Our Okada on tethers

THE Federal Government, on Thursday, announced that it is mulling the idea of placing a ban on motorcycling across Nigeria. This is aimed at breaking the logistics’ backbone of terrorists reigning unfettered in northernmost parts of the country. The government also said it was looking at placing a ban on mining. This, according to the government, is as a result of the need to frontally attack the source of funding enjoyed by the terrorists. We, as ordinary, day-to-day people of Nigeria do not know what those in power know’ therefore we should not wonder why it is being considered to ban people from doing legitimate things like riding motorcycles in the country. In our small corners, we should, however, wonder why criminals, who are reported to usually invade and raid communities in long motorcycle convoys, ride us roughshod and roam freely in vast parts of the country.

The government’s announcement that it is mulling of a ban on mining is awkward. This is because mining as it is known in many parts of the country, especially in the North as exemplified by Zamfara State, is illegal. If the government approves suggestion to place embargo on mining, legitimate miners, who are paying the requisite taxes and royalties, would be thrown into the same loop as those illegal operators who have nearly brought Zamfara to its knees. In 2010, more than 500 children reportedly died from lead poisoning in Zamfara State. It was as a result of illegal mining activities. The Federal Government banned mining in the state following reports that mining was fuelling violent conflicts which allegedly claimed estimated 3,000 lives.

By now, it shouldn’t be new to our Federal Government that mining was and is still a bane in Zamfara State and some other states of the country. In March 2021, it was widely reported in the media that the Federal Government also declared a no-flight zone in the state. The National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 said “the president has approved, based on our recommendations, the imposition and enforcement of a ban on all mining activities in Zamfara with immediate effect until further notice. He also approved that Zamfara State should be declared a ‘no-fly zone with immediate effect.” We should also recall that  before the 2021 announcement, the government had, in April 2019, announced the deployment of soldiers to enforce an earlier ban on mining activities in that same state. The Nigerian Tribune reported in 2021 that despite all these measures there were also increasing fatalities in the state. If these had yielded results, there wouldn’t be new reports of the government freshly considering what it has presented as new ideas. These are measures that had already been put in place and which haven’t been reviewed.

Illegal mining in Nigeria has always stuck out like a sore thumb, and we knew it. That activity is like a sick child in the hands of the Nigerian government as it has always been. It has remained active despite all the steps the government has taken to curtail it. The terrorists, again, has caused the Federal Government to take yet another look into the possible ban of mining – illegal or not. If the reports that claim that about 80 per cent of mining activities in Nigeria are “illegal and artisanal” are anything to go by, then it is safe to conclude that the government is again considering a ban on illegal mining. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who announced the thoughts of the government after a National Security Council meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari, specifically said the council deliberated on how to restrict the terrorists and cut their source of funding. “The government is looking at what measures to take in terms of addressing, bridging and blocking associated sources of funding, including payment of ransom and indeed, the mining activities.”

These things are giving our president sleepless nights. So, the new ideas and proposed steps to curb the numerous criminal activities attributed to, and associated with commercial motorcyclists in parts of the country, especially the north where bandits excel with utmost ease, are welcome. However, the proposed Okada or Achaba ban would be the only new thing in these. And it will not be new to many states in the South East and South South because commercial motorcycles had been prohibited years ago in those places. The new gamut of measures is not new actually. It actually appears to be a means to curtail the simmering disturbance of the wild bandits and killer herdsmen, and it seems to be taking eternity. Should we be happy that something is being done, or are we in a merry-go-round?

Mining and Okada are now the new items on the list of things our president is worried about. Last week, this column discussed the ‘order’ given to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) members to return to work by President Buhari. He appealed to the striking university teachers to consider the future of the suffering students and their helpless parents and return to the classroom. He said “enough is enough.” He followed it up by telling the Minister of Education to ensure the issues are resolved in two weeks, thereby sidestepping the Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, who had been the government point man interfacing with ASUU in the five-month-old trade dispute. This shows that our president’s worries about us have become multi-faceted and diverse: Terrorism and ASUU. Infrastructure, economy, incorporating dishevelling inflation; energy, petroleum and such matters have been taken care of. After all, we now have NNPCL.

While university education is waiting for the timeline the president gave his minister, Okada and other motorcycle riders should brace up for a new life if the proposals by the National Security Council are approved. Interestingly, commercial motorcycle business started like a joke in many parts of Nigeria. When I worked in Rivers State as a Correspondent, it was not common in Ibadan. There were Vespa scooters under the bridge in Molete Ibadan operated by a few riders from the South South/South East parts of the country. Something must have led to the creation of that line of business. People used what they have to source for extra income so as to make a decent living. Our motorcycles are BMWs or Harley Davidson or other super bikes… most are just sources of extra income for the survival of households.

There might be the need to regulate motorcycles and ban in selected areas and regions or towns/cities. Outright nationwide ban of motorcycles will rather increase crime. What led to the upsurge in the motorcycle trade in Nigeria must be unearthed and addressed. Many commercial motorcyclists are artisans whose businesses have taken a nosedive due to lack of electricity power and sundry economic factors. Rene Descartes advises that “it is not enough to have a good mind. One must use it well.” I think there are reasons to look again and think again, going forward.