An Okada man
just called me “omo ale” - a bastard. I was angry at first, and tried to catch
up with him by accelerating my car speed in order to respond; which was silly
of me to think in that manner, bearing in mind the adage: “don’t argue with a
fool because onlookers will see you both as two fools. So I just decided to
react by putting the scenario in writing.
Agreed,
without commercial commuters, life is likely to be at standstill; thus
retarding business activities. Commercial
transportation business, we know can be really frustrating – being on the move,
day and night, daily. However, must the
cumulative stress aggression be transferred on other innocent road users?
Commuters
being discussed should think twice before outpouring the unprintables to other
road users. Towards this end, morality
training in the form of regular Seminars may have to be organised by their
Unions, Road Safety Corps and the VIO Units of each State Government. It is suggested that renewal of Driving and
Motor Licences, continuous Membership of their Unions should also be tied to
attendance of such Seminars, because outpouring of insultive languages by
operators of these Commuters (especially Okadas) is very rampant all over
Nigeria. One is yet to ascertain if
outside the borders of this country, the same practice is in existence.
It goes
without saying that there is money in transport business, but most of the vehicle,
motorbikes or tricycles operators, may lack investing on children education,
property ownership etc. One might not be
far from right to suggest that after buying fuel, remitting daily returns to
owners of such bikes, cars (if you are not the owner), the remaining is spent
on Alcohol, Drugs, and sexual exploits!
Opening bank accounts or daily contributions to Cooperative Societies
will fetch some few thousands of naira on monthly basis for reasonable
investments. In addition, our commuters will go a long way painting a civil image
for this country while on the road, by not cursing other road users as a means
of pleasure of exhibiting aggressive mood in they find themselves as a result
of tension or depression. Just be nice
to other road users. The word “nice” might be a four-letter alphabet and a one
syllable in pronounciation, but it can go a long way to establish good rapport for
commuter operators, the society at large and as well, contribute positively to
the image of the country to a visitor.
By: ADEBAYO, Busayo
Freelance Public Analyst
