'okada' accidents and ’okada’ related robberies and look at the issue critically. If Governor Fashola did not carry out all these vital elementary assignments, how sound would it be for him to stand up one morning and ban ‘okada’ operators? If Governor Fashola cannot comfortably provide answers to the aforementioned questions; can he now see that the people did not fail but rather the inability of the Lagos State government not to have thoroughly viewed the issue and come up with an impeccable solution that failed the masses? The social implication of this decision is devastating on the people and can never address the issue of accidents he raised until his government takes a very reasonable measure to control and discipline many Lagosians whom out of ignorance or stupidity have formed the habits of navigating bicycles, tricycles, motorcycles or motors under the heavy influence of alcohol, hard drugs or without licences.

What Lagos State government or other states where they have banned ’okadas’ should have done in this situation should have been to research first and then look for a fair and logical method of arriving at a resolution that should not be more harmful to the society than the problem/s they were trying to avoid after also due consideration that it was unemployment that led to the ’okada’ business in the first place. Because even up to the late 80s we did not have commercial ’okadas’, therefore, government agents should have figured out carefully on how a few miscreants in their midst should have been identified and dealt with accordingly without raising tension instead of this indiscriminate ban.

If Governor Fashola continues to refuse to reverse this anti-masses law, the governor may have indirectly advocated that Nigerian banks should be closed because there are some bank managers who cooperate with fraudsters to steal millions or some workers of some banks who work with criminals by informing them when, where and how to break their banks and steal monies. If this obnoxious law is allowed to stand, Governor Fashola has equally advocated that the Nigeria police should be closed because there are many criminals and bribe takers in their midst whose work also has been to gather false evidences against helpless poor Nigerians. Some Nigerian military men/women have been dismissed from service, charged to court and found guilty as criminals. Consequently, the military should also be scraped in Nigeria because they are equally a failure since some of them supply sophisticated arms to armed robbers to kill and wreak havoc on Nigerians in the night in return for money while some of them have been accused to be sponsors, informants and trainers of Boko Haram.

I feel pained to see that Governor Fashola has quickly started to play over our collective intelligence with a massive campaign that since the ban of commercial ‘okadas’ that the number of accidents has reduced in Lagos State, but decided to remain silent whether crime reduced or increased.

Governor Fashola, do not forget that directly or indirectly you used the same ’okada’ people during your election campaign for votes. Why did you not ban 'okadas' before the 2011 election? Contrarily you made a law for all 'okada' riders and their passengers to be within certain safety standards before they could operate in Lagos State? Could that law have been a mistake on the side of your government or a calculated attempt to deceptively win the confidence and the vote of the 'okada' riders? Most of the 'okada' riders who bought their motorcycles under credit or ‘higher purchase’ borrowed money to comply to your order and now that you are comfortably sitting as the executive governor of Lagos State not only that you have stopped their source of daily bread but have also destroyed their production companies ('okadas') leaving them to gnash their teeth in pains and agony without anybody to turn to.

Because in Nigeria everything is possible, therefore, dear Governor Fashola, could it be that the idea of safety gadgets was not well thought of when you came up with the policy or that some people in your cabinet could have imported helmets without your knowledge and had mounted pressure for the implementation of the helmet law through advice so that their business could flourish? And now, perhaps the business of helmets seems no longer lucrative they have again channeled their deceptive policy somewhere and ‘okada’ operators and their families can go to hell.

Dear Governor Fashola, this is a message from your fellow governor who also happens to be in the same party “ACN” like you, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State , “I think it’s, for me, a class issue and I belong to the working class, so I cannot ban ‘okada’. First, I believe that ‘okada’ is a response to certain deficit in our intra-urban transportation system. From the 60s to the 70s to the 80s, we never had ‘okada’. If you ask a lady to take a ride on a motorbike it was like a taboo. Now it has became fashionable to have a woman and two children on top of a bike. It is not a culture choice. It is as a result of deficit in our intra-city transportation system.”

Dear Governor Fashola, I appeal to you like many others to please reverse this policy because a good leader must have good listening ears. Do not allow us to begin to compare you with the worst governor in Nigeria , Dr. T. A. Orji of Abia State who has unnecessarily channeled all his energy in social attacks against Dr. Orji Uzo Kalu instead of working for Abians.

A governor that one of his best achievements so far was the sacking of all non indigene workers from other eastern states because of bad advisers should not be the kind of governor we should compare Governor Fashola with. One hopes that Governor Fashola is not taking this direction and is listening to the voice of reason.

The ban of ‘okadas’ from Delta State to Lagos State or anywhere in Nigeria under any guise is an economic murder on the part of the poor masses. However, if Governor Fashola insists not to heed to the plea of the people, well, we will grudgingly and helplessly succumb to his wish, but he should understand that he has only used his position and might against us but has not won our respect and that a day shall come when Lagosians will remind him this issue like the way Nigerians have kept on reminding IBB the annulment of June 12 that has irredeemably murdered his political return to ‘Aso Rock’.

May God bless Governor Fashola, bless Lagos State and bless Nigeria!

Uzoma Ahamefule
A patriotic concerned citizen writes from Vienna, Austria
uzomaah@yahoo.com

Eko Ile: I know it's a long load of rubbish just like the rubbish we read on NL.


The question is, why is this OKADA thing bothering the folks from the other side of the Niger so much?.


Funny enough, this ugochukwu is somewhere in Vienna while preaching to Lagosians with remote control.


Lagosians have moved on, we are back to normal and carrying on with our igbadun and faaji

Mr. Globe:
After the deflation of his media propaganda, the only thing Fashola can point to as dividends of democracy in 6 years with over 30 billion naira in revenue is the ban of okada for Tinubu's business interest.

cockyjay: there's no point arguing with someone with the highlighted opinion. It's either you're full of hate or you've been living under a rock

Mr. Globe:

you have nothing to say. you are full of propaganda

cockyjay: like i said ealier it's either you're full of hate or you've been living under a rock. That's why you think Fashola has not achieved anything in 6yrs. You're the one full of propaganda.

Mr. Globe:

so what has fashola achieved in 6 years with over 30 billion naira monthly or should I simply refer you to threads where the issue was thrashed Mr. Fashola

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/lagos-commuting-without-okada/134851/

Lagos: Commuting Without Okada

Residents of Lagos State explore new ways of commuting daily from their abode to their places of work and business as the restrictions placed on the activities of commercial motorcycle operators, popularly called okada, by the Lagos State Government, bite harder. OLAOLU OLUSINA reports

Mrs. Folake Adejumo (not real names) looked tired and worn out as she stood right under the scorching sun at the Ikeja Bus Stop as she waited in vain for a commuter bus to take her to her destination at the Barracks area just around the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Lagos Zonal Office in Alausa, Ikeja, the Lagos State capital.

The traffic situation in the city that day was terrible as the last-minute rush for the Christmas celebrations was already taking its toll on commuters who had no choice than to depend on commercial transportation to move from one point to the other.

After standing at the bus stop for over an hour, she heaved a sigh of relief when a commercial bus finally pulled by, ready to go towards her destination. “Mowe-Ibafo, enter with your N300,” the bus conductor shouted as the waiting passengers rushed towards the bus as if their lives depended on it. The old woman was left with no choice than to join “the rush” as she pleasantly told the driver that she would be alighting at Barracks. “Madam, enter with your N300 no matter where you are going,” the driver barked back at the old woman that was old enough to be his grandmother.

“I have no problems with your fare, what would I do? I trekked and trekked on my way down to Ikeja this morning as I could not find a bus. The okada and Keke Marwa operators have all been banned from plying the secretariat route. Is it not better for me to pay N300 instead of the normal N50 than to catch malaria right under this scorching sun?” she replied as she ordered for a cold drink from a beverage vendor nearby to cool her thirst.

Madam Adejumo’s experience is not different from what many others now go through in the metropolis on a daily basis as many spend endless hours right under the sun at various bus stops waiting for the commuter buses, which appeared to be in short supply. With frustrations written on their faces, they appear to have left their fate in the hands of God.

[b] An apparently frustrated young man, Sunday Abayomi, could not contain his anger. “I have been standing this point for more than 30 minutes without getting a bus to convey me to Opebi,” he said. “They have banned okada, the commercial buses can no longer drop passengers at bus stops along the way, you are left with no choice than to continue trekking and trekking as if it has now become an offence not to have a car in Lagos.”

There is no doubt that the impact of the restrictions placed on the activities of commercial motorcycle operators, popularly called okada, by the Lagos State Government, is now being felt more than ever as the hardship commuters now have to trek long distances and wait endlessly to catch the buses that are grossly inadequate.

Coupled with this is the fear that the new Lagos Traffic Law has driven into the minds of many residents, with many abandoning their personal vehicles at home to join public buses, especially on week days. “You have to think twice before bringing your car out in Lagos now, especially with the new traffic law. You can never be too sure with these traffic officers as you may be booked at the slightest opportunity,”[/b] Mr. Mike Alabi, a businessman who works in Lagos Island told THISDAY. “And the buses are in short supply, even the so-called mass-transit buses and the Lagos Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) grossly inadequate.”

While no explanations have been made for the withdrawal of the mass transit buses introduced under the SURE-P programme, THISDAY learnt that their withdrawal may not be unconnected with the Federal Government’s failure to pay suppliers of the buses. This is even as the authorities managing the BRT and LAGBUS fleet attributed the shortage of the buses on the roads to scarcity of diesel to power the buses.

But as the problems linger, the taxi operators are having a boom period as attention is gradually shifting back to the taxi cabs. A taxi cab operator, Shakiru Salami, told this reporter that Lagosians are now beginning to patronise the yellow taxis as they are left with no choice since okada operations are being restricted. “We are having increasing patronage now as with just N500, you could board a taxi instead of waiting endlessly under the sun as bus stops. But the challenge we have is that some people still think that you have to fill up your pockets with plenty money before opting for a taxi,” he said.

Clerverly: Ahamefule, I am from the South East and this Xmas i have been to the entire States.....Abia,Ebonyi,Imo,Enugu, though did not stop at Anambra but i can confidently tell you, that i did not see even one "okada" plying the streets let alone the major highways. My question is, if this orderliness could be maintained in the south east, why cant Lagos Please lets leave Fashola to continue in his effort to revamp completely the face of Lagos. Happy new year all!!!

Buchika: for your information its only in the city centers of the state capitals of the south east that okada is banned and never the entire state as implied by one comment, banning is one thing and achieving the aim its was banned in the first place is another thing, okada business did not evolve over night and stopping it over night won't solve any problem but add to the existing one. All the places in the south east where okada was banned is still battling with kidnap and armed robbery case. If we can tell ourselves the truth okada business is a child of circumstance begotten by the failures of our successive governments. Singling out the okada riders as our sole traffic and robbery problem is nothing but hypocrisy of the highest order.

alj_harem: And was banning of Okada implemented over night ?

What of the countless death Okada has caused ? Have you been to some of Lagos state hospitals before rather than talk out of ignorance. Okada is a plague that needs to be stopped.

afam4eva:

Do you know how many people that have died via car accidents? Should cars be banned too? Should planes and boats also be banned? Of course the fastest way to solve an issue is to ban it outrightly especially when it's the poor that use it more often. How about putting in measures that will reduce okada accidents. I guess the government is too lazy for that.

alj harem:

So you want to compare the relative time scale vs accidents done on both cars and okada ?

Ok what safety device can we introduce to Okada to lower the risk ? Seat belt ? or helmets that is not implemented

Again I stand on my words, if you want Okada roaming the streets then go back to your state of origin and don't come to another state demanding for something not allowed where you come from.

Go to Igbobi and compare the victims of car accident vs that of okada. Go to Luth and compare.

afam4eva:

Do you know how many people that have dies via car accidents? Should cars be banned too? Should planes and boats also be banned? Of course the fastest way to solve an issue is to ban it outrightly especially when it's the poor that use it more often. How about putting in measures that will reduce okada accidents. I guess the government is too lazy for that.

alj harem: I have said it and would keep saying it, the day Igbos get involve with Lagos state politics; Lagos would boil. They way they do double standards is too much.

How many Okadas are in the SE states ?

How many Okadas are in Rivers state ?

How many Okadas are in Abuja ?

Now Lagos which is the most popular, populous, commercial city/state in Nigeria should house Okada which kill people every day ?

For the last time Igbos cannot even rule themselves not to talk of Yorubas in Lagos because they lack foresight. Don't vex me this new year with your gribbish. Just focus on your SE and leave SW to decided what is right or wrong for there citizens.