By Gabriel Ameh
KADUNA — The Renewed Mind for Renewed Hope Initiative has intensified its road safety campaign in Kaduna State with a specialised training programme for commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as okada riders.
The initiative, organisers said, is designed to change the mindset of commercial motorcyclists and remind them that while they carry the lives of passengers, their own lives are equally valuable and must be protected.
The training, held in Kaduna, brought together commercial motorcyclists from different parts of the state. Participants were registered, provided with branded safety gear and trained on road safety rules, responsible riding and measures to reduce road traffic crashes.
Organisers described the exercise as a benchmark for community-driven road safety administration and said it forms part of a wider rollout that will see similar training sessions conducted in other locations across Kaduna State.
According to figures cited during the programme, motorcycle crashes account for as much as 54 per cent of road traffic accidents in Nigeria. Organisers, citing National Bureau of Statistics data for 2019, said 10,522 motorcycle accidents were recorded that year, resulting in 4,979 deaths and 5,543 injuries.
They attributed the high rate of motorcycle-related crashes partly to the growing dependence on motorcycles for commercial transportation, particularly in states such as Kaduna, as well as limited access to formal driving and road safety education among some riders.
A facilitator at the training stressed that the programme was not intended to be a one-off exercise but the beginning of a sustained change in the way riders approach safety.
“We regard this training not as a final goal, but as the beginning of a culture that will inform how riders conduct themselves going forward.”
A Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) official also participated in the training as a facilitator and encouraged the motorcyclists to obtain formal training and certification through licensed driving schools.
The official explained that motorcycle and tricycle licensing could be completed within a shorter period than conventional motor vehicle training, urging riders to take advantage of the opportunity.
“There’s a driving school you can enroll in. The licence course is just one week for a motor car, but for motorcycles and tricycles, it’s less. So try and enroll.”
The training also focused on changing riders’ attitudes towards their own safety and that of their passengers.
Another facilitator explained that the initiative was about more than simply warning riders against traffic violations.
“We are not just preaching to them. It is to renew their minds and let them know that [their safety] is very, very important.”
The facilitators urged participants to avoid unnecessary risks and make safety-conscious decisions, particularly when faced with situations where insisting on having the right of way could put their lives at risk.
“If being right will take away your life, what will you do? Carefully avoid it and move away,” one facilitator told the participants.
Organisers said the initiative is founded on the belief that road safety goes beyond enforcement and compliance with traffic regulations. They said discipline, responsibility and respect for human life must become part of the culture of road users.
“It is not only in leadership, but in the mindset of its people that the future of a nation is built,” a spokesperson said, stressing the need for safer attitudes among road users.
Participants also shared lessons from the training. One rider highlighted the importance of patience at traffic lights, saying facilitators advised riders to wait briefly after the light turns green before moving, as an additional precaution against possible collisions.
Another participant described the exercise as valuable, noting that commercial motorcyclists carry the responsibility of transporting other people and therefore need adequate knowledge to make safer decisions.
He expressed appreciation for the training, saying it would help riders better protect themselves, their passengers and other road users.
The Renewed Mind for Renewed Hope Initiative said the Kaduna exercise is only part of a broader campaign and that additional training sessions are expected across the state.
The organisers said the campaign will continue to encourage commercial motorcyclists to obtain formal driving instruction, observe road safety regulations and develop safer riding habits.
The initiative is inspired by the vision of Sheyin Tinubu and is built around the belief that when discipline, responsibility and safety become part of everyday behaviour, a renewed mindset can contribute to a safer society and turn hope into a reality.
