Despite their disabilities, they made themselves useful to the society, and did what was called well done jobs. The road was busy as motorists drove
hastily through Wempco Road to link an intersection connecting Omole and
Ogba Bus Stop. Pedestrians also walked briskly to avoid being hit by
any of the speeding drivers plying the bumpy road while a self-appointed
traffic warden stood behind a traffic box, directing motorists.
Though physically deformed, the way he
gave ‘stop’ and ‘move’ orders to motorists caught the attention of many
passers-by who watched him with admiration. Although his words were not
coherent, his hand signals were enough warning to any car owner not to
move until told otherwise. He could not even talk with OUR CORRESPONDENT as he was busy and also because of his state. It was gathered that the
unofficial traffic warden, who is popularly known as Taiwo in the area,
is a wonder to many people who have seen him control traffic. A recharge
cards seller in the area, who identified herself as Ogechi, said Taiwo
controls traffic well to the surprise of many of those who have
encountered him because of his plight
...
She also said he does not care whether a
motorist was speeding or not as he ensured that the driver complied
with his directive to maintain free flow of traffic. Ogechi said, “I have seen him many times
controlling traffic at the Sunday Market area. He does the work so well
that you will think he is being paid. I think people who appreciate him
sometimes give him money.” A motorist, who drove through the area
when our correspondent visited the place, was seen throwing some N20
notes on the ground for Taiwo. But Taiwo’s devotion to what he was
doing surprised those who witnessed the development. He did not
immediately pick the naira notes. It took him some minutes as he was
still controlling traffic when the Good Samaritan motorist threw out the
money for him. After noticing that the traffic was lighter, he bent
down to pick the notes one by one.
When our correspondent visited where
Taiwo lives in Ifako area in Ifako-Ijaye Local Government Area of Lagos
State, he was sleeping. After some minutes, a neighbour woke him up and
said one of the ways Taiwo could hear and respond to questions was for
one to make a loud noise of the intended questions into his ears. Despite doing that, Taiwo just glanced at our correspondent and continued sleeping. We observed a pile of clothing including a lemon-coloured reflective jacket worn to traffic control behind where he lay.
A man, who said Taiwo is his elder
brother and who refused to give his name, said Taiwo has been
controlling traffic in the state for over seven years.
He said he felt Taiwo chose to
control traffic rather than do any other work because he derives
satisfaction from what he does. After some time, the man beckoned on
Taiwo who was fully awake then to come but he refused his call. The man
later told our correspondent that he would no longer entertain any
questions. It was gathered that
besides the NOB-Oluwa Street near Sunday Market end of Ogba area where
Taiwo controls, he is now a popular face along Yaya Abatan Road linking
Ogba and Iju Water Works Road. A motorist, Bayo Akinlade, said the first time he saw Taiwo was along Yaya Abatan Junction on a Saturday evening.
“I was surprised with the way he was
controlling traffic the first day I saw him. He waved me to stop as I
made to drive in through Yaya Abatan Junction to Moyo Agoro. I obeyed
him. Considering his disability and the way he waved his hands that
day, I took a special interest in him. Each time I pass the road and see
him, I endeavour to give him money.
“I have seen other road users who also
appreciate him by giving him money. In my view, I think people like him
should be encouraged by the government in another way because it shows
they are useful,” he said.
The physical state of Taiwo is not
different from that of Ahmed Sanni who also lightens the burden of
traffic in one of the roads in Ojokoro council area. But while Taiwo is
believed to possess the capacity to respond to conversation when the
words are repeated many times, Sanni is deaf and dumb. Sanni’s way of controlling traffic is
also amazing. Our correspondent witnessed how he cautioned motorists who
wanted to flout a one-way traffic sign even as he ensured orderliness
to avoid head-on collision. One of the people who have watched him
carry out the activity many times in the area told our correspondent
that he does it with gusto.
The lady who declined to give her name
said Sanni controls traffic in a way that has endeared many motorists
who ply the route where he always stands to him. “He is a very wonderful
guy. He is doing his best in the area of traffic control. I was so
angry one day when a motorist called him an imbecile. I found that word
unfair on him because he is just doing his best to ensure that they
comply with road signs,” the lady said.
Sanni’s uncle, Mr. Yusuf Balogun, said
Sanni had been controlling traffic for some years. He said Sanni has
other siblings in Ibadan, Oyo State, but that he invited him to Lagos
after his father died in active service as a police officer. He added that before now, Sanni could
not put food in his mouth without throwing it away even after three
attempts. According to him, he is always happy to see him walk because
it was a difficult task for him many years ago. He stated, “His mother is my sister and I
was the one who took him from Ibadan to Lagos in order to cater for him
well. When he was young, he could hardly sit down. I remember that
someone told me to allow him to be sweeping so that he could be standing
little by little. I had wondered the effect such form of house chore
would have on him. Like magic, it helped him gradually because he now
stands and I am always happy anytime I see him walk around.’’
Balogun further said he is amazed at how
Sanni is often aware that a vehicle is coming behind him since he can
neither hear nor speak. He further said some officials of the
council, on the order of the chairman, Mr. Benjamin Olabinjo, came to
his house one day to say they wanted to assist Sanni in his traffic
control activity.
“I am the one who caters for him and I
thank God who is helping me in that regard. But I must say since people
appreciate what Sanni does in this council area, the chairman of the
local government has also taken interest in him by rendering support. He
approves that he should be paid monthly. I still do the little God
empowers me to do for Sanni,” he said. Balogun stated that he opened a salary
account for him because he was confident that Sanni would overcome his
disability. “I have faith in God about that,” he said.
WE gathered that Sanni is paid N10,000 monthly by the council as its way of supporting his upkeep.
Balogun also said he was of the view
that God was using Sanni to continue with some of the humanitarian
services his father was unable to finish as a policeman before his
d*ath.
He recalled that Sanni once had a nasty
experience with a driver who felt he had unnecessarily delayed him while
controlling traffic. It was gathered that the motorist
deceived Sanni into boarding his vehicle, took him away from the spot
and abandoned him in a location within Alimosho Local Government Area of
the state.
Balogun said it took three days before Sanni was found and brought home by a Good Samaritan.
“It was through an interpreter that we
learnt that a driver he stopped, who was trying to drive recklessly, was
the one who tricked him into boarding his vehicle. He later abandoned
him at a place in Alimosho before he was seen and brought home,” Balogun
said. Rabiu Sulaiman is another ‘traffic
warden’ who is physically challenged. He is from the northern part of
the country and controls traffic at Omole Junction, Ogba and Olowu
Street intersections, linking Obafemi Awolowo Way. Sulaiman said he lost one of his limbs
during a road accident and since begging was not an option for him, he
opted to controlling traffic to support his family of four. He said he had no particular spot but
controls traffic in different parts of Ikeja, especially in places where
there were no traffic wardens.
A car battery dealer on Olowu Street, Mr. Jude Okonkwo, said Sulaiman no longer control traffic at Olowu since last year. He said it was possible that the drafting of traffic policemen to man the intersection was responsible for his ‘disappearance.’ Okonkwo said, “He tried to ensure smooth
flow of traffic whenever he was around. People gave him tips too and
you could see on his face that he enjoyed the activity. He was a regular
face at the Olowu intersection. There is no way one would not notice
him standing on crutches and waving his hand in the appropriate
direction to motorists.’’ Our correspondent noticed that three
policemen are now stationed at the Olowu intersection to make sure that
traffic goes unhindered. The same applies at the Omole Junction where a
team of traffic policemen and men of the Lagos State Traffic Management
Authority control traffic. When contacted on what the state
government was doing to support these physically challenged persons,
Public Relations Officer, LASTMA, Mrs. Bola Ajao, said she would
investigative to know if there are such individuals who assist in
controlling traffic in the state and get back to our correspondent.
But her telephone was unreachable when tried to reach her before going to the press. Also, spokesperson for the state Police
Command, Ngozi Braide, did not reply to the text message sent to her
phone after she asked our correspondent about the matter.
Revealing the details of the scheme, he
said the traffic department was trying to ensure that some business
houses adopt the physically challenged and provide them with financial
assistance per month. Speaking on the trend, Executive
Secretary, Never Again Nigeria, Mr. Ahmed Jaji, urged Non-Governmental
Organisations to assist physically challenged persons who control
traffic across the country.
He said it was obvious that such persons are useful to the society and would do more if given the necessary support. Jaji said, ‘‘I remember when I was in
Kano with the defunct Century Merchant Bank. I used to see mentally
challenged persons controlling traffic in the city. They were not even
physically challenged. They gave orders to those who are supposedly
mentally stable.
“If a motorist abuses or disregards
their orders, I think there are questions to be asked about the mental
state of the person. You see some police traffic wardens chasing
motorcycle riders whereas these physically and mentally challenged
individuals ensure a flow of traffic.” God bless those mentioned on this article for their humanitarian works.
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