Opinion

4 Reasons Okada Ban In Lagos Won’t Solve Anything

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I happen to have been on both sides of the table; either by getting quickly to  places on time by using commercial motorcycles –popularly known as ‘Okada’ here in Nigeria-or  having to condone motorcycles when behind the wheel as a motorist. As a matter of fact, commercial motorcycles here in Nigeria can be likened to big pest/insects on the road; they reduce the limited spaces meant for full-size vehicles and they always come as a major source of discomfort for motorists who have to contend with their existence and all the whims of Okada operators.

However, on the flip-side, there are clear reasons why the Okada business is still lucrative for the operators and also why they still get a substantial level of patronage from the populace. In busy cities like Lagos, Okadas provide an alternative means of transportion at fairly cheaper rates as opposed to hiring taxis or indulging the services of cabs.

There have been countless outcry from groups clamouring for the ban of these ‘okadas’ in Lagos and also, the Government has created stiffer penalties  and restrictions for defaulting motorcycles operators-which most of them interpret as telltale signs of their eventual ban as seen in cities like Portharcourt, Uyo and Abuja. In this article we will be exploring various angles of the topic at the hand and also state four reasons why totally banning Okadas at the moment won’t solve anything and might turn out to be counter-productive.

Keke-Napeps are just bigger Okadas : Years back in the city of Owerri in Imo state, the government of the day issued a ban on the use of commercial bikes with the intention to ease flow of traffic and reduce crime. To cushion the effect of the ban, various kinds of three-wheeled automobiles-popularly referred to as keke-napeps- were introduced to replace these bikes. The resultant effect due to the poor bus and taxi distribution network in the state was reliance on the ‘kekenapeps’, just as it were with the banned motorcycles. This eventually increased the average cost of transportation and traffic congestions within the city. Overtime, the distribution network of these three-wheeled motorcycles became better organized, but still the populace still have to face heavy traffic congestions especially during peak movement periods partly due to kekenapeps taking up much more larger spaces than average conventional motorcycles. Bad enough, these kekenapeps are operated by the same brains behind the operation of Okadas; with the same averagely crude mentality, hence creating bigger problems. So if you happen to be in the school of thought that label three-wheeled automobiles as a lasting solution, I think you should have a re-think.

Okadas are practical solutions: For the time being, commercial motorcycles are unarguably the most practical and easily accessible means of transportation which a fair chunk of the Nigerian population rely on. To prove this, even in all the cities that have ‘banned’ commercial motorcycles, Okadas are still allowed to operate in some areas not withstanding. Okadas cushion the lapses created by lack of proper (affordable) bus/taxi network distribution. Simply put, okadas get to where buses and cabs don’t get to at affordable rates which proves to be equally convenient for most people.

Okadas increase transportation options and alternatives: show me someone who has never taken a commercial bike and I am sure you have a highly detached individual from the realities of Nigeria and her societal and infrastructural deficiencies. It’s no news that Nigeria roads are constantly under enormous pressure all year round, due to the absence or ineffectiveness of other transportation alternatives. The Lagos state government has championed projects to ensure the viability of other alternatives to road transport, but with the geometric rise of population within the city, these efforts are still not enough. The more reason more avenues have to be explored and properly set-up before Okadas are completely wiped off the roads. Without a doubt, the introduction of commercial motorcycles back in the 1970’s was meant to be a temporal solution, but as it seems now, the population have permanently waited for better transport infrastructure.

Crime: these commercial motorcycles, just like cars and other automobiles can be instruments in perpetrating crime. The eventual increased rate of crime is inevitable if commercial motorcycles are banned, which will be primarily due to loss of jobs. This can be even worse taking account of their present struggles-all the confrontations, court cases. Banning them at the moment might even turn out to be negative psychological motivation for them to get back on the street as angry and begrudged unemployed set of individuals ready to indulge in crime to survive. The result will be negative ripple effects which will only add to the number of masses being unemployed.

Culled from Autobase Africa

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