Baba Voss

An Open Letter to Governor Seyi Makinde: Soka Bus Stop - The Death Trap That Keeps Taking Lives Dear Governor @seyimakinde, A couple of years back, while I was a sophomore at the University of Ibadan, the UI community and its environs would occasionally be thrown into mourning. Another life needlessly lost. At times, it was a 300-level student knocked down by a vehicle in front of the university. At other times, it was a petty trader returning home after a long day of selling her wares. No one knew who would be next. This went on for some time until the then UI Students’ Union, headed by Mascot and backed by the entire UI community, wrote an open letter to you requesting that you find a solution to the avoidable deaths caused by frequent accidents on the UI road. As I read his letter, I found myself wondering, with scepticism, whether a sitting Governor would heed the plea of a Students’ Union President to fix the road and bring the accidents to an end. My doubt was not unfounded, as many Nigerian politicians have a history of ignoring the concerns of the citizens they govern. However, a few weeks later, you showed that you were different. You directed that speed bumps be installed to address the problem, and soon after, traffic lights were added to regulate the movement of vehicles and pedestrians. These measures have significantly reduced the incidence of accidents. The entire UI community heaved a sigh of relief, and I personally said a prayer for you. Ever since, I have seen you as a leader who listens and this is why I thought to bring your attention to the frequent accidents happening at Soka Bus Stop, because I believe that you will listen. The accidents that occurred on the University of Ibadan Road pale in comparison to the ones happening at Soka Bus Stop. Hardly does a month go by without news of a fatal accident. The bus stop is now the poster child for accidents in Oluyole Local Government, so much so that the landmark billboard at the bus stop is that of a mortuary. The trepidation is palpable. Micra drivers fear picking up or dropping off passengers at the bus stop. Commuters pray that they do not fall victim to the imminent accidents. But despite the prayers and constant fear, the spate of accidents has not abated. Recently, some students of a private university where I currently serve as a corps member, lost their lives when a trailer crushed the Micra cab they boarded. The victims were so crushed that some parts of their bodies had to be cut off with machetes just to separate them from the wreckage. I fought back tears while listening to the gory details of their unnecessary deaths. They had promising futures ahead of them and did not deserve to die. Their parents, peers, and the university community mourned their avoidable deaths. They still do. That was just a single example of the countless accidents that have happened at Soka. But what exactly is the cause of these constant accidents? The answer is quite simple, and I will explain. Soka Bus Stop serves as a major access point into the Soka community, which requires vehicles to decelerate in order to turn into and exit the community. Also, cab drivers and Okada riders have to pick up and drop off passengers. As a result, there is a high concentration of both vehicular and pedestrian activity at this bus stop. Unfortunately, the expressway approaching Soka from Nasfat and Sanyo Bus Stops is downhill. This creates a dangerous situation, as heavy-duty vehicles or trailers that experience brake failure are unable to stop and continue descending the slope at high speed, eventually crashing into the vehicles and pedestrians gathered at the bus stop. Now, what's the potential solution? During my teenage years in the Sango Ota area of Ogun State, I saw how a similar problem was addressed. Lots of accidents happened at the Sango bus stop, and took many lives… (continued in the comment section)