Many commentators have in the recent past assessed the Nigerian situation and concluded that Nigeria is a failed state. In arriving at this debatable conclusion, they draw attention to certain indices that point to this direction, the poor or non-existent infrastructure like electricity, good roads, drinking water, healthcare, a collapsed education sector, high crime rates and unbridled corruption etc. All this, they say, are the vivid reasons to conclude as they have done.
The failure of the Nigerian State to provide basic amenities has resulted in the cultivation of a do-it-yourself attitude by it citizens. The entry of motorcycles into commercial public transportation in Nigeria in this 21st century is a sad commentary on the state of things in the country.
Failed state or not, I believe that notwithstanding the rot in the system, some individual governors have excelled by simply coming out to prove that it is possible. The governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola SAN, manifestly leads this beautiful pack. I am of the opinion that given the level of development that Lagos has been able to achieve under Fashola, the time has come to find a lasting solution to the menace of Okada riders in the whole of the Lagos metropolis.
The amiable Lagos governor has in the last few days expressed frustration with Okada riders and the havoc they are wreaking on Lagosians. He has done the right thing by setting up a think-thank of 32 eminent citizens to think through and proffer solutions to the epidemic called ‘Okada’. Yes! Okada riders’ menace has assumed the proportion of a serious epidemic. What do you make of a group of people ‘professionals’ who operate only by their rules? Okada riders in Lagos ride on any side of the road, they do not obey traffic lights and they ride against traffic, possess razor-edge tempers, can insult anybody and have no respect for law enforcement agents.
With an ‘Okada’ man you can never be right. Whether he runs into you, he was driving against the traffic or he was on your side of the road, he is right. If you encounter him, before you know a swarm of Okada riders will be all over you. You must either carry the man to the hospital or repair his motor bike and give him money, or you will be lynched.
To think that the majority of these individuals are mainly foreigners who troop into Nigeria daily through our borders and claim to come from Bornu or Sokoto State, and our governments and security agencies believe them, you wonder what type of a people we are.
Apart from the social menace of Okada riders, frightening statistics have been given of Okada related deaths or maiming – the majority of their victims being innocent passengers. More frightening statistics have been given of the level of involvement of Okada riders in crime, especially bag snatching, outright armed robbery and bomb throwing.
I have engaged lots of Lagosians in debates on the usefulness of Okada in our daily lives and the general consensus is “not much”. I sincerely agree that the several hazards of Okada far surpass whatever benefit or usefulness if any to our daily lives.
I call on the governor of Lagos to take the bull the horn and BAN ANY FORM OF OKADA transport business in Lagos metropolis as soon as possible. Give us a cleaner, healthier and safer Lagos. We do not yet have Boko Haram here and we hope we would never have. But while we are praying, we should not make it easy for anybody to try. Other cities have banned Okada – Abuja, Enugu, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Calabar (where it all started), Maiduguri etc. So what is Lagos waiting for? The time for action is now!