Like an army of locusts, commercial motorcycle (Okada) riders have gradually made their way back to routes from which they were outlawed by the Lagos State Traffic Law 2012. That piece of legislation, which was designed to restore sanity to Lagos roads, among other things, restricted the operators in 475 out of a total 9,700 routes within the metropolis. Contrary to what many argued, Okada was never banned in Lagos. The riders could still carry on business on more than 9,000 routes. An outright ban would have been inhumane and discriminatory. On the other hand, asking them to stay off routes where they were exposed to greater danger was in their best interest.
The benefits of the restriction on Okada far outweigh any advantage critics of the Lagos State Government can come up with. Statistics from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) showed that no fewer than 619 were killed or seriously wounded in accidents involving commercial motorcycles between 2011 and 2012. Up to 107 people died while 512 sustained serious injuries. Among the dead were 71 male and 36 female. In 2011 alone, 47 people were killed while 98 others sustained serious injuries from Okada accidents. And, between January 2012 and October of same year, the statistics show that 63 people were killed while 59 sustained serious injuries. According to Governor Babatunde Fashola, “Before the road traffic law, Okada-related deaths in the state on monthly basis were between 12 and 15, but only four deaths have been recorded so far in (the first quarter of) 2014.”
Getting used to the restriction on Okada was not easy. Many who made a living from them suddenly found themselves out of job. Commuters who “flew” through Lagos traffic learnt to set out earlier so they could get to their destination on time. People also resorted to walking long distance in places that were former Okada hubs.
Hand-in-hand with the sacrifices were gains of regulated movement of commercial motorcycles. Not only did the “Okada Ward” at the Igbobi Orthopaedic Hospital and other such places record lower intakes, those who used it for crime had to beat a fast retreat. According to Tayo Ogunbiyi of the Lagos State Ministry of Information, “A 2012 police report shows that out of the 30 armed robbery incidents recorded in Lagos between July and September 2012, 22 involved commercial motorcycles. According to the report, it was obvious that out of eight robberies that occurred in July, seven involved the use of Okada while it was also used in 10 out of 14 robberies in September and five out of eight robberies in August of same year.”
Lagos is not the only state that announced a restriction on Okada. Delta, Edo, Cross River, Abia, Ebonyi, Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have similar or more stringent laws. But it is the Centre of Excellence that has witnessed the most vehement opposition. From the suit instituted by the All Nigerians Autobike Commercial Owners and Workers Association (ANACOWA) at the Lagos High Court with the late Bamidele Aturu as their counsel to open confrontations between Okada riders and policemen, it has not been calm and quiet since Fashola appended his signature to the Lagos Traffic Law. Things were not helped by the crooked nature of some policemen in Lagos.
While it is understood that considerable force may be used in cases where some mischievous elements were bent on riding against the law, the criminal actions of some men in black went beyond the call of duty. There were reports of policemen harassing Okada riders even on authorised routes. It was that harassment that 10 members of the Lagos State House of Assembly took to the Chamber, seeking a review of the Traffic Law. While making a case for the review, the lawmakers argued that the police were misapplying the law. According to them, the Traffic Law was aimed at reducing recklessness on the part of road users and not for the purpose of exploitation by those to implement it. They contended that given the way it is being applied, the law enforcement agents including the police and LASTMA have gone out of control and this should not be allowed to continue.
Taking a cue from that “concern”, Okada riders have returned in large number to major roads in Lagos. Occasional rides by men in uniform on some expressway have metamorphosed into full-blown defiance by others who knew that the restriction could only last for so long. And like a man choosing his battles wisely, Fashola has been coy at best in his response to the return of commercial motorcyclists. He no longer speaks with the force with which he did two years ago. Choosing to lay the blame at the doorsteps of police authority who should enforce the law, the Lagos State Government is treating the Okada issue like a bull in a China shop ahead of the 2015 general elections.
Ekiti State probably reminds the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Centre of Excellence that you need more Okada riders than Twitter activists to win elections. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which sees itself as the government in waiting is also milking the controversy for all it is worth. While refuting reports that it encouraged Okada riders to return to restricted areas, the party calls the Traffic Law draconian, promising that if voted into power, “PDP will not undermine the rights of Lagosians to move around or do business within acceptable and humane rules. We shall indeed allow enabling environment for all to eke out a living lawfully.” Both parties now see every Okada rider as a vote, not necessarily a human who must be protected from hurting himself on the altar of immediate gratification.
From Maryland in Ikeja to Lekki, commercial motorcycles now zip through traffic in large number. They leave behind broken limbs and shattered vehicle mirrors. And the way things are going, it is safe to say victory for whichever party in next year’s poll will cost Lagosians an arm and a leg.
