We risk everything, everyday of our lives without even knowing it, believe it or not. I recall how I had to patronise motorcycle riders, popularly known as ‘Okada‘ before they got banned in Lagos state. In order to arrive early, okada was my best but not safest option. Commuting to work daily came with high risks.
This is because the okada riders could be reckless. That was one risk. Another was the road they plied. It was narrow and had to compete with space with road tanker drivers. Everytime the okada driver rode past them, I said a prayer for safety.
It is general belief that there is no sane driver in Lagos state. This goes without saying that there are still a handful that drive well and keep to road rules and regulations. My issue is with the road tanker drivers and how they struggle with other road users for road space. It becomes more worrisome when the roads are bad.
When I used to ply the Under-bridge -Alakija road daily, my heart was always in my mouth. That road still under construction, was the source of heavy traffic. During rainy season, it was my worst experience. There was no alternative road and I had to report to work lest I lose my means of livelihood. The way the tanker drivers with their heavy loads swayed and drove past other vehicles, one would wonder if they had no life in them. They drove carelessly.
As result, there have been reported cases of road tankers/ heavy duty trucks exploding with fuel or their container falling on innocent passengers. Both scenarios have resulted to loss of many lives. It saddening to know that these are normal people who set out without any inkling of death, only to meet danger.
Chidinma Ajoku, a staff of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), was killed in an accident alongside her male colleague, Chima Nnaekpe when a truck loaded with a 20ft container fell on a commercial bus they were in. According to reports, they were returning from work and their bus had stopped briefly to discharge some passengers when tragedy struck. The truck fell on the commercial bus while discharging passengers at Ilasamaja bus-stop, leading to the untimely death of two on the spot, while three others sustained injuries.
In an emotional video, her mother, Mrs. Ajoku has decried the activities of container-laden trucks in Lagos state, calling on the authorities to check their operations and put in place necessary regulations to secure the lives of road users. She also called on the Lagos police to investigate the matter and arrest the suspects.
Life is precious. It is the duty of every government to ensure safety of their citizens. There should be strict rules governing the heavy duty trucks and tankers’ operations, if possible they should have their own road lanes. That way careless drivers are made to face the law and lives are protected from such accidents.