*The day Oshiomhole turned taxi driver
Wednesday, May 14, 2014 was an interesting day. It was the day Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, revealed his side as a former blue-collar worker, a former labour leader, a man of the people.
The day started like any other. The governor had his schedule of engagements for the day, but one stood out. The commissioning of 300 cabs, called Comrade Cabs, for ex-Okada riders! The engagement was unique because it was in fulfilment of the Comrade Governor’s promise to the former Okada riders whose operations were banned in Benin-City, the state capital.
Oshiomhole, who calls the former Okada riders “my comrades” because of the massive support they gave him in 2008 after his mandate was stolen, leading to the recovery of same and the subsequent support he enjoyed from them had promised “his comrades” that even when other states ban Okada use, he, as one of them, as a former labour leader, a former blue-collar worker, will never ban their operations in the state. However, the equation changed.
Following a meeting with security chiefs in the state, and with the massive evidence of the infiltration of the ranks of the Okada riders by criminal elements including armed robbers, kidnappers, ritualists and foreign elements from some neighbouring countries whose intention in Benin-City was unknown, it became imperative that a ban be placed on the operations of Okada riders in Edo, starting with the state capital.
As bitter as the pill was to the Okada riders, they took the ban with pride, knowing that it was a pill administered by “one of their own” who definitely had their interest at heart. They were not disappointed as the governor rolled out a number of palliatives to cushion the effect of the ban on them, among which was the procuring of taxis as alternate means of transportation.
Months after, the Edo governor has proved that he is definitely a man of the people, someone who can be trusted as he unveiled 300 brand new, air-conditioned cabs for the former Okada riders. The ex-Okada riders, who attended the commissioning and handing over of the cabs in their large numbers, were elated at their fortune and sudden elevation to the status of “car owners”.
Some of them who could not contain their joy wept openly while others told reporters to stop calling them Okada riders, but cab drivers.
The drama of the day was when Oshiomhole jettisoned his staff car for one of the cabs which he drove round many streets in Benin-City, picking passengers and dropping them at their destinations. He picked some students of Imaguero College who had closed for the day and were on their way home and dropped them at Mission Road.
‘Tough decision’
Thereafter, the governor picked two new passengers from Mission Road to New Benin and charged them N30 fare, saying the N30 fare was because it was a short route which shouldn’t attract much fare. He however did not collect the fare from the passengers.
From New Benin Market, he picked fresh passengers to the Mission Road and charged the same N30 fare before he drove down to the NNPC Mega Station on Sapele Road to fill the tank of his cab. He paid N3,298:00 to fill the tank.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the exercise, Oshiomhole said: “I found myself taking a tough decision after repeatedly assuring Okada riders that Okada will not be banned in this state and when I said that, I meant it. Indeed, after my second tenure election, I renewed that assurance and I know people were really shocked that after reassuring them repeatedly, you woke up one day to hear that the same comrade had decided to prohibit Okada and to give a very short notice that was less than one week. That was a tough moment for me.
The decision to ban Okada was the most difficult decision I have ever had to take since I became the governor of the state. It was a choice between what was politically convenient and what was in the best interest of the Edo public.
Government gave 15% subsidy on the price of each vehicle and the subsidy is a grant that Edo State Government is giving to each of the beneficiary. We are not expecting them to pay back to the government of Edo State”.
‘The governor is my driver’
The joy of some of the governor’s passengers knew no bounds. In spite of the fact that the cab is air-conditioned, they chose to wind down their glass and wave to everyone around to let them know that “the governor is my driver”.
One of the passengers, Mr. Nosakhare Enofe, told reporters “I’m so elated. The governor is driving me. I won’t forget this day. He said the fare is N30 from Mission Road to New Benin Market, I will pay. In fact, if it is N200, I will pay. This is executive taxi. Please snap me o. I want to show the whole world that the governor is my driver!”
Even being a two-time governor, Oshiomhole has shown that he is still a man of the people with his people-oriented programmes. Just a few days after launching the Comrade Cabs, he announced to students at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium where they converged for the Children’s Day Celebration on May 27 that his government students in the state, in either public or private schools, will not pay bus fares to and from school when in their uniform.
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by:
SIMON EBEGBULEM
and
Okukuwe Ibiam <o.ibiam@gmail.com>
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