@my2cents, at least, the government (CRS) is watching out for the citizens, so that's commendable. After reading your discourse that the okadas were given upto a year to comply with the governor's decision to purchase protective gears, and they refused to do so, and even went so far to burn down a police station, then I concur that the ban is merited. At first I thought Duke was unfair, until I read from your article about the extension granted to the Okadas. 13,000 Naira may be a steep price and probably should be reduced, but the era of driving recklessly with no helmets and protective gear should be considered a thing of the past.

Did all the Okada riders in the town burn down the police station?

Funny question, Seun, but how will the Government be able to single out the arsonist(s)?

How will the government be able to single out the arsonist?
The normal way the police singles out criminals of course.

We shouldn't have to teach them their job, because this is what we need the government for, but:
- Government officials should inspect the physical evidence left at the crime scene.
- Government officials should invite their leaders and witnesses around the area for questioning.

One of the marks of jungle justice is the punishment of the innocent alongside the guilty. Shame on the state government for stooping so low. This action is like banning Islam for the crises in the north. How silly!

If u all ask me, I firmly believe there is more to this than meets the eye. The burning of the police station was just the perfect excuse the government needed to ban them. were they wrong to burn down the station? sure. should they have obeyed the law? sure. Was the govt perhaps a little too harsh? maybe. Having said that, my hunch is that there is more to this than we are privy to.

I am just getting a funny feeling in my tummy

Am getting here rather late. Its been long since I was disconnected from Nairaland due to the lack of OKada to take me here. Having said that, I'd like to tell all NLders that the 'temporary' ban on Okada from the whistle-clean town of Calabar is the best thing to have happened. These guys (okadas) never wanted to behave well. It all started in 2005, when the state govt. issued an order to all motorcycle riders, directing them to get protective helmets from the open market for them and for their passengers. The appeals ran on radio for several months, yet no single Okadaman wore even a saucer or any semblance of an helmet, let alone their passengers. It is a well-known fact that all chinese-made motorbikes (Cargo, Qlink, etc) which are the predorminant in Calabar, nay Nigeria all come with Helmets attached as part of the package yet, nobody wears them.

Back to Calabar, the govt. then tried to compel them by using the FRSC guys to enforce the order yet, no one complied. The FRSC even went on air time and again to educate everybody about the need to wear protective helmets, yet no one cared. It was at this crossroads that the govt decided to set up the motorcycle transport regulating agency which is now charged with the responsibility of getting the 'faceless' okadamen to get their acts together. The agency then tried to organize the okadamen, and goaded them to get together and form a front. They complied and set up their own group with which d agency, and by extension, the state government was negotiating. They agreed in early 2006 to let govt provide two uniform helmets, one uniform reflective numbered jacket and registration for them at a fee of N13,800. The Okadamen complaint that they were buying daily 'tickets' from the LGA's, which amounted to N14,600 p/a and that they were manhandled by area boys engaged by d LGA's to sell the tickets. It was at this point that the gov. imposed a complete ban on the sale of tickets to okada in June 2006, as part of the agreement reached. The okada on their part promised to pay the N13,800 starting from June 2006, while enforceent was to commence Oct. 1, 2006. As the deadline approached, okada association approached d gov and sought for more time, to enable them comply. The gov. (Donald Duke) personally presided over the very last negotiation in october 2006. It was there that d final agreement was reached to shift enforcement to Jan. 2, 2007. The complain that 13.8k was difficult to cough out at once was acknowledged by Duke, hence the directive that the money b paid in 3 installments.

D-day came Jan 2, 2007 and the police was called up to enforce the order. Few days later, the okadamen (or their proxies) went and torched the Atakpa Police Station Staff Quarters with petrol, completely razing all the houses and the properties of the occupants to ashes! I was in Conoil Filling Station, Murtala Mohammed Highway whn the town was held on its jugular for several hours by these hoodlums. All the okadamen in the viccinity where I was joined their colleagues in celebrating the arson. I rememember cautioning one of them that he shd brace up for a last fight with govt over the condemnable act coz I knew tht the govt would surely weild the big stick. On that day, d gov was in Abuja or the council of states meeting on Census Results. He returned the next day and announced a 30-day ban on okada operation. He also ordered the police and security agencies to bring all the might of the state to bear on any defaulter. I was stunned the next morning, when I stepped out to find that several hundreds of okadamen had flauted the order and dared the very police they faught only 2 days back. They are now cooling their heels in the police stations. Some I am told, have died of exhaustion and suffocation in the overcrowded cells in the police stations and Calabar prison. Hundreds of Thousands of motorbikes litter police stations in the town. The fight has been furious, and the okadamen have been seriously worsted!

From all these, we the ordinary people living in Calabar feel the okadamen were misguided into taking the laws into their hands and therefore, shd be made to pay fully for it. We are suffering the effcts though, but the town is saner without okadas, than when we had them running everywhere.

For those who think that the absence of Okadamen would trigger more robbery and insecurity, I dare say they are wrong! The town has witnessed unprecedented peace now, more than any other time in the entire history of Calabar. The thieves were always running with motorbikes. Now that no one can ride a bike in town unchecked, the thieves have had no option than to relocate to Akwa Ibom where 'anything goes'.

Finally, I must add that Okada business is a killer kind of business. I was an okadaman in PH between jan and dec 2000 and if anything, I can authoritatively tell whoever cares to listen that Okada poses a grave danger to our collective survival. They must be made to wear crash helmets and take simple measures to protect themselves and indeed, the public from harm's way. We are solidly behind Duke in this fight.

Ete Celemel, edi didie?

Thanks for the update. As I hv mentioned b4, I am not in support of okada as it pertains breaking the law. There is no excuse for that. I will sure miss sitting behind one of them, with the wind whipping into my eyes during my next visit

One thing I always loved about Okada is that whereas a car (taxi or bus) would drop you off on the main road, with few stopping in front of your house (especially those who take 5 or 6 pple all going to different destinations), an okada man would actually take you to where you live, no matter how far it is from the main road. I guess I will have to see for myself when I next come. One thing's for sure though, those Marco Polo buses will sure not be able to drop anyone off on Ekanem Street (alongside polycal campus)

As for making them wear helmet, I say it is a dbl standard on the part of the government as they don't bother enforcing the use of seatbelts with respect to motorists. Does this make driving a car any less dangerous because of this? If the govt is going to make cyclists wear a helmet, then they should make motorists use a seat belt. Failure to do so should result in banning motorists as well

Again, as I said up top, I believe there is an alterior motive here (and I say this again, being in support of the government clamping down). Time will tell. Time will tell.

My2cents, that was a risk you were undertaking, allowing okada to drop you at your vicinity. Never allowed that, rather, would tell them to drop me off at a nearby street or so, and when they are out of sight, would walk back to my intended neighbourhood. It was my own 'ingenuity' of preventing any stranger from getting too close to my comfort zone.

Da, asuk abot usung?@my2cents?

LOL Ndipe,

Abo nnam die? As risky as it may sound, I guess I have been lucky so far as I seldom am at the same place 2ce for security reasons. Nonetheless, thanks for the advice. I never thought of it that way.

If you haven't already, visit www.geocities.com/myibibio and tell me what you think

@my2cents
Da, idiokke ye owo mfo! Abasi do ye nnyin.

I agree with u dat bikes provided cold comfort to pedestrians, but if u visit the authopaedic section of our hospitals, u'd b confronted with the stark reality of the dangers we face on our roads with okada. But let us note here that the temporary ban on the operation of okada will lapse on February 15. After that day, all registered okadamen would be free to ply their trade responsibly while the 'fake' headstrong ones would have no choice than to pack out of town.

There is a catch 22 to all this. Do you know that you need an identification document to prove your personality before you can register to ride okada? The agency accepts only the National ID Card or a valid driver's licence. else, no show! I support any effort that would tie a face and an address to any okada so that in the event of anybody getting molested or robbed, one can easily track and trace whoever was the okadaman. A database of okadamen is being compiled. That is the way it should be. No group of people, no matter how important they are to d economy shd ever be allowed the luxury of staying above the law, else we'd be building a banana empire.

It is common knowledge that Nigeria is the only country in the world where people wait to be thoroughly harrassed before they can take steps to protect themselves from endangering their own lives. It is very extraordinary to imagine a society where people are threatened with sanctions to protect their only heads with helmet! It is absurd, to say the least.

As for making them wear helmet, I say it is a dbl standard on the part of the government as they don't bother enforcing the use of seatbelts with respect to motorists. Does this make driving a car any less dangerous because of this? If the govt is going to make cyclists wear a helmet, then they should make motorists use a seat belt. Failure to do so should result in banning motorists as well

You are wrong on this score. Driving without seatbelts attracts severe sanctions now, anywhere in naija. The enforcement started since 2004 and a great majority of drivers in calabar wear the belt whenever they r on the road. Else, they are booked and may have to goto FRSC office to speak grammar with them. (unless the smart ones who know how to 'Egunje' quickly)

As I said earlier, Calabar looks exactly like Miami, without the okadaman on the street. I wish the fun would last forever

Calabar looks like Miami What a comparison. Miami does not have a good reputation in the USA. Soaring unemployment has led to an increase in homelessness in the society.

Miami, the hollywood version!

Seun:

How will the government be able to single out the arsonist?
The normal way the police singles out criminals of course.

We shouldn't have to teach them their job, because this is what we need the government for, but:
- Government officials should inspect the physical evidence left at the crime scene.
- Government officials should invite their leaders and witnesses around the area for questioning.

One of the marks of jungle justice is the punishment of the innocent alongside the guilty. Shame on the state government for stooping so low. This action is like banning Islam for the crises in the north. How silly!

Can someone invite seun to come to nigeria and experience things? He is speaking from some country I dont know of

Seun talking about inspecting physical evidence at a crime scene to get offending okada pepatrator?

Thats the height of unrealistic imagination

wondering if was watching CSI:MIAMI when he posted that!

Next thing seun will be asking for finger print investigation at the crime scene! sorry this is Naija! come home my man! lol

Thanks for the update Celemel. If indeed lack of wearing a seat belt is being enforced for real (in other words, no one is bribing), then good for you guys. It is about time we started acting right. From the last time I was there (2004 - and yes, I know "things have changed since then" ), the norm was for a driver to take a knife and cut out the belt upon purchase. Sha, I will be there in 7 months' time and will c for myself

A family friend just returned yesterday and told me the following:

1) fuel unofficially is sold at N120 a litre

2) There are actually some Okada plying, those, that is, who paid the money

3) Duke has bought a lot of peugeots for intra-city trans.

4) The rumor is that the burning of the station (as she said, its just a rumor, but I decided to state it here anyways ) wasn't caused by the okada but by huge amounts of seized fuel that the cops held at that location. Whether or not this is true, I still maintain that there is more to this banning than they are letting you guys know. In time, we will know what's up.

Care to refute or confirm any of the above? Ami mmo mi mba

Obong owo u must be in real touch then huh! True all that!!!!

Ete,

Keeping in touch is the only thing that keeps me from going insane in obodo oyibo o LOL

What beats me though is the fact that atimes it seems I am more up-to-date than those back at home. I always wonder why

Nna, you try@my2cents. Find it hard to keep abreast with Nigerian news.

LOL,

By so doing, the plan is that when I land, I easily blend into the population. So far so good

How do you manage to do so? I mean, working, family and all that stuff. I used to go to Stanford to read Nigerian periodicals, but I havent been there in a while. I know another place to gather Nigerian news is at Nigerian parties.

I get news from a variety of sources but in terms of truthfulness, I blv what I hear in the following descending order:

1) Those back at home - forums, phone calls, online chatting: Family first, then outsiders

2) Those returning from home

3) Online news

4) "Hear-say" at functions

I always laugh when some pple challenge me saying "you need to come home, its not how it was x years ago" or the oh so typical "nkpo aka afofon idaha mi, ama se diok akanam am", cos though this may be true, I can easily dispell rumors and myths via this forum, phone calls and online chatting with those back home.

Very impressive