By
Coker Onita
Two clearly enlightened friends, a professor of medicine and a successful businessman, had engaged themselves in a heart to heart discussion on the goings-on in our society recently. One wanted to know how his friend would vote, come the 2023 general elections.
Tony had asked his friend which way to go in 2023.
David answered: “In 2015, l voted for General Muhammadu Buhari; and in 2019, l did not vote. In 2023, l have not made up my mind who to vote for amongst the top contenders. But take notice that next year’s voting will be different because with all assurances from INEC, I will vote again!
“I hear that in Lagos, all market women and men, motor parks and garages are now compelled to attend Asiwaju Tinubu’s presidential solidarity marches. The first one was organised by Mr. Musiliu Akinsanya a.k.a. MC Oluomo and his cohorts. The youths from all walks of life, were commandeered and coerced to attend.
“The friends of Mr. Seyi Tinubu, Jagaban’s son, are not left out of the solidarity marches, some, they claim, are in the neighbourhood of 5 million. The bogus number is a subject for another day. God help you, if you violate the order to join the marches.
“Hell, it was reported, was let loose on those who violated the order and did not attend few weeks ago. Some had their shops in the market sealed up and only gained access after payment of a N5,000 fine; ditto for commercial vehicles and Keke Marwa tricycle riders. Many were said to have been chased away from their parking points and garages.”
As the discussion progressed, the first son of David, an undergraduate from one of the universities, sauntered into the living room to announce his decision to be “Obedient” in 2023.
“The two big parties have disappointed us, we the youth, have opted for the third alternative,” he said with relish.
After exhaustive discussions, it was not too long that they came to the agreement that all was not well with our transport sector in Lagos.
MC Oluomo, the Managing Director and undisputed king of Lagos motor parks and garages, now moves about with all the appurtenances of an undisputed conqueror, with about 15 vehicles in his convoy. God help you if you cross his path as opposition.
It will not be too long before wives of professors and top businessmen are taken over by motor touts(Agberos) and garage boys because of the enormous raw power they wield. In today’s Lagos, they hold the ace because of billions of naira they extort illegally. In addition, they are licensed to kill!
For MC Oluomo, with a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) and a Professor reporting to him who is the Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Parks and Garages Management Committee, nothing seems impossible. Lagos has become a jungle where life has become more “nasty, brutish and short.”
Commercial drivers pay between N7,000 and N10,000 or more to Agberos for say plying lkorodu to Lagos Island. For a journey from Badagry to Lagos, you pay over N15,000 per trip –DAILY!
The hardship imposed on commercial drivers and commuters by the parks and garages management committee has gone beyond human comprehension. The extortion at various bus stops in Lagos is heartbreaking.
The drivers recently went on strike to express their frustration and anger. Government negotiated their return. Guess what. The extortion continued. Nothing changed.
Commercial bus drivers lament that they could hardly make enough to sustain themselves because of exorbitant fees paid at different tolling points manned by MC Oluomo’s attack dogs. Drivers now pay at not only parks and garages, but they are forcefully extorted at every bus stop in Lagos. What an irony for a 21st century megacity!
Hoodlums and Agberos rule Lagos. All decency has been thrown to the dogs!
Last week, the Iyaloja of Lagos, Tinubu’s first daughter, took her turn at the theatre of the absurd. She mobilised market women for her own solidarity march –all for Dad.
Nothing spoil, as the usual street saying, but what was wrong was the level of wickedness and impunity usually exhibited by these non-state actors.
Nigeria needs a breath of fresh air. So also does Lagos.
By the way, it was JANDOR, PDP’s Governorship Candidate for Lagos State who doused the tension and hardship created by the commercial drivers when they decided to embark on strike.
The two jolly friends and their son thought it best to hand over the baton to Waziri Atiku Abubakar at the national level and to Dr. Olajide Adediran (JANDOR) as Lagos State Governor.
As Nigerians, we should collectively embrace decency and real change in our governance process. Only then will peace, equity and justice reign supreme.
FORMER EDITOR OF PRIME PEOPLE AND PUBLISHER/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF TODAY’S CHOICE MAGAZINE (TC), COKER ONITA IS DIRECTOR, INFORMATION AND STRATEGY OF THE ATIKU PEOPLE UNITED (APU).