So, last week we woke up to news of a truck accident in Ojuelegba, yes, that same Ojuelegba fela and Wizkid put on the world map. When I heard the news, my first response and I am sure for many Lagosians was, ‘Ojuelegba again?’
A container from a truck falls off the bridge the first time, kills innocent tax paying citizens, we say “oh, it was an accident,” then we send our thoughts and prayers to the bereaved families and say may their gentle souls rest in peace. It happens again, “oh lord, these tankers!”
hashtag, get these tankers out of the road!
hashtag, put some regulations in place!
Then it happens again and again and we are all numb.
During my National Youth Service year, my Community Development Service (CDS) center was at Surulere, so anytime we had to pass beneath the Ojuelegba Bridge we ran across laughing, saying “please o, before tanker falls on my head.”
Funny right?
Nobody is laughing anymore
In the last two years, tankers/containers have fallen off this famous bridge four times.
Please count with me: 1, 2, 3, 4 times.
Hardworking tax paying citizens, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, sisters, brothers, aunts and uncles, precious human beings on their way home after a long day at work, will just die dreadful deaths because of our irresponsible government.
What are the names of those who died from the Ojuelegba accident? Did they just die for nothing? And most importantly what is Lagos state doing to stop another trailer or container from falling off Ojuelegba Bridge or any other bridge in Lagos state?
Paint under the bridges!!!
Have you seen how beautiful under our bridges are becoming? From Ojuelegba to Obalende, beautiful art, tourist attraction, amazing spaces.
While we are still recovering from the Ojuelegba incident, that dreadful fire accident happened yesterday at Otedola Bridge. What a painful way to die. How can we ensure this never happens again? Whose job is it to check the road worthiness of these trucks/tankers? Who is supposed to approve them fit to transport petroleum products? What regulations are we putting in place so that Nigerians never die from such incidents again?
This is not the will of God. God did not create us to die like chickens. Do not say it was their time to die, no. They died unnecessary, painful deaths. Our failed system killed them.
Are we going to sit with folded arms, send thoughts and prayers to the bereaved families then wait until it is our turn? What will it take to tip us over as a people so that we can make our government accountable to us?
Until then, pay your taxes. Lagos is moving forward.
Èkó ti bàjé oooooo!