It’s been a while now. Since February 1st 2020, major towns in Lagos State have been rid of Keke and Okada, even our popular (some may say life-saving) Gokada and O.Ride bikes were not left out. Cry if you must, we feel your hustle.
Who was affected? The thousands of Keke and bike riders who have lost their jobs and the thousands of commuters who use the Keke and bikes as a means of transportation.
Even though the State has placed the ban for safety reasons and declustering, there have been mixed feelings since it took off. What events occurred as a result of this ban? Let’s go over them and see how people have been coping.
1. Oh! Keke was banned?
Life is sweet for these folks. Nothing bugs or shakes them. In fact, their Lagos is different from everyone else. They either drive themselves around town in areas where there weren’t much Kekes or Okadas, to begin with, or get chauffeured by somebody else.
2. Good riddance
If you are a car owner in Lagos, you will probably reason with this group. Imagine trying to get out of a street and being blocked by headstrong Keke drivers or getting your car scratched by a drunk Okada rider who says he has no money to pay for the damages but to prostrate and beg. If you’re unlucky, they’d likely insult you and just take off. Some Bus owners are in support too as they complain that Keke and Bikes don’t obey traffic rules.
3. We no go gree
AUTOJOSH
Angry commuters, Okada and Keke riders staged a peaceful protest at the 2020 Lagos City Marathon. Some of their placards bore the inscription ‘Fix bad roads…less traffic’ and ‘metropolitan…not treko-politan’.
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4. See money!
Anaedo online
Who doesn’t like money? Bus drivers at the early stages of the ban saw an opportunity to shine and they took it. After all, the higher the demand the higher the price. So that a usual N50 fare from Maryland to Ikeja became N200. Don’t enter na, just be ready to trek the ancient Israelite journey.
5. No shaking, we carry go!
Those who adapted… Some of the Hausa brothers who came to Lagos for the sole purpose of riding bikes went back to their states. While others reclined back into remote areas like streets and small cities where the hand of the law has not been extended and continued their business or moved on to the next best thing.
6. Buses it is
NaijaLoaded
No time to waste. Some lucrative ones quickly made down payments for Sienna, Micra or Buses in order not to be affected financially by the ban. While passengers resigned themselves to the options presented. Wait for a bus, sit in traffic or trek.
7. Let the rushing begin
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Would you say things have died down in your route? Or are we still releasing Rush Hour part 10? When the ban kicked off, the bus stops were crowded with not enough buses to carry everyone. People pushed and shoved and only the swiftest got a seat. If you could not join the mad crowd you had the option of joining the Israelite journey. The roads were manned with people trekking to work.
Such are the stories of the No Keke No Bike escapades in Lagos City.
How have you been coping with the ban? Have you avoided it entirely by owning or getting a free ride or joining the rushing crowd?
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