Daredevil, careless, rude and disobedient. These are the words that best describe none other than the okada riders we see daily on the streets of Lagos. Although they deserve an accolade for being the fastest means for reducing the hours commuters would have spent in gridlock traffic in other commercial vehicles, the danger they have brought to Nigeria is nothing to write home about.
While researching, I stumbled upon a headline on the website of a national newspaper that struck me. It read: “Okada riders cause of BRT buses collision.” I read the full news and became furious. The okada riders drove in-between the two BRT buses, confusing the bus drivers. While the BRT bus drivers were trying to manoeuvre to avoid an accident, they hit each other, and two of the staff inside one of the buses died at the spot. What caused this accident? The okada rider.
I have witnessed some okada riders riding their bikes with one hand off the handlebars or riding it with their legs off the pedals while speeding on the highway, tilting it at every bend they get to like it’s a toy. It is as if some engage in speeding competitions with their fellow okada colleagues. They drive recklessly like they have nine lives, not giving a care in the world about the lives of their passengers, other drivers and commuters who may be around them.
Isn’t it odd how many of these motorcycle riders are not Yorubas in a major Yoruba speaking metropolitan city? Some do not even speak our lingua franca or any of our local languages in Nigeria, which means they are from other African countries. Conversing with an okada rider is tasking,and the passenger has to be good at using sign languages if he or she ever wants to communicate. The South-West region of Nigeria, in particularly Lagos State, has always been accommodating, and even though these people are not Yorubas and probably, not Nigerians, they have well dominated the okada business in Lagos.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has a main goal of promoting economic cooperation among member states in order to raise living standards and promote economic development. Nigeria is a member of this community. It would be seen as harassment if a decision is made to arrest these people and most of them are citizens of other African countries. Nigeria would be seen as a xenophobic country and that action would strain the multilateral ties between Nigeria and other African countries. They will see the act as selfish and assume Nigeria does not want their citizens to earn a living. Notwithstanding, there is need for proper documentation of any foreigners living in this country.
When we were in primary school, the tactic we were taught on how to cross roads was to look left, look right, and look left again, but in Lagos, that tactic seems pointless because one must look left, look right, look left, look right again, and even, look both sides for the umpteenth time before crossing the road.
These okada riders can be crazy enough to take a one-way road, and when one thinks the coast is clear, they can just come in from anywhere. If one isn’t careful while crossing the streets in Lagos, one could end up in the hospital battling for life after an accident may have occurred. The most painful thing is that the okada riders do not care. Some of them insult the person for not looking properly and skid off before being caught by law enforcement agencies. The ones that are nice enough to care would only say sorry and go their ways.
Their lack of obedience to traffic rules is what annoys people the most. They have caused many accidents in Lagos State alone, not to talk of other states in Nigeria. Despite all the traffic rules and regulations put in by the Lagos State Government, it is rare to see any of these motorcycle riders obey just one of the rules. They have attacked several law enforcement agencies’ employees, who have done no harm but to do their assigned jobs. The okada riders claim they are right or give excuses for disobeying such rules.
An incident occurred on the 17th of November, 2020, along the Apapa-Oshodi expressway, where members of the Lagos State Task Force were arresting all disobedient motorcycle riders because of the ban placed in Lagos at that time. The motorcycle riders resisted, and they attacked the task force members, with the help of hoodlums.
Another incident occurred on the 26th of April 2021, along the same Lagos-Badagry Expressway. The motorcycle riders were told by the National Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to pay their daily levies. Their keys and motorcycles were seized when they refused to do what was required. That led to a violent attack, with the NURTW being the victims. One of the NURTW employees said that the motorcycle riders all came out in masses, about 200 to 300 of them, and they started throwing stones at them. He also claimed that they were not Hausas but people from Chad and Niger republics.
A ban on motorcycles was announced in Lagos State on the 27th of January 2020, and it came into effect on the 1st of February 2020. This ban was placed based on safety because motorcycles caused major dastardly road accidents in Lagos. A visit to orthopaedic hospital in Yaba will convince the doubting Thomases of the necessity of that policy by the Lagos State Government.
Security was another primary reason for the ban as most of these riders are not Nigerians. Citizens of neighbouring countries come into Nigeria anyhow because of the poor security at our borders. They get in to make money from the okada business and cause huge threats to Nigeria and its citizens.
The ban of 2020 did not last long. More motorcycles went back to the streets to continue the business. However, some of them got their machines seized by law enforcement agencies. BabajideSanwo-Olu, the Lagos state governor, is set to announce stricter measures to ban motorcycles again from the state.
In a meeting he had in Ikeja, the city’s capital, he said, “the okada riders pose a threat to security in Lagos State, and no society can make progress amid such haughty display of lawlessness and criminality. This ban is being placed because the okada riders are flouting rules and regulations.”
The ban is an excellent step to curbing the excessive rough driving by okada riders that occurs in Lagos State. It may be frustrating on commuters who would have to resort to commercial buses and spend long hours in traffic, but it would be the best measure in making sure there is no crazy okada driver on the streets of Lagos anymore. The next step is to train other commercial road users to drive safely, not just for the lives of their passengers but also for their own lives. Law enforcement agencies should also ensure that the laid down rules are well implemented, regardless of whose ox is gored.
Babatunde-Lawal is an NYSC member with BusinessDay, attached to the research and intelligence unit (BRIU)
