We get it, a ban on bikes seems like the logical thing to do.
Okada riders drive like they’re late to their death appointments and want you along to have a front-row seat.
They’re constantly dragging the roads with cars and they can never pay up when inevitably they scratch up or dent your cars. Do they deserve to ply the roads?
But whether or not they deserve to is secondary. We live in a state that is crack deep in traffic and in sore need of alternative means of transportation. So where bike riders can be annoying, they also double as a saving grace in a number of locomotive situations.
But if you think that would stop the government from banning them on major highways like Apapa Oshodi Expressway, Eti-Osa Lekki Epe Expressway. Bridges like Mushin/Isolo Link Bridge, Mushin Oshodi Local Government, Ojuelegba Bridge, Surulere/Lagos Mainland Local Government and roads like Dopemu Road, Old Abeokuta Road to name very few — you have another thing coming.
These road, bridges and highways are necessary to eke out a decent bike man’s living and now, the Lagos State government has failed to list out alternative means of employment.
Because of this, it is almost safe to assume the government is looking at things through entirely different lenses from what we’re used to. We present to you, how the Lagos State government probably thinks Lagosians will react to the ban:
Okada riders: “Gee, Okadas have been banned? Das too bad. ”
Good thing I have 7 other jobs and also double as a multi-billionaire. I might have had to literally rob niggas otherwise.
Regular citizens: “oh wow, stuck in traffic and I’m late for my meeting.”
No problem. I’ll just powerwalk from Gbagada to Lekki Phase 1. I didn’t choose this fitfam life, it chose me.
Regular citizens: “this traffic might actually make me miss my flight!
Oh well, since I can’t bike it, I’ll just miss my flight and pay extra for the next one, since I’m rich. We’re all rich. And we don’t need bikes at all in Lagos State.
Sanwo-olu : “all I need to do is point.”
And just like that, all the repercussions of putting bike riders and family men out of jobs, poofs and disappears. Majik!
Lagos State itself: “wow, everything that was wrong with me — power, traffic, flooding, water supply, collapsing buildings is now, magically solved.”
And all it took was banning bikes. Thanks Guv.
Clearly, somebody didn’t think things through. We would like the government to show proper working for alternative plans on how the now financially constrained bike men of Lagos State will be taken care of.
