During the week, I watched a gory picture of a primary school pupil allegedly beheaded by a young man who rode a motorcycle taxi, popularly called okada, in Ifaki, Ekiti State.
The video of the decapitated head of the boy,which the killer was forced to display, was sent to my phone by a group which warned parents not to entrust their wards in the care of people desperate for everything and would sacrifice anyone to achieve their ambition.
That report is one out of millions of incidents linked tookada riders but the public keeps tolerating them. In the fullness of time, we shall talk about the dangers okada riding has wrought on our society. For now, let us focus on Lagos State.
I do not know why the Lagos State government isprocrastinating aboutokada riders. Perhaps the government is giving fillip to the popular opinion that okada riders are the election winning tool of Lagos political class, hence successive administrations regard themas “partners in progress”.
Efforts made by former administrations to regulate motorcycle taxi operators failed or got frustrated. The situation got worse during the tenure of BabatundeFashola, now minister of power, works and housing.
Fashola wantedto do away with the okadabusinesshe inherited from his political godfather, former Governor Bola Tinubu, whose reign was the golden era of the operators, whomhe allegedly deployed to prosecute all electoral battles.
Tinubu’s bond with okada riders was so firm the boys could do anything and get away with it. Part of the rascality and indiscipline that became their trade mark during the days of Fashola were a carryover from the Tinubu years.
Motorists were heldto ransom by okada riders at the slightest of misunderstanding. They were brazen in their attitude to traffic rules, and could damage any vehicle without caring a hoot about the consequences.
Towards the end of Fashola’s first tenure – particularly when it was rumoured that Tinubu was about to drop him for another candidate – those close to the seat of power in Alausa said the issue of okada riders also came up, but because Fashola was fighting for his political survival then, he papered over the matter.
Then, the law on the wearing of crash helmet;the carrying of more than one person on the motorcycle; the carrying of babies;restriction from certain places; registration;age limit for riders, among other laws, were introduced.
When Fasholawas re-elected for a second term, the usual lethargy set in and hewas not so keen about enforcement.
Earlier, the use of crash helmet gained popularity because law enforcement agencies were up and doing, arresting and prosecuting defaulters. But in the middle of Fashola’s second tenure, no singleokada rider was wearing the crash helmet.
While the Fashola administration looked East, the policelooked West. It became business as usual. Today,the chaos that is okada business in Lagos is fully in place.
The number of okada operators in Lagos keeps increasing, some as young as 12 years. Some are probably visiting Lagos for the first time from far flung parts of the country in the North going by their looks and behaviour.
Some say they are not Nigerians. When you engage them they believe that when they die or how they die riding okadarecklessly does not really matter; at best, it must be an act of God, going by their faith.
It is worrisome that the police, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and other law enforcement agencies are helpless or perhaps have become beneficiaries of this chaotic okadabusiness.
I am disturbed that the state government is yet to fully grasp the dangers in not dealing once and for all, with the madness.
Reading recently thegovernment’s resolve to fully enforce the law on okada, I thought GovernorAkinwunmiAmbode is yet to fully understand the import of the Mega City project he daily reminds Lagosiansof. I shall return to this shortly.
The government had said it is set to begin full enforcement of the restriction of okada from475 out of the 9,000 roads in Lagos.
It expressed regret that it has become difficult to control okada riders who have taken over the highway in flagrant disregard of the law.
In December last year, acting Commissioner for Transportation, AnofiuElegushi, warned that the government would no longer tolerate themon restricted roads, highways and bridges.
Elegusi said: “We will not condone okada riding against traffic, especially those who ply their trade along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway and Ojota-Ikorodu Town and who use BRT restricted/reserve lane.
“All these are not in sync with the Law. There is a need for us to, at this time, restate the provisions of the law so as to understand the premise of our planned actions in this regard.
“In line with this administration’s plan to build a Lagos that works for all, we are determined to engage with unions/associations of tricycle operators and okada operators to ensure their members engage with us in the process of ensuring public safety.
“Our present concern is also borne of the need to prevent accidents resulting from okada which is on the increase currently. By implication, there are increased (death) cases of causalities or maiming resulting therefrom; there is a surge in driving against traffic by okada. We are also witnessing a huge increase in motorcycle related crime.
“The era of impunity and crime enhanced and facilitated by okada riders were over as government would enforce the law to the letter.
“It is not uncommon to hear from the media or read report from the Nigeria Police about criminals using okada as get away. So also we have reported incidences of okada being used as instances of kidnap. Any responsible government must then act promptly in this regard. This is why we are taking this step.
“Against this background, we are left with little or no choice than to restart enforcement. This, we will do in association in all unions involved. We will set up joint enforcement teams to ensure that we get rid of this menace.”
The best enforcement Ambode needs isa total ban of okada from Lagos. It is a menace and no restriction can deal with it except to strategically remove the operators from the state.
By extension, Ambode should also consider banning tricycle taxi operators because they are getting worse than okada riders by their mode of operation.
To say that the government was talking about restricting okadaand at the same time talking about a Mega City is a misnomer and abuse of the sensibilities of those who know what ought to be seen in an environment regarded as a Mega City.
Lagos can never be called a Mega City if okada litters all over its nooks and crannies with semi lunatics jumping up and down with them.
Those who see anything wrong in stopping this okada business do not wish the state or Nigeria well.
No country whose demography comprises youths in their prime who engage in okada riding instead of skill acquisition ever survives. And that is the situation Nigeria has found itself today.
Okada riding has become the greatest means of pauperising the youth and by extension, our society.
Those in government who give out motorbikes as economic empowerment tools are actually using same to mortgage the potentials and future of their beneficiaries without their knowing it.
Take a look at our cities, the once pride of our townships, and you will appreciate the damage okada riding has done to this country.
China that produces the majority of the okada brands in Nigeria hardly uses it as a major means of transportation or for commercial purposes as we do.