I have wondered over and over again where we are going. When we talk they say we criticize government too much. For the fact that some of us dont want to lose our lives, we would not veer into the murky waters of Nigerian politics.

A new regime for the enforcement of helmet wearing is in force. I have driven round town and i am so disgusted at what i see.

First i want to deviate from criticism and focus on solution, since i know a lot of Nigerians know how to criticize but most atimes dont have solutions to simple problems. I want to focus mainly on Lagos, since the largest number of okadas in Nigeria reside here in Lagos. In the 1st instance, what is the value added of an okada in a cosmopolitan city? A country is that is the 7th largest producers of crude oil in the world, a country where out of every 3 Africans, 1 is a Nigeria and out of every 7 Africans 1 is a Nigerian.

This so called government comes out with a policy that was not well thought out. In modern societies and organizations, (I will be very glad if this thread is forwarded to anyone in government in Lagos state), there is a department that is usually created and called different names. Some call it strategy department, some call business development etc. For the purpose of those in government, the work of this department in most organizations is to look at existing company policies and formulate new ones. Usually the success or failure of any organization or departments usually rests in the strategy department (usually called the "THINK THANK" of the organization). Like i said earlier on, their responsibility is to think of the way forward for their organizations. Usually, they are consisted of the best brains, usually in a composition of between 4 and 7 people. At this point, i must make it very clear that they dont have to be commissioner or DGs or all those fish heads involved the bureaucracy of government etc. Can Lagos state publish the name of their Think Thank?

Now back to the basics. Who came up with the policy of the Crash Helmet? If they came up with the policy, what is the standard helmet permissible and approved by government? The people who came up with the policy, can they themselves wear public helmets that are worn by every tom, dick & harry? Now all these questions are begging for answers.

For me, my solution. I am a very strong advocate for the ban of okadas in Lagos, but like i said, that should be thought through. How can government ban okada without it having a negative effect on the riding and driving populace? (Government can contact me and i will consult for them) However, the solution is simple. We must first of all understand that a society like Lagos is too sophisticated for okadas, basically for the inherent danger in potends.

There is the keke marwa and NAPEP. Those ones look a bit better and safer to ride in. What i expect the government of Lagos to is to approach this project with a human face. First and foremost, they must take a census of all the okadas in Lagos and extrapolate it by maybe 20% so they have a rough idea of the number of okadas in this town and after that, they can approach themaufacturers of keke marwa to embark on customized manufacturing and they would now sell to existing owners of okadas at a subsidized rate and these okada evacuation would be done in phases so that people wont suffer.

As far as i am concerned the introduction of a public and unhealthy helmet into this polity is not what we need at this moment, rather a more proactive approach to the total issue of transport management in Lagos.

Please let me have your comments on my thread. Or am i on my own?

tatooboy:

A country is that is the 7th largest producers of crude oil in the world, a country where out of every 3 Africans, 1 is a Nigeria and out of every 7 Africans 1 is a Nigerian.

Can you please explain this statement culled from your extract?

Thanks

How can government ban okada without it having a negative effect on the riding and driving populace?

Glad to see you ask this question @Poster

@poster,
yours is the best input I have read on this subject.

The bad news is that, they don't enjoy listening to people who are not Chief or PhD holders! The tragedy of Nigerian policy makers is that they believe that only Doctorate holders have the best solution to the problem. That is why you get these kind of policies.

The main challenge as you have noted was How to ensure that banning okadas do not have negative ripple effects. Like it or not the govt can't please everyone. Most of the riders are using okada as second job. You can say 60% of them are! I use that stat because 3 out of 5 okada riders I know have another job, at hand just in case the okada is banned.

To solve that problem, the govt must ask "HOW DO WE GET HERE?" and convincingly answer the questions. By looking at the cause, they can then offer solutions. The truth is that, some criminals among the okadas would not like it.

The govt tried to ban Molue once and the failure lead to the establishment of BRT. I think with proper plan, okada can be made unattractive to commuters. And that plan must include solving the traffic problem in Lagos. Anything else without addressing the "go-slow" and bad roads will fail.

You are on your own.

I remember the days of telling people to use seatbelts - till ENFORCEMENT began, no one took the government seriously. People ALWAYS resist change in Nigeria, and until FORCE is applied, no one complies. Only after a few months/years of forced compliance do people begin to see the benefit of some actions. Before that, you will get staunch opposition.

Helmets are necessary - the government doesn't need to invent a standard of helmets to be used. Safety helmets for bikes are a standard issue device.

Now to your comment on 'sharing a helmet with every tom dIck and harry' would you prefer a split cranium to sharing a helmet with people? How many 'leaders' share public transport with tom dIck and harry? Should that be a reason for not demanding for adequate standards in motor vehicles?

You can be disgusted, you can be shocked - plans always have teething problems, in a few years, no one will wonder about helmets anymore - it will be standard. The fact that there isn't blanket/instant compliance should not worry you - people will resist and wait till the last minute to comply.

What is 'too sophisticated' about a populace with majority living on less than $2 a day? Your grandiose imaginations are not practical - there is absolutely no need to ban okadas in Lagos, as long as they can be trained and regulated properly.

The first step is ensuring SAFETY, then others can follow. You cannot be 'proactive' (meaningless jargon these days) when people are dead. We need the basics. Okada men are right there providing a service - protect their lives first and then other steps can be considered.

Do you think you're the first person to conceive the idea of 'think tanks'?? Who informed you that the government doesn't have this and is not implementing resolutions from them? Even in your 'developed societies' the 'think tank' observations will be pooh poohed by opposition parties, does that render then not well thought out?

Enough of your pontificating - the Lagos state government did not even enact the helmet rule, it's the FRSC (a national body) who is responsible. There is no 'consideration' or 'think tank' needed before you know riding a bike without a helmet is dangerous and act to change it.

Nigeria's problem is beyong solvable, We just have to separate to start again, its just too cplex now to think of resolving it with this idiots we have as politicians. Infact we their Phd , they act and think like fools, they dont things that dont favour the majority but the richs.

Example, We one dont have parent and their are about 10-15 children in just one room apart ? can it be solved ? NO

They have to sell the house and share the money.

debosky you nailed it right on the money, great response!

Charlesmud, so you don't want to live with your brothers? pathetic analogy, try again

Charlesmud:

Nigeria's problem is beyong solvable, We just have to separate to start again,

BULLCRAP!!! ( no insult meant)

Charlesmud:

its just too cplex now to think of resolving it with this idiots we have as politicians.

LOAD OF BULL !!!! ( no insult meant)

Infact we their Phd , they act and think like fools, they don't things that don't favour the majority but the richs.

Charlesmud:
Example, We one don't have parent and their are about 10-15 children in just one room apart ? can it be solved ? NO

They have to sell the house and share the money.

I really can not figure out how you can go from looking for solution, making sure to reject most every suggestion given, to you now stating that there is no solution for the problem. This to me is the prevalent mindset and approach to solving the problems we have in that country.

when the NYC govt decided in 2003 that they were going to ban smoking in bars and restaurants because they classified it as public places, and smoking isnt allowed in public places. they didnt provide an alternative for people before making that a rule that was expected to be followed or face the penalty. they decided it was for the good of everyone and they did what needed to be done.

restaurant owner, were at war, kicking and screaming that it would make them loose business, they kicked and screamed that it would do ABC and F to the life of their businesses if they lost customers. the day the law took effect came and not one person tried to smoke in a restaurant. restaurants provided little tents outside with heaters(yes the law took effect in the dead of winter) so their customers could smoke in there and go back in to enjoy their meal. if you have been to NYC, u would know that it thrives on its tourist $$$$$. majority of the patrons of these restaurants are tourists, NYC govt didnt say because it didnt want to loose the tourist revenue, it wont implement what it thinks would prevent that 2 year old son of mine from inhaling joe the smokers second hand smoke while trying to swallow a mouth full of mac and cheese.

my point in essense is, lagos state govt doesnt have to provide an alternative to okada (ok maibe it does to some extent) before it tries to make okada riding safer. it does have to provide subsidized helmets before people find a way to wear helmets or protect themselves from infections they could get from sharing helmets. yes wearing a helmet doesnt guarantee survival in an accident but it darn is a step towards reducing the chances of death and injury.

HAIR FILLED WITH LICE IS WAY BETTER THAN, A SKULL HALF OPENED.

Smoking ban compares ban of Okada in Lagos? !

If he is routine Okada customer, then he should get his crash helmet if he doesnt want to share the public one. Simple

why cant it be compared?

I made a mistake there but I don't think it is on the same level.

About the smoking ban, the governor did allow an alternative. The ban is on smoking in restaurants but the people are able to smoke anywhere else in the city where the ban does not apply. In essence, a patron can walk outside or under the tent to smoke. He can also choose to quit, which is good. Another issue here is smoking has not much to do with the smokers livelihood. Okada riders ride for a living, most of these do not make enough money in one month to afford a helmet, let alone a second for their rider.

Not in anyway saying it is an excuse but just not sure if you can compare the two in the way you did.

The problem with okada must not be compare to smoking. We all know that okada has their good and ugly sides.

Most of the okada operators are driven by poverty to the job. My friend took a picture of 3 okada riders. One using "paint bucket" as crash helmet, the other using a plastic bowl, and the third, a lady putting the helmets on top of "Gele" the headgear!

Isn't that a mark of poverty?

Let us look at it another way. With companies retrenching staffs and some paying stipends as monthly salaries, is this the right condition to ban okada? No!

tatooboy:
tom, privates & harry?

Sorry but. . .

olanajim:

The problem with okada must not be compare to smoking. We all know that okada has their good and ugly sides.

E ma fi iku we orun - don't compare death with sleep.

I hail thee Olanajim I still miss those adages of yours.

@Poster

I read your long posting several times to pick out the point you are making, but I found none - the only thing resembling a point is what you said that how can you ban okada without making an alternative - i ask you, what has that "point" got to do with the issue of people wearing protective helmet when they ride on motorbikes in Nigeria? What has that got to do with government think tank - what was your main point, you claim you can solve the transport problem in Lagos, but yet, you want to consult for government, and the only seeming solution you can provide is keke marwa? what the hell are you talking about? keke marwa is the solution to the transportation problem in Lagos state? you must be given a nobel peace price for transportation, if and only if anything like that exists - do you think at all? I am not sure - when the problem of okada and people falling off and dying became apparent, you i am sure is the first to blame government, -you will be in the fore front of resisting every change broiught about, I am sure, even if tomorrow government bans okada - people like you will be the first to come on in here and shout on top of your voice - tell me, must we always be told to do what is right? We must enact a law for people to wear seat belts, we must now enact a law for people to protect themselves while riding motorbikes - must you even be told these things before knowing to do it?

Back in the days, noone drives a motorbike without putting on an helmet - so, why is it a problem now? You have only now just succeded in telling us that you are one of the people who make noise wihtout actually saying anything meaningful.

insisting on the use of helmet is not a ban on okada, it is telling them what they ought to know, and if they didnt know. its telling them that wearing a helmet would help in case of an accident.

as regards individuals wearing paint buckets, engineers hard hats, and mama mi leko placing the helmet on top of her head gear. it all boils down to the fact that they don't know why they need to wear helmets or what purpose the helmet is for. some might refer to them as ignorant, some clueless, some illiterates but the fact remains in case of an accident, there nothing guarding their heads from crashing hard into the concrete pavement. its not just about wearing/placing something hard on ur hard, its about wearing the right thing on ur head.

because I'm allergic to latex i stopped using condoms and instead i use nylon bags. it should protect me the same since it prevents direct contact

must_a_far:

insisting on the use of helmet is not a ban on okada, it is telling them what they ought to know, and if they didnt know. its telling them that wearing a helmet would help in case of an accident.

as regards individuals wearing paint buckets, engineers hard hats, and mama mi leko placing the helmet on top of her head gear. it all boils down to the fact that they don't know why they need to wear helmets or what purpose the helmet is for. some might refer to them as ignorant, some clueless, some illiterates but the fact remains in case of an accident, there nothing guarding their heads from crashing hard into the concrete pavement. its not just about wearing/placing something hard on ur hard, its about wearing the right thing on ur head.

because I'm allergic to latex i stopped using condoms and instead i use nylon bags. it should protect me the same since it prevents direct contact

And once again we come to the issue of EDUCATING THE PUBLIC and TAKING the people along on the process. Funny how it all comes back down to the basics. Imagine the millions that were spent to educate people in your current town on the need to wear seat belts, use condoms, stop smoking etc. Education is vital to the success of society !

true education is key but its not everything one must be taught. some u seek for urself.


what would you say about people who have their houses built under high voltage power lines, with their roofs almost touching the lines. yes i can argue that they dont know better, but they know not to touch a naked wire not to talk of seducing one carrying a high voltage.

must_a_far:

true education is key but its not everything one must be taught. some u seek for yourself.
what would you say about people who have their houses built under high voltage power lines, with their roofs almost touching the lines. yes i can argue that they don't know better, but they know not to touch a naked wire not to talk of seducing one carrying a high voltage.

You have to agree that it is easy to say that when you have access to internet, books, media that is geared towards educating the public. I don't see the okada riders rushing to the lagos library to get more information when they are busy trying to eek out a living for themselves in a city like lagos. lol

My point is, education sometimes need to be fed people, any which way possible, to ensure we get the message to em. Out here in the west, we have billboards updated regularly with information and ads to catch the attention of passer-bys. We have continous streams of ads on tvs, radios, computers, state agencies; most everywhere you go, there is some message being drilled into us by one agency or another. It's been years since aids and to date, we still have aid prevention ads on TV. One would argue that everyone in the west ought to know about aids and how to prevent it but the point is, sometimes the message needs to be pounded over and over into our psyche for it to register.

i could use a lifeline here and simply say common sense is not common. right?

i understand your point totally. we as humans need babysitting. because we don't wear diapers no more doesnt make us babysitting immune. thus the reason why they hammer us with numerous ads telling us stuff we most likely already know. flip side is, some still do otherwise when it is clear they know better. e.g. my buddy who doesnt use a seat belt but knows why its in the car.

must_a_far:

i could use a lifeline here and simply say common sense is not common. right?

i understand your point totally. we as humans need babysitting, because we don't wear diapers no more doesnt make us babysitting immune. thus the reason why they hammer us with numerous ads telling us stuff we most likely already know. flip side is, some still do otherwise when it is clear they know better. e.g. my buddy who doesnt use a seat belt but knows why its in the car.

There will always be those but that is no excuse for society not to cater to those who are lacking in the common sense department. Considering all we have been through in Nigeria, I believe continued bombardment approach is the only way we can move, not just Nigerians, but africans from stone age to where into the new age! People need to be made to understand these things, and we already see how leaving it up to individuals, to figure their way around, ain't worked out for us to date.

some things are not meant wasting money on because it is so apparent - so you want government to waste money on educating people - adults for that matter - on the need to wear helmets while riding a motorbike? If government does that, you will be the first to open your loud mouth criticising government for a total waste of tax payer's money - cut the bollocks.

bronx_dog:

some things are not meant wasting money on because it is so apparent - so you want government to waste money on educating people - adults for that matter - on the need to wear helmets while riding a motorbike? If government does that, you will be the first to open your loud mouth criticising government for a total waste of tax payer's money - cut the bollocks.

Are you joking? Calling that bollocks? Come on man, you live outside Nigeria and you've seen how these work.

we'll get there, whatever it takes. its sink or swim, no floater or life jackets allowed.

what is good for john doe is sure good(er) for john bull.

It is essential.

Take tackling the flu virus for instance. Apart from law and enforcements levels in the west, one of the reasons why people know to wash their hands when they go to the bathroom or clean up afterwards is because we are bombarded with images of consequences of not doing these things.

Imagine flu season; a person sneezes in public train, without covering his nose, people around him take cover (I hold my breath for a count of 60. . .roflmao!). Why? Because most all have seen, over and over, images of how the flu virus can easily move through the air to infect others in the vicinity. Many have heard of how people die each year from contracting the flu, and how flu shot might be the best way of tackling the sickness. All that information does register on some level.

Go back to Nigeria and watch a person sneeze in public; people will continue their business as if nothing happened. The same dude may even wipe his hand on his shirt and then extend it to shake your hand, and not many will be alarmed. Roflmao!!

The problem here is not education - the Okada men know what they need to do, but in a desperately poor environment, they will do anything necessary to avoid compliance, because to them, it is a matter of additional cost - Helmets cost money!

Poverty makes people drive with faulty brakes, hoping and 'praying' that nothing happens - is it that they don't know brakes can save lives? People will 'manage' as much as possible.

People who are so poor and feckless that they put their lives at risk will not simply change if 'educated' - that is why enforcement is needed. People will try to get away with whatever they can, be it plastic helmets, buckets or calabashes

Due to the hard nature of life in Nigeria, we've become very fatalistic - that is not as a result of lack of education, simply staying alive (even barely) is what most people are doing, so risk taking is no big deal. This is why there must be increased effort to monitor, sanction and ensure compliance. Adverts will not make unruly okada men comply, they need a big stick to force the issue.

Debosky, thanks for that input. It is impressive.

debosky, its true that its money they are considering, but if they are properly educated they would know that it is cheaper to use a helmet than to lose ur life or be stuck at igbobi for unneccessary long period that u be more productive with.

I can see a general discordance as to what education mean. What does it mean to be educated?

Socrates said those who are educated are: "those who manage well the circumstances which they encounter day by day; those who can judge situations appropriately as the arise and rarely miss the suitable course of action. . .those who hold their pleasures always under control and are not unduly overcome by their misfortunes, bearing up under them bravely and in a manner worthy of our common nature. . . "

with above, when applied to okada situation, it is clear that Okada riders allow their misfortunes (poverty) to overide their common judgement (on safety of lives), therefore they are "certified ignoramuses" therefore they need education to understand that poverty must not be the excuse for risking their lives. Govt need to enlighten them the same way car drivers were enlightened about seat belt.

I remember when I was in primary school, there was a mass campaign against wearing "Agbada" while riding bike. I later find out the some people enjoyed wearing flowing Agbada while driving on the road. There were, I was told, several road mishaps as a result. With some paying with broken limb.

Yes, poverty is the major culprit, but how many people will drink acid if "pure water" were to be sold 50 naira per satchet?

HELMET is a MUST! If you can't share HELMET then BUY one,

If you don't want to wear HELMET then look for an alternative mode of transport,

Afterall before 9/11 people could carry more than 100ml of liquid or walk with their shoes while crossing a metal detector before boading a plane. These rather normal behaviours became RED flag because of safety reasons and people all over the world complied.

So what's the big deal.