By Olorundare Enimola
A popular comedian once cracked a joke saying, “It is only in Lagos you find people who are riding comfortably in an SUV (Jeep), envious of people riding Okada, because they are left behind by those on Okada during traffic gridlocks.”
That was then, when Lagos was host to an army of motorcycle riders popularly known as Okada, involved in the transportation of a critical mass of commuters to various destinations across the State. However, the pattern and manner of their operations leaves much to be desired, but commuters were left with no choice but to accept the crude operational manner in the midst of crippling daily traffic gridlocks associated with Lagos.
Okada transportation therefore, became an escapist means for beating the grueling traffic hold ups associated with the emerging smart city of Lagos, with many residents already having the feeling that motorcycle transportation has come to stay with all its destructive appendages.
Many could risk anything to beat the choking Lagos traffic, prompting them to opt for Okada at any given time to the point that many became obsessed with it. You will find such passengers in today’s Lagos without Okada, mounting pressures on hapless commercial drivers during traffic gridlocks to do everything possible to beat traffic hold ups, including breaking traffic and road safety regulations.
It is however, better for residents and especially passengers on Lagos roads to begin to get use to a Lagos transport system without Okadas, than bemoaning the daily traffic debacles which hopefully would recede with time after the consummation of the various transport projects undertaken by the current government of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
According to Ishola Babajide, who lives in Ikorodu but, works as an Accountant with an Audit Firm in Anthony area of Lagos, “My job takes me around Lagos on a daily basis for the auditing of accounts of various companies, requiring me to travel regularly to different locations in the State, and we had to face so much traffic hold ups in the process, making us to arrive late at places of our assignment in most cases.
In those days when we had Okada operating, you could always beat those gridlocks and arrive on time, but not anymore, and there is virtually no place without traffic hold ups in Lagos, especially during hours.
“You are bound to experience traffic gridlock when you are travelling to; Lagos Island, Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Lagos Mainland, Ikeja and adjoining highbrow areas. The Lagos CBD, Bonny Camp area, Ozumba Mbadiwe, all the major roads in Ikoyi including Awolowo road, Bourdillon, Alexander, Osborne, Alfred Rewane roads and Gerard Avenue.
“Funsho Williams Avenue, Eko Bridge, Apongbon, Muritala Muhammed Way, Jibowu to Yaba, Oyingbo, Iddo, Idumota and Ikorodu road. The others are Badagry Expressway, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Awolowo road in Ikeja, Secretariat and Alausa areas, Lagos-Abeokuta road, Agege Motor road and Third Mainland Bridge.” Babajide added.
Bernard Samson, an electronic parts dealer who own shops in Alaba and Anthony area, said: “I must state that the Lagos government headed by Sanwo-Olu in 2020 made a mistake by halting the operations of bike hailing services like OPay, Max and Gokada among other growing commercial motorcycle operators without an alternative. These bike hailing services came with innovation to solve the terrible traffic challenges in Lagos and in the safest way possible.
“They were given strict rules by the government, all followed, yet got kicked out of business, and residents were left to groan in pain, while the independent commercial motorcycles gradually found their way back to the roads. The government, despite its concerns for the health and safety of Lagos residents, needs to consider the economic toll it is having on businesses and work schedules.
“The terrible traffic in both morning and evening rush hours cannot allow the impatient resident to sit in a commercial bus for hours before getting to their distant destinations when they can afford to take an okada and get to where they’re going in no time.”
Bernard however said it is true that most of the independent okada riders have no formal training or knowledge of Lagos traffic law. They have made many legs be amputated, hands broken, and even deaths. Some robbers also use okada to carry out their operations as it is very easy to escape,” but the emergence of OPay and Gokada was solving that problem gradually”, he added.
Another lady who gave as Grace said: “Motorcycle take you directly to your house unlike buses that drop you on the junction or expressway. Motorcycle helps you to locate street addresses that you as a stranger do not know anywhere and easily found because they are everywhere.
A male commuter, Ande Shior, who works at the Apapa port, describes the ban as a double-edged sword, stating that though okada riders are lawless and can be violent, but they have their important uses and brought the ban on them, they were becoming uncontrollable.
“The government was caught in a fix, either to leave them to get wilder or deal with them. I am suffering the agony now, walking to work. When was the last time I went on a long trek like this?”, he asked.
Another fellow who refused to give his name at the Mile 2 bus stop, a terminus notorious for criminal activities by hoodlums on motorcycles, wearing a long face. Her dilemma: how she would get to her destination at Mazamaza, a densely populated community in the Agboju-Amuwo LCDA. As Motunrayo lamented, trekking was like taking the death pill itself; he had never done any long distance trek all his life.
With the ban taking effect, some commercial motorcyclists some few weeks ago besieged the Lagos House, urging Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to suspend the proposed ban on Okada riders.
Mr Tijani Pekins, Chairman of MOALS Lagos State Zone C, who led the protest, urged the state government to engage the association and work out modalities to save millions of members, whose livelihoods will be massively affected by the enforcement of the ban.
To forestall any form of uprising in reaction to the ban, over 500 security agents comprising the Police, Military, Department of State Security, DSS, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, among other paramilitary agencies, embarked on a show of force around Lagos metropolises. Addressing the security agents, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos Command, CP Abiodun Alabi, warned that violators of the ban would be promptly arrested and prosecuted.
He said: “Law abiding Lagosians should go about their lawful duties without fear of harassment or intimidation.”
Meanwhile, Okada riders have been leaving the affected council areas in droves since last week. Some of them were sighted in Lorries, with their motorbikes leaving Iyana-Ipaja, Jaknade and Isolo areas. While some of them moved to other local government areas not affected by the total ban, others relocated to their respective hometowns.
Commuters in some local governments and local council development areas in Lagos State where the government has banned the operation of commercial motorcycles were compelled to trek long distances today as the enforcement of the ban took effect in those newly added areas.
In its wisdom, the Lagos state government launched 500 first and last-mile buses, as well as 100 high-capacity buses on May 18 to “serve 286 identified routes within our communities as an alternative to addressing the menace and security threat constituted by Okada riders”. This is just another failed route being taken to end the okada operation in the state.
Lagos State Government insisted that there is no going back on the ban of commercial motorcyclists, popularly called Okada riders, saying riders and passengers risk three years jail term for violation.
Recall that the state government had banned Okada operations in four additional Local Government Areas, LGA, and Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs.
The four additional councils and six LCDAs affected include Kosofe LGA, Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, Oshodi-Isolo LGA, Isolo LCDA, Ejigbo, Shomolu LGA, Bariga LCDA and Mushin LGA, Odi-Olowo LCDA.
Oladeinde said: “For the purpose of emphasis and clarification, the State Government has extended the ban of Okada Operations to the following Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas in a bid to further promote and ensure the Safety and Security of lives and properties in the State
“As a responsive government, we are not leaving the affected passengers who patronise these Okada stranded without any viable means of transportation, that is why we have made available alternative and sustainable means of transportation such as the First and Last Mile Bus Transport Scheme, the BRT Scheme, the Lagos e-hailing taxi Scheme, LAGRIDE, and other acceptable modes of transportation to go about their daily activities.
Mr. Sola Giwa, SA to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transportation, urged all Okada riders and passengers to comply with the ban saying “We are losing our artisans to Okada operations. We will not condone this unacceptable act, as we are ready to enforce the ban to the latter.”
Dr. Frederic Oladeinde,Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, yesterday, said that crime and accident rates had reduced by 86 per cent and 63.7 per cent respectively in the state after the ban on commercial motorcycles, popularly called Okada, in six local councils and nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).
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