Lagos State Staff Bus Accident: Evidence of a society bedeviled by Performative Uprightness

Aanu Oluyide

In writing this article one quote struck me from Ross Wilson, “Your level of integrity, ethical behaviour, and sense of fairness will contribute to your success or lack of it, over the long-term…”

There was a political discussion cum propaganda, many of which were unreasonable against the sitting Governor of Lagos State, about the impounding and auctioning of citizens’ vehicles due to several roads a week ago.

“Oh, they only passed the one way, but the government seized their vehicles.” Some cried.

“The driver was just a little impatient o, see how the government had taken away his source of income over a small offence.” Others bellowed.

The Lagos State Traffic Offenses list goes on and on, some offenses warrant fines of 20,000 naira, while some like taking “a one way” or driving on the road in an “unworthy manner” may warrant vehicle impoundment. Some of these violations usually come with first-offender warnings, with subsequent offenses meriting even greater penalties. These greater penalties usually in the form of high fines, which if left unpaid, can lead to having your vehicle being impounded.

The arguments online got heated at a point forcing the Governor (who is seeking to win his second term by all means) to order the vehicles’ immediate release. Just a day after, a Lagos State Staff Bus driver forced his way onto a Railtrack despite stern warnings from passengers and people on the road, causing some serious casualties. Note that “long-term” is the most important word in Ross Wilson’s quote that begins this article. It is crucial because as a people we do not think for the long-term, we are driven by impulse and the immediate gratification of that impulse. Apparently, this does not exclude even state bus drivers.

Should we in 2023, champion conversations that will lead to the relaxation of road laws (considering the kind of people that hold the wheels in Nigeria)? NO

Do we want a working society, like abroad? YES, of course.

Do we want to obey laws that can make the society we envy and envisage work? NO, NEVER!

Rules are made by human beings, and man is aware or should be aware of these rules and ethical responsibilities but the driving wheel of obedience is tied to consequences. The “understanding” that you are free to choose, you are even free to be reckless on the road, but you are not free from the consequences of your actions sets human beings straight. Human beings are the same everywhere, working societies work because there is a system in place for “consequences that have no respect for Financial or Social Status”.

The Lagos State Staff Bus VS Train Incident in Lagos Nigeria is another everyday example of lawlessness begotten from lack of consequences. I’ve been privileged to visit Accra, Ghana, and Cotonou, Republic of Benin, both places can be likened to Lagos, Nigeria but it was a shock to see that in most places in Accra, drivers wait for each other to go through roads and obey traffic lights without a traffic warden present. The drivers are mature even in traffic and I know it was not achieved in a day. There must have been consequences for offenders and it will not be cheap. By the time you make a mistake once, or twice, and you paid heavily for it, you won’t do it again.

In Cotonou, there is a separate road track for motorcycles. If a system like that was put in place in Nigeria, the majority would rather take routes meant for buses than use theirs. We are not only deviants because there are no laws, but we also have Value Problems. The Lagos State Staff Bus incident is not isolated, in Ibadan, we have traffic lights on several 3-way roads that are not obeyed. We are in a country where people know the right thing but would rather do the wrong.

Yet, before the gory incident, some young people were on social media advocating for a relaxation of road laws in Lagos State. We hold a camouflage of morality garnished by performative religion, heck we even pretend to have values, we are quick to judge but obedience to laws that can help with orderliness is a problem since we only want to obey laws that favour our high-handedness.

In all of these, who is to be blamed? Truly we do not even have leaders who lead by example, why should followers obey the rules you set but don’t follow? Government Officials in Nigeria are at the Zenith of highhandedness. Law enforcers drive cars without particulars, Government officials jump traffic, take one-way, and Road Officials speed beyond the limit. The laws are made for the masses alone, maybe. Where is the escape? How do we get our dream society when we regurgitate the same set of people from among us to set rules they also do not follow? That is a question we should all think about.

However, every time I ponder on scenes like the Lagos State Staff Bus incident, the picture of the masses suffering comes to mind. Road accidents seldom happen to these guys in government because even though they use our roads, they do it with tons of protocol and you know what I’m talking about. If we insist on relaxing laws meant to protect us on our roads, we will suffer the consequences the most.

Are we truly ethical in our behaviour?
Are we fair people?

In the end, we are who we are, we are Nigerians, and we can do better, but will we?

Think about it.