A wind of change has blown through the commercial drivers union in Oyo State, bringing a once theatre of violence to an empire of peace and orderliness, writes BISI OLADELE
To Ibadan residents, the mention of Iwo Road interchange and Olomi areas of the city triggers natural fear. It also does to travelers that are used to the volatile areas and perhaps those who have fallen victim of violence by thugs suspected to be members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The two areas were notorious for lawlessness and violence and the scars will remain visible for years to come.
While Olomi hosts the headquarters of the state’s chapter of the commercial drivers’ union, Iwo Road interchange is the hub of commercial drivers’ activities. It is the gateway to many parts of the country.
Visitors to the Olomi headquarters, which is located near the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, were greeted with Indian hemp smokers, rowdy activities and other horrible-looking hoodlums who largely protected the union leaders from external attacks as well as attacks from factional members. They were also used to attack other factional leaders and their members to cow them into the “norm” within the circle.
It was the seat of power for any reigning NURTW Chairman and his lieutenants and the entire community trembled day and night at the roaring of the drivers’ warlords.
So was Iwo Road interchange. Internal fracas broke out regularly, leading to killing and maiming of members as well as innocent commuters, the height of which was the killing of several commuters on the night of Saturday June 4, 2011. Other motor parks including Gate, Molete, New Garage and Ojoo were also sometimes racked with violence by members of the union.
But all these have given way to a new life of peace and orderliness since Governor Abiola Ajimobi intervened by banning the activities of the union in the aftermath of the June 5, 2011 killing. He later insisted on a peaceful transition to a new regime.
The regime change produced Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde (aka Fele) as the new Chairman. Other members of the Executive are Comrade Akin James (State Secretary); Elder Lekan Aleshinloye (Assistant Secretary); Alhaji Kamorudeen Beyioku (Deputy Chairman); Alhaji Abideen Olajide (Vice Chairman); Alhaji Ademola Adeoye (State Treasurer); Elder Joseph Odeyemi (Assistant Treasurer); Alhaji Musa Adeleke (Financial Secretary); Alhaji Abass Adigun (State Auditor) and Alhaji Kasali Lawal (Assistant Auditor).
Construction of modern motor parks
As part of the new lease of life, the Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s administration constructed modern motor parks for commercial vehicles to enable them operate in a conducive atmosphere. The parks also moved them away from the road where they used to obstruct traffic unhindered. Such newly built parks are the Temidire Motor Park located at WEMA Bank area of New Ife Road and the new park along Podo Road.
With the parks, it became difficult for hoodlums to operate as there was no longer a hiding place for them. It also enabled government to collect taxes from commercial vehicle operators by appointing Park Managers who supervise smooth operation of the parks, while staff and officers of the NURTW also find it easier to operate as an officer is attached to a unit for collection of dues.
Banning of hoodlums functioning as Agbero
With a new regime operating with a strict instruction from the government to maintain peace and orderliness, hoodlums helping drivers to solicit passengers (popularly known as agbero) no longer have a role as drivers usher in passengers by themselves. With the parks and other approved loading points, passengers freely make their choice and walk straight to the units where they board the right vehicle.
Agberos were known to foment trouble in the past. They own no vehicle, drive no vehicle but earn income by fetching passengers for vehicles at approved and unapproved parks. They foist their services on drivers and take a good percentage of the fare. The multiple times they earn income in a day sometimes make them richer than an average driver.
Agberos were the available tools for trouble makers among union leaders and they are also useful tools for politicians wanting to unleash violence on their perceived enemies or opponents.
But their stars have since dropped in motor parks in the Oyo State of today.
Banning of alcohol sellers at motor parks
Commercial drivers and Agberos are known to drink alcohol at all times of the day. From 5:00 am when drivers resume for work at motor parks, alcohol traders are open for business. They drink intermittently “to keep themselves strong and alive” according to a driver. But it sometimes fuel violence and lawlessness, and sometimes fuel tendencies for accident for inter-state drivers.
But with the new regime of zero tolerance for violence, alcohol sellers have been sent packing. The sanity is strengthened by the removal of shanties housing those alcohol sellers and traders of other substances capable of fueling violence around the interchange.
The presence of members of the Oyo State Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES-O) at the parks helps maintain law and order. They ensure the drivers park and pick passengers only at approved locations while offenders are punished.
Today, only people who have business at the parks around the interchange are found there. They are drivers, NURTW staff, government agents and commuters.
Iwo road as the main hub of NURTW activities in Oyo State
The interchange is thick for various reasons. It connects the Lagos-Ibadan-Oyo-Ilorin expressway. It also connects Ibadan-Ile-Ife-Ondo-Akure expressway. The interchange also connects the main road to Iwo from where travelers link Osogbo and Ogbomoso just as it connects a major road into the inner parts of the city.
Aside being the gateway to many parts of the country, there are more than 35 NURTW units around the interchange under three branches (local governments).
While the units along Ife Road fall under Egbeda Local Government, those around Iwo Road and Ojoo axis are under Lagelu Local Government. Those units where travelers going to Lagos, Ikorodu and Ijebu-Ode axis board buses fall under Ibadan North East Local Government.
The multiple loading of passengers going to various parts of the Southwest and other parts of the country including the North as well as several private vehicles navigating through the interchange make it one huge flash point for NURTW activities.
It took over from the Gate motor park which reigned supreme until 1980s as the main hub of commercial drivers’ activities. The relocation of the defunct Dugbe market to the Bola Ige International Market located along New Ife Road, extension of the city towards Ile-Ife axis and construction of the Lagos -Ibadan expressway, among others, made Iwo Road to overtake Gate motor-park in terms of importance.
For this reason, state chairmen of the drivers’ union always establish their control on the interchange as the hub and the most plum location for revenue. It, therefore, plays host to hoodlums who are strategically placed to maintain the grip of the helmsman on all members of the union.
For instance, factional members of the union always show strength at Iwo Road as whoever is able to establish control of NURTW activities at the interchange is viewed as the reigning power bloc in the union.
This has led to several skirmishes at different times, particularly during the factionalization of the union between 2003 and 2011.
Gladiators of the crisis are Alhaji Lateef Akinsola (aka Tokyo), Alhaji Lateef Salako (aka Eleweomo), Mukaila Lamidi (aka Auxilliary) and Alhaji Tawa. Throughout the time of the crisis, Iwo Road interchange was the centre of muscle flexing.
Administrative structure
Largely seen, perhaps unfairly, as a union for touts and hoodlums, the NURTW has its own administrative structure for ease of administration. From the local unit to the branch, state, zone and national level, the union has elected/selected officers to run its affairs.
A unit is made up of vehicles plying the same route. This may be intra or inter-state. For instance, the interstate units at the Iwo Road Interchange include the Ibadan-Ilesa-ife; Ibadan-Osogbo-Ilorin; Ibadan-Akure-Ondo; Ibadan-Ikorodu; Ibadan-Oshodi; Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode; Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomoso-Ilorin; Ibadan-Iwo a units and Ibadan-Warri-Portharcourt units.
The units at the interchange are over 30 with a chairman each.
All units in a local government domain belong to the local government branch. Every branch is also headed by a chairman. But in some cases, a local government can have more than one branch, depending on the volume of activities.
A branch made up of interstate taxi, minibus, mini truck and heavy truck including quarry loaders tricycle and commercial motorcycles (Okada), consists of at least 12 units.
The Nation investigation showed that there are 110 branches across the 33 Local Government Areas of Oyo State.
Dues
To finance its operations the union usually relies on dues from its members. And due to its large membership and the tough way it enforces compliance with payment of dues(often daily) the NURTW is reputed to be one of the richest unions in Nigeria and this is often reflected in the ostentatious life style of its leaders.
Drivers pay two levies. Interstate vehicles pay N300 to the government through Park Managers while the NURTW takes N200 per day. Inter-state car drivers deliver N1,500 while inter-state buses deliver N2500 depending on the distance which determines the fare.
For intra-city buses, drivers pay N250 union due per day. It was learnt that the union takes the due and share appropriately.
The state headquarters, Olomi
Fondly called State Office, the one-story building located at Olomi area of Ibadan is the seat of power for union leaders. Painted in national colors (green and white), the once dreaded building is now a peaceful place. It is now accessible to anyone having business to do with the union. Even the once fearful neighbours now freely visit the building to fetch borehole water provided as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) by the union.
A resident around the building relived her experience in an interview with our reporter: “We lost a lot of tenants during the hot period as they ran away because of the violent activities of the NURTW members. They could not cope. We would have run away too if we were tenants. It was because we did not have anywhere to go and we could not abandon our property. That was the reason we stayed back. We just resigned to fate and prayed for survival. ”But they never attacked residents. But any resident who misbehaved by supporting factions would be warned and once they desisted, they never touched them.”The resident, who did not want her name in print, further explained that many of the hoodlums freely smoked marijuana around the place. They used to take traders stocks freely without paying.
Today, however, the story has changed. “We have more tenants now. We even go there to fetch water.” She said.
