Message to Lagos Okada riders

The recent protest by commercial motorcycle operators, popularly called Okada in Lagos, is highly uncalled for.

During the protest, the operators destroyed a number of property, including the state’s BRT buses.

At the moment, it is not known the extent of the destruction caused by the protesters, but it will definitely run into hundreds of millions of naira. However, when one looks at it, the law banning these people from the expressways is a good one.

It is even dangerous for motorcycles to be plying such busy expressways. It should surprise no one that some Okada operators even ply the Third Mainland Bridge.

While the protesters should not see the government as wicked, they should know the chief executive of the state, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola(SAN), knows what he is doing, and he has the best interest of the people at heart.

When one visits different medical facilities in the state, one will notice the huge damage Okada is doing to people.

Most of these Okada riders don’t actually know how to ride the bike properly. They just ventured into the business due to lack of jobs. As a result of this, a lot of unsuspecting passengers have been sent to their early graves as a result of accidents, while others have been incapacitated for life.

Although the case is still in court, it is expected that justice will be done.

A government that does not care about its citizenry will be the one that would not be bothered about the havoc Okada is wrecking on the society.

We must also not forget that many are now using Okada for robbery operations.

However, I want to call on the Okada operators to exercise caution and stop destroying public property while making their grievances known.