The Oyo state new traffic management device: One-way tyre spikes – Dr. Muiz Banire

In recent times, Oyo State government has been in the news, albeit in some of the instances for wrong reasons. While the government of the State has records of good performances in some areas, many instances in which it has been in public debates are not commending themselves to good governance. Thus, if it is not about controversial installations of Obas and Chiefs, it will be about religious issues such as establishment of Sharia panel, just to mention but two. However, this is not my destination in this discourse. Oyo State, with the capital in Ibadan, used to be the capital of the western region of Nigeria, thus attracting most of the firsts under the administration of the late Premier, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. For instance, it is said that the first television station came on board in the State first amongst all the West African countries and even France.

In view of its pedigree, Oyo State attracted, not only best of the professionals in the South West but in the entire country. The premier university with the University College Hospital was established also in Oyo State. With such background and the global advancement in the last seven decades, one would have thought that by now, it will be an eldorado for the State. Regrettably, however, the State is yet to live up to this bid. It is still largely a struggling State. Politically, it has always been tumultuous and the peak seemed to be the infamous reign of Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, who in modern status, can be likened to the ancient monolith, Basorun Gaa, who rode on the back of the lion of Oyo Empire without being consumed by it and in the process of which he installed and removed four successive Alaafins, not into banishment but to the guillotine. In fact, for a long time and until the sojourn of the late Ajimobi, most of the Governors who were political heads used to spend a term in office, thereby not being able to ensure some measure of continuity and stability in the governance of the State.

While I must acknowledge the fact that the late Ajimobi embarked on massive infrastructural renewal of the State, I am not too sure this has been consolidated upon by his successor, the present Governor of the State. Let me confess that I do not live in Oyo State, neither can I boast of sufficient knowledge of the happenings around most of the outskirts, but for the capital city, Ibadan, I do traverse that from time to time and totally unimpressed with the State. It may, however, well be that the efforts of the current administration are in the suburbs but that is not glaring to me. The above, though my observation,is certainly not an assessment of the administration in Oyo State. This is simply my preliminary thought towards the engagement herein. For Ibadan metropolitan city, my first observation, which is major and still obtainable till date, relates to the naming and numbering of streets in the city. We are yet to witness the structuring of the streets and proper numbering of properties.

This omission, no doubt, has multiplier effects on all other areas of services and governance in the State. No wonder Google often struggles to actualize your search for a location. I fervently believe this issue is too fundamental to be ignored by any administration. Street naming and numbering is a must and an urgent task in the State. Once this is achieved, effective urban renewal of the city can now commence in earnest. Now to the crux of our conversation as depicted in the title and the interconnectivity with the anecdote above. Just few weeks ago, I stumbled on a news item on the introduction of one-way tire spikes on the roads in Oyo State. To some observers and commentators, this is a great idea that is exciting to them, while to others, it appears not only shocking but crude. It is in the light of this that I am wading in as a public commentator, and as someone who had paddled the affairs of public transportation in one of the most populous States of the federation, Lagos, for almost eight years.

Upon reading the story, I miffed and was baffled that, in this day and age, how would a government embark on such installation on public roads. Most times that you see usage of spikes, they are planted on private roads. As expected, the rationale behind the introduction of spikes is the need for the sanitization of road usage which some indiscipline road users have turned into nightmare for others. As noticeable and conceded, road usage in the State has been largely characterized by large scale acts of indiscipline and chaos, particularly in terms of driving against the flow of traffic, notoriously referred to, in the street lingo, as ‘one -way driving’. This certainly often times leads to traffic gridlock on the roads, and in many cases, fatal accidents. Suspiciously disturbed by the spate of recklessness, the State government opted for the introduction of this traffic device as a deterrence. The functionality of the device lies in the ripping off of tires of vehicles driving against the flow of traffic by way of sanction.

With this in place, the assumption, if not the belief by the authority, is that the undisciplined motorists will be deterred from abusing the use of the roads. I am sure this initiative must have been birthed as a result of the helplessness of the State government in combating this menace against the lawless motorists. In as much as I agree that there is need to urgently tame this lawlessness, I doubt very much if this is the required antidote.

Interestingly on the platform where I read the news item, comments and reactions were being sought on the development. This, I believe, is crying after the milk is spilt. The devices were already installed on some roads prior to now seeking inputs of stakeholders, a classic case of putting the cart before the horse. This is simply unstatesmanlike. A leader is expected to have done extensive consultations with the relevant stakeholders before taking a position, or actioning a proposal, and not after. As the slang in Lagos portrays, ki laa gbe, ki laa ju? which indicates that the punishment or sanction is not commensurate with the offence. As the Yoruba would say, ori bibe ko ni oogun ori fifo. And this is correct, as no one cures headache by decapacitation.

The State government needs not go to this extreme on the highways to enforce the traffic laws. All that is required is the enactment of appropriate legislation with sanctions sufficient to deter the lawless motorists and the enforcement of the same. Once the sanction attached to the offence is sufficiently punitive and the enforcement officers are upright, the road users will comply. This is borne out of my experience in Lagos State. Beyond the legislation and enforcement, there must not be any exception or sacred cow in the enforcement of the traffic laws. Regardless of the status of the offender/violator, once culpable, the law must take its course. The State officials, starting with the Governors and other political leaders in the State, must set and live by the example through compliance with the laws. Once the precedent is set, I bet that compliance will gain traction.

Nigerians are easily pliable with respect to compliance with laws once the political will to enforce is demonstrated. I reckon, for example, that legislation with the name-and-shame provision, mental health diagnosis, two weeks’ rigorous safe driving lessons and a prohibitive monetary sanction will go a long way in enthroning the desired sanity on the roads. This must be coupled with extensive education, enlightenment and publicity to enable a sizeable number of the motorists take ownership. This device, introduced by the State Government, failed in the first instance to take cognizance of emergency services such as security, fire, health etc. that might require in extreme instances to drive against the flow of traffic. In any of the instances and some more, the affected vehicles are allowed to drive against the flow of traffic. This is universally acceptable standard and practice. Secondly, not only is the cost of procuring the equipment astronomical relative to the cost of other enforcement means including the use of traffic cameras, maintenance, in a clan such as ours, where, assuming without conceding it will be efficiently done, attracts equally huge costs. In my strong view, it is certainly, not in the long run, a sustainable approach.

The idea, as implemented, is certainly not a product of deep thinking but a cursory thought. It will appear to just be simply job for the boys. I, therefore, advise the exhumation of the devices while strengthening the laws and their enforcement. Leadership demands more than this pedestrian thought. The reversal of the policy must not be seen as that which is defeatist, but an act of leadership. Leadership must be able to own up where a policy or scheme is not functional. This is not strange. I recall when I, as Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos State, attempted to introduce Bus lanes on the Third Mainland Bridge but same became chaotic and unimpactful, I quickly rescinded the scheme and confessed to the public that it was not workable and we went back to the drawing board.

This, in my view, is how this must be seen. The government needs to be more proactive in deterring offenders and ensuring safety of lives and properties. It must be engaging as to be able to source quality ideas on how best to run the affairs of the people. It is not in doubt that the intention behind the introduction of road spikes on Oyo State roads is noble. It is the implementation that is faulty definitely and while the road to hell is paved with good intention, no one wants to be a candidate of infernal abyss. I implore the State government to revisit this and address the challenge that brought the idea in a more realistic and purposeful manner. It is a problem that can be tamed.