The use of motorcycle generally known as okada for commercial purposes is one of the most popular means of short distance transportations in Nigeria. This is because okada provides ease of movements, especially for those traveling to interior places without access roads. Okada also provides easy navigation for travellers who don’t know the exact locations they are going to as the riders who know their ways around easily assist such travellers to locate their destinations at affordable prices. Most importantly, okada creates employment opportunities for the millions of Nigerian youths who are unemployed due to the high unemployment rate in the country.
In recent years however, following the rise in insecurity across Nigeria, okada has been consistently associated with different kinds of violent crimes including armed robbery, kidnapping, banditry and terrorism. This ugly development has led to banning the use of okada across several major cities in Nigeria, including Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu. Anambra State recently banned the use of okada in Onitsha and Awka thereby joining the queue of the many states that have done the same in Nigeria.
Nevertheless, because of the above enumerated social and economic roles okada plays in the lives of Nigerians, doing away completely with okada has not been easy. The norm usually is that each time okada is banned in the major cities of a state; the riders migrate to the surrounding areas to continue their trade. Thus, in spite of the fact that the use of okada is prohibited from plying the major roads in Awka and Onitsha; it is still used in surrounding communities.
Meanwhile, the alarming increase in insecurity in Anambra State as well as the constant attack on security formations has led to speculations that the government of Anambra State, led by Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo is planning to impose a total ban on the use of okada across the the state. Particularly mentioned in this regard are Ekwulobia and Nnewi, the two cities that unfortunately are the worst hit by the insecurity and where the use of okada is most rampant in the state.
To investigate this issue further and to douse the fear generated by these speculations among the public, Angel Network News approached Hon. Sir Pete Ibida, the Chief Whip of Anambra State House of Assembly and Member representing Njikoka II to find his opinion on the proposed ban.
Responding to questions on the suitability of the ban, Hon. Ibada, explained that motorcycle was never designed to be used for commercial purposes. Thus, hardship, primarily was pushing Nigerians to adopt the abnormality of putting motorcycle to commercial use. Based on this, there was the need to develop the state because in developed cities around the world, there was nothing like the use of okada for commercial purposes. The lawmaker who disclosed that he just returned from South Africa noted that in that country “you do not even see keke let alone okada.”
However, while he was not been opposed to the proposed ban on the use of okada, Hon. Ibida still maintained that, “you do not have to blame those riding motorcycles for commercial purposes because there is no job in the country. You cannot also blame those patronizing them because there is no good transportation network in the country.” As such, there is need to balance the proposed ban with the creation of job through development. “Both have to go simultaneously because if the economy will remain moribund and nose-diving as it is at the moment, then banning okada will do more harm than good.”
He continued: “while there is no doubt that most of the crimes committed in most cities across Nigeria, including our own dear state Anambra State, are being propelled by the use of okada, banning okada alone will not end the insecurity. We must appreciate that there are important transportation and unemployment needs provided by okada. And unless these problems are tackled simultaneously, we would in the bid to solve one problem, create more problems for ourselves. Overall, motorcycle or okada is not meant to be used for commercial purposes. For once, it is not even safe and thousands of passengers and riders have lost their lives in the cause of using it for transportation. Because we value life, we need to do everything in our power to prevent our people from risking and losing their lives.”
