by Hauwa Gambo
So these photos are slowly going viral and should inspire a proper debate about the extent and limit of honesty (or lack of it) in governance.
But you know how they say pictures say more than a thousand words? You decide for yourself.
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Arigo, Please how were people moving when there were no single commercial motorcycle on the streets of Victoria island. the ban of motorcycles were on major ways not just highways. the ban will rather decrease incidents of crime. it is not the job of the governor/government to provide jobs for the people but enabling environment.
Please be more open minded, there always many angles to an issue.
how useful are you?
Taripikin, you are the one that is sentimental. you should know that that was a ceremonial ride, and all rules of riding were probably observed. We can not overemphasised the reason for their ban on major roads – they simply uncontrollable. You should probably take a visit to all general hospitals and see the 'okada' wards!
AYO God pass u, may God wish u as u wish okada riders…Selfishness
The new traffic law does not outrightly ban okada from Lagos streets; major highways is so clear, what is not clear is other areas where they are restricted according to that document. The law also affects 'keke marwa' but nobody seems to be giving that any thought. Where okada is seized, keke marwa too is supposed to be seized. But the law didnt say the penalty for offenders is destroying their bikes. Unfortunately we are in a country where the law doesnt work even when the governor is a senior advocate of nigeria (SAN). You have also empowered the military & police to harass harmless citizen doing legitimate businesses. But who is arresting the police officers using okada to move themselves to places (not for commercial purpose though)? The law doesnt affect them. And why arresting okada within streets, even streets that are not on the map of lagos state (lol)? Now various enforcement agencies uses the opportunities to exploit innocent citizens. This government has lost face with the people in that this was not well thought out. Why not provide good roads across the state and enough means of transportation that will make people naturally stop the use of okada on their own. But you clamped down on okada without providing alternatives for the people. Fasola, whether you're being ordered about by your godfather or not, posterity will judge. Please be a man of your own self. People were singing "Fasola for President 2015" before, but now….the song has changed! Who is next now? God help Nigeria!!!!!
Joseph Jones Agunbiade your excuse is not fair enough. Is he retraining them?… The same persons will go and take up bus driving with same attitude. Its actually serene without okada, but there need to be another means of transportation especially for pple without a car and a means of livelihood for the former riders. Tricycle with a re trained driver and taxi service with controlled fare could be an alternative.
If this picture was taken in Lagos and The person in the picture is truly Gov. Fashola? Where in Lagos then, was the picture taken? because this does not look like Lagos!
If this picture was taken in Lagos and The person in the picture is truly Gov. Fashola? Where in Lagos then, was the picture taken? because this does not look like Lagos!
The issue is not the location of the picture, the issue is the act of employing "Okada riders" for election campaign and then impounding them after the election. The question: Is this hypocracy?!!
@Ayodele Dayisi, To be candid with you, i quite understand some of the challenges of leadership; Chances are that this is the Gov. and he once had approvals for all these… My major concern is with the high rates of accidents on Lagos roads, being caused primarily by the Okada's. I think It is expedient of the Gov. to make the right decision between the Lives of Lagosians and being politically correct. I challenge you to visit hospitals around Lagos next time you are around and it will shock you that all emergency wards is full of Okada victims. Eko Oni Baaje O!
Yes, no responsible government will save lives and go ahead to destroy lives and paralyse, jeopardise peoples means of livelyhood. A responsible government will save lives and utilise or build peoples ability and inteligense to keep live in continuity. Let Gov Fash know dat autobike buisness is lucrative and relevant if properly managed. Consult me 4 d wisdom & logistic-SIMPLE.
No Hypocrisy seen here.
The restriction or regulation of motorbikes in the state is a welcome development. A responsible government will not look on as the citizens are murdered daily in the name of quick transportation.
There is a reason Fashola is the Governor: because he can take healthy decisions that will move this state forward and not think with his emotions. If all the okada riders in lagos + their families had not voted for him(if at all they voted) he would have still won the election hands down. There is already an alternative for them in marwa(keke napep). Keep on the good work of sanitizing lagos state dear governor
Okada is very relevant ON ALL ROADS and its use should b encouraged. Fasola & his henchmen cannot continue 2 rule us like dis BY being misguided by ignorant and mischievous individuals into SOLVING PROBLEMS WHILE CREATING MORE COMPLEX ONES. IF WE ARE SERIOUS , we can effectively organise & manage d gd use of auto machine (okada) in Lagos & Nigeria 2 d good of all. Wisdom is d principal thing. I am ready 2 offer my contributions if contacted (d wisdom & logistics)-afteall we are in government together. Fasola is not Mr Superstar afterall.
Yes Gov Fasola is being pushed by dangerously mischievous cunny advisers. They want 2 rubbish Fasolals gd intentions. The OUTRIGHT BAN will definitely solve some terrible problems (accidents, premature & unexpected deaths, etc) BUT @ d same time, it will creat a more devastating socio-economic & life-thretening & life-shortening complex problems. This is my stand. Many nations in d world manage the effective use of auto-machine. There are many competent degree & Sch Cert holders outside there who are jubless. Employ dem 2 help supervise and organise dis okada riders properly. U will c dat every body will b happy @ d results we will get. But is Fasola & his ACN men ready 2 employ, train and pay more workers now? Yeye man, na soso shakara on Lagos ple we d e c, . He should play safe joo.
Yes Okada ban is on major highways, but we've found ourselves in an unfortunate situation where policemen are clamping down on Okada riders even on minor streets in V.Isalnd where I work…too bad. Deceit is an inherent trait in some politicians, and only God can save us all.
Well, we've long bn forced 2 know this- that most Nigerian & African leaders generally insincere andembarrasing hypocites this is another living example.
This is high level of hypocrisy from Fashola and it is a.testimony to the fact that ACN is nota. good party but cult that is being manipulated Tinubu and his district officers.I call on Lagosians to restrict the attempt to improverished them by ACN vampires.South West people should beware and vote out ACN in the region.
Okada riders are reckless no questions about that, so are a lot of commercial bus drivers, so are a majority of the officers of the Nigerian Police Force that kills citizens like chicken. So do we ban the police from Nigerian roads? Ori bibe ko l'oogun efori. There are better ways to deal with this situations than just a blanket ban.
Banning okada on the highway is reasonable, but on d streets of Victoria Island where commercial buses don't ply, hw do pple move? I am somewhere around 1004 flats and i need to buy something at Saka Tinubu or 2 get 2 Eko Hotel and i don't have a car, hw do i get there? Are the roads on d streets of Victoria Island highways? Why are policemen arresting okada inside V/I? Does he(Fashola) not think that restricting these pple of their means of earning a living without providing an alternative job 4 them is a way of increasing crime in d state? (The bible says that 'an idle man is the devils workshop') when an adult or a family man has no job or a means of earning a living, what do u think will be next? When will d govt ever take any action or make any law and consider d poor? Do d rich ride on okada? do we not hear of plane crash in dis country? can d number of casualties in a single plane crash be compared to dat of 50 okada crash? why not shutdown d airports in Lagos if he's dat concern of safety of lives in d state?
U be the Judge.
This is a tricky one o
There's no hypocrisy, dey followed him of their own free will. I'm sure rapists, robbers, drug dealers et al voted 4 him. Shld he condone their action cos of dat.
There was a time there were no okadas on d streets of lagos.
@Hauwa, I don't understand ur motive behind these pictures. Are u in support or against Fashola government. I as a person am totally support Fashola, even the man didn't ban them. He only said they should not operate on highways. Anyone that support okada rider to be operating on highway is yet to be a victim of okada. Either security wise or health. To me the picture is for campaign, but that doesn't mean things should continue worse. I support Fashola is a able and working governor.
What is wrong in using organised bike riders for a colourful campaign? The fact of the matter is that the law to moderate their business operation is put in place by a government that is concerned about the security and health of its citizens. If any motor bike operator is not ready to obey the law let him go to another state where it is allowed to operate on the major roads. The fanfare in the picture above is not a call to break the law nor the seized bikes an avenue to condemn government for implementing the law. After all government will be castigated for not being proactive for failure to moderate the operations of the commercial motor bike operators on our major roads or in our neighbourhoods each time bad things happen to the okada riders on the major roads.
I quite agree with Ayo E., okadas are a menace to our society. It was poverty that allowed for the immense and sudden growth inthe first place. Change, especially good ones are the most difficult to accept. The cos of the okada riders will have been an easy 1 to fight for ( alternate job creation for them that is) but they went on a destroy rampage! So with that they've just shown y they should be off the roads!..go to emergencies in various hospitals accross the nation 80% of casualties are caused by reckless untrained okada riders, who even engage in hit and run! What Fashola should have done is to create alternatives for them, but like some1 rightly mentioned, they are off major highways only bot totally out of work! And that my people is for our own good and safety as well…in d long run, he'll get a thumbs up for this, but for mow, BRF will be castigated by sentimental people who mainly do not see beyond now (today)
Mr ayo whc stupid grammar u de speak there!
Fashola is a disgrace τ̲̅ȍ humanity. Is dat d best tin he can do even after doing dis he didsnt create any job oppurtunity for dem .after using dem τ̲̅ȍ win election. Bads government bad Nigeria. Nigeria can never be Ǧ☺☺ϑ cos which must also get @ dis rich people who think the have useless political power
Thanks Hauwa,but tell him to apologise to the people he insulted.
Lagos setet
Okadas are ban from major highway n nt kicked out of lagos.
Yes okada riders are reckless, but why not make stricter law for them? Why seize their bikes and burn them? What other provision has been made to help them continue with their lives? Okada's have killed nd injured people, so do cars. Go to Ho Chi Minh vietnam for example, they hve over 5million bikes there and its a more beautiful city than Lagos. My neighbour rides a bike and it was seized,this man has a wife and two beautiful kids my son plays with, so what do u expect a man like that to do when he's livelihood has been taken away. The government hasn't provided jobs for graduates, moreless okada men. Like Fela wouldd say "Authority Killing"
I am highly disappointed with a man I have so much admiration for. And lack of public trust is gross corruption, when will our leaders learn to stop using the poor for selfish reasons.
I reason with his excuses, its just that he did not make any provision to ameliorate the hardship it has caused.
Okada is ban on major highways & federal roads. I support it, if u go 2 ojota bstop, ikeja along and others u wil see how these unorganise riders rules. We all know how reckless they re when they re on the road. So pls let's don't put in sentiment here. The okada riders re not organise that is their problem. Moreover u av 2 be very careful we crossing else u wil be knock down by an okada man who violate traffic law. So let dem be restricted
@Bolade did u check the pictures? Are implying that the law in Nigeria is ment for the poor? Gash! Have a rethink if we want to move this country forward,besides I think u r more sentimental.
useless people from d senseless president to every gov.