What is going on?Can someone please tell me what our country is turning into?Is there any more right to life and human rights?Is it terrorism,kidnappings, bomb attacks,airplane crashes,ritual activities or robbery attacks,mob killings, and even attacks on Government properties and the lists
goes on and on.Now is it true that there wont be opportunity for some motorcyclists in Lagos to earn a living? What is this country turning into,may I ask again?
Lagos okada riders are what I call them, you call them commercial motorcyclists that you find majorly in ALL and every parts of Lagos streets and roads. The most reliable and undisputable fast means for meeting up with deadlines given the situation of Lagos roads.So do you want to miss that appointment,or experience delay in sending across an urgent and emergency errands or needs,or miss an examination you are almost late for because of traffic,or can our banks even do without the so called dispatch riders on the move?
Can Lagos state as a whole survive without okadas? That is a typical online survey I came across following the recent ban of commercial motorcyclists (okada riders).I took part in the survey and my answer was typically NO. Yes,I mean NO,Lagos can not solely thrive okadas.WHY, you ask me?I think that its totally improper and unethically not right a time for such a law.Reasons because its like removing the popular yellow commercial buses (Danfo) from Lagos roads,which is IMPOSSIBLE.
Firstly, these means of transportation is cheap,fast,convenient, timely and a daily source of livelihood for almost 30% unemployed graduates who could not get any other type of jobs .I am not an okada rider,I have never rode any before but i speak from the pains and concerns of the majority who has no other hope for survival.And moreover, can any of these lawmakers boast truly that these same okada bikes has not in any way been used by them,assisted in services for them in one way or the other right from their college years to the present positions they hold now? Can we just stop deceiving ourselves and face facts? Where else would you classify these people after implementation of this law or ban?
Also unemployment rate is already soaring high, so ban the use of of okadas and you add insult to the injured lots of struggling masses of these country’s including many unemployed graduates, semi-literate and illiterates who do these okada business.Crime rate may soar because robbery and other social vices will arise,due to lots of disadvantage, disappointed and angry youths and people.Is it prostitution or high rate infidelity as another case of the multiple effects of such implementation of this laws,if more women are to fend for themselves and their family.What about most companies and banks using this bikes in meeting up for business as dispatch riders,the self supporting students who pay their fees through it and the list I tell you is quite endless. Everything is surely going to have and feel the negative side effects. I tell you, most Lagosians are already suffering now.Big time traffic jam, fuel scarcity, now added in is NO okada, are you serious?People wake up early and get to bus stops by 5am and some may still get to office by 8am past 9am which is crazy when u are not traveling.Now school fees of Lagos state is equivalent to private universities, and everybody wants to go school.Come to think of it, all this issues will affect revenue and GDP,unemployment status of this country and even Lagos.
Lastly, though we know the stakes of accidental cases are high,and there is every tendency that highway riders are prone to dangers,but there are also measures that could be taken in reducing these problems in the state. The ban should be restricted to certain high way roads and not inner streets and every places. There should be strict formulated rules and safety guides or laws for high road motorcyclists users,so to minimize the casualties and accidents. So What am I saying? All I am trying to point out is that total ban, confiscations of bikes and rendering many jobless and stranded is not a very good and popular decision and law for now.Where there is no provision, there is no law. For such an implementation to take effect,there has to be a sort of provision made to take care of the multiple effects it brings. Are there alternative jobs? Are there skills acquisitions and trainings for becoming self employed if no okada riding again?What will be the fate of the private users of motorcyclists who use these transportation means? What happens to Banks or company employee dispatch riders jobs? I pray and wish that these lawmakers could just really understand, to see not just only from their high above status and positions, but to feel what it is like to be an average Nigerian or even under-average one if that will qualify the scenario.
Please must I say, that this is not the right time to ban Lagos bikes (Okada). At least Lagos government should make and plan an alternative means or medium for those affected citizens to live on . I just can’t imagine how a family man,able body,ready to work and provide for his family by making his meagre money through Okada riding now left with nothing else to do.Without no proper education,no other acquired skills, no business loans granted and not even social security. Consider also other people who have bikes to ease their transportation to work who don’t have cars? Any alternative for them? There are students who uses okada business to pay their school fees, still doing it and some graduated by it. It pains me a lot seeing how sudden some bikes are been taken by the police on the roads as if their owners are criminals.Is it bad enough again to engage in a legal hustling and business,through okada? Really is there is any future and hope for any common or poor man in this country? These questions are there in your hearts to reflect on and answer.Please let the government really reconsider,re-amend its decision or laws whatsoever for the many other effects this ban could cause to the masses.
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