If you are visitor in Nigeria, one popular means to get to your destination within cities is by the motto cycle popularly known as Okada. This means of transportation is as old as someone who is up to 30 years old in this country. I can vividly remember that when I was a child, (about 13 years ago), I used to make use of an Okada together with our house help each time he wants to take me to school or bringing me back. Now, I’m more than 20 but less than 25 and Okada is only becoming more popular here in Nigeria. Well, my dad once told me that Okada is far older than me!! The only difference between then and now is that people did not see Okada as a profession. These days, Okada is seen as a profession especially among youths some of whom are graduates of our high Institutions. The question now is why do people prefer to use Okada as a means of intra-city transportation?
One major reason for sure is that it is a very cheap means of transportation. Considering the state of our cities, Okada unarguably is the choice of many because it saves time. The time it will cost many of us to reach our destinations as a result of hold ups in our various cities has made Okada the people’s choice.
The truth of the matter is that Okada has turn out to be a menace to the republic of Nigeria! How true is this?
Okada has disfigured so many people in this country. It is one of the easiest ways to be involved in an accident. The bad thing about this is that it hardly takes one’s life but disfigures someone easily. It has crippled so many people and has taking few lives. This is as a result of two reasons; the state of our roads which are a means to an early grave and the Okada drivers themselves. Many Okada riders don’t have respect for their own life; tell me, how they can have value for someone else’s life when they don’t have value for their own lives. Some of these drivers drive at a very high speed!!! They run on the road as if someone is chasing them!!!!! The excessive speed by most of these Okada riders has increased Okada accident in the country. I once heard of a true life story of one young Okada driver who disfigured his own bone and that of his unfortunate passenger! According to the account of this story that happened in Ibadan, the young driver was so excited that the English premier club side he supports recorded a famous victory against a bitter rival. His excitement made him to drive so speed on the road; singing happily. His lack of concentration while driving led to the accident which resulted in the damage of his spinal cord together with that of the unfortunate passenger.
Well, if you doubt my observation, please, kindly visit one of those local hospitals around your hood and see things with own naked eyes, because I’m very sure that some of you are just like Timothy in the bible. The numbers of Okada accident in our hospitals are just too much. It is just a pity that our great country, did I say great country? I think I’m leaving in the past! Sure, I’m leaving in the past. Gone are the days we were great. Well, it is a pity that our country is one of the world’s highest importers of motto cycles (Okada). We have made countries like China, Japan, Thailand, richer and even richer as long as our government and some so called rich tycoons will continue to compensate our people with the importation of Okada from these countries. Some of them even boost around that they are empowering our youths by giving a graduate Okada and ke-ke-na-pep to use as a means of survival. Hmmmm, what a country!
Please, don’t be angry with me because I have digressed so much. Back to the main issue of the day; how true is the fact that Okada is a menace to our country? Well, I know some of you are not a novice to the issue of global warming. Hope you know that one of the biggest causes of global warming is the smoke from the Okada, vehicles, generator sets etc. if you don’t know about global warming, please, do yourself a very big favour by visiting Google and just type this two words- global warming and click on search key to get better information on global warming before you will sleep and wake up one day to hear that you are the only one remaining on earth, that the rest of the people have gone green or have gone to another planet since the earth is no longer safe. Back to business, Okada is really damaging our ozone layer, in fact, the type of Okada used in Nigeria is really causing big time problem to this earth. Mane!! The type of Okada used in Nigeria is dam old!!! Even in the old stage, we still use them, I pray that one day, NTA will not announce that everybody in Nigeria should leave for another planet that the country is no longer safe for us! Well, I hope you know that you cannot go anywhere because I’m more than sure that you cannot afford it, hahaha. Please and please, I’m on the opinion that Okada be banned completely in this country. I don’t even want to see ke-ke-na-pep in this country any more or what do you think?
Okada as a means of transportation; a menace to the country
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