When sound engineer, Sunday David Imoh woke up on the morning of May 12, 2022, I doubt that he ever fathomed that he would breathe his last on that fateful Sunday, the exact same day as his first name. 

Would it have ever crossed his mind that an attempt to settle a dispute over a hundred naira with an okada rider and his friends, would lead to him being beaten and burnt to death like an animal? I doubt that very much. But, the truth is that next Sunday, or Monday, it could be you or me. Lagosians no longer feel a sense of safety with the presence of okada riders who have been notorious for numerous deaths from jungle justice, to reckless riding right from inception.

It’s time for us to stand together to rescue what’s left of this country as a whole and specifically what’s left of the nation’s commercial capital, before the country simply implodes. 

The ban of motorcycles in only 6 Local Government Areas (LGAs) as a consequence for the murder of the late Sunday Imoh, is an insult at best. The truth is that if an outright ban of okadas is not implemented in Lagos state, as a whole, it’s simply a call for okada riders in the affected LGAs to take their business to other LGAs and continue to wreak havoc in other locations. 

I also can’t help but wonder why this so-called okada ban was not implemented immediately and postponed till June 1, 2022 to come into effect. The perpetrators of Sunday Imoh’s murder carried out the dastardly act swiftly and didn’t give him any notice. 

Hence, it is unacceptable for room to be given for current okada riders to ‘put their house in order’, when Sunday Imoh was not afforded that luxury. His wife, Tolu was not given a chance to say goodbye to her husband before he was burnt to death like a sacrifice, neither was Sunday given a chance to ensure that his family would be taken care of before he took his last breath.

I therefore call on the Lagos state government, Babajide Sanwo-olu the Governor and  the Chief Responsibility Officer to:

- Implement an outright ban of the motorcycles/ okadas in Lagos state as a whole with immediate effect. 

During a press briefing, Governor Sanwo-Olu made it clear that alternative modes of transportation are already available in Lagos state, such as LASTMA buses and medium capacity buses to mention a few. Hence, the delay is unnecessary. 

Also, Governor Sanwo-Olu saying that the ban of okadas in these 6 LGAs is to serve as a warning to okada riders in other unaffected areas is simply unacceptable. Are you willing to sacrifice your son, daughter, husband, wife, sister, brother, or yourself, just so the ban can be implemented in your LGA? Don’t all okada riders share a similar mindset? 

Life is precious and shouldn’t be wasted. It’s for this additional reason that I am calling on Lagos state Governor and Chief Responsibility Officer of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo Olu to:

- Implement an outright ban of the motorcycles/ okadas in Lagos state as a whole.

 
Politics should not come before the lives and security of the people of this state. What is good for Eti-Osa is good for Alimosho.