DEJI YESUFU : The Road Safety Guy at Agodi Secretariat

ROAD SAFETY ARTICLE JONAS AGWU

He cannot be more than 35 years old but he apparently heads the Road Safety Unit at State Secretariat, Agodi, and Ibadan. I needed to renew my driver’s licence. I showed them my form which I filled online. This guy explains to me that since I use glasses to drive, I will need to get a doctor’s report ascertaining that I can drive with or without glasses. I saw my eye doctor, Dr Oluleye Tunji Jeff at UCH. The first thing my doctor said when he saw the request was: “Nigeria is getting better”. Eye doctors have been asking FRSC to pay attention to drivers’ eyes for decades now in Nigeria. They are now putting the advice to practice.

I underwent the eye tests with my doctor and I was certified fit to drive. I then returned to Agodi for my licence. Now I am on the way to renewing my driver’s license in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Moral of the story: I have often argued in this space that what will fix Nigeria is not Government. What will fix this country is our individual contribution to nation’s building. Take the example of this guy. Before he assumed the position in that office, FRSC Agodi used to be a beehive of activities. People loitering around, etc.

Now, there is a waiting room for people who may need to have their data captured. Then you have this guy or one of his assistants asking anyone hanging around “what is the problem… what do you wish we do for you…”, minimizing loitering and ensuring swift attendance to everyone’s business. Without preference or anyone taking a bribe. I genuinely commend the man heading the Road Safety Unit at Agodi Secretariat branch. I don’t know his name but I pray for more of his tribe to increase in this country. Postscript: Found his name on the badge on his chest when I went to collect my “temporary”. He is O. A. Adedokun and his men. I published his name without his permission but I think I have such a liberty to since this is a positive reportage.

Since this publication which I stumbled on the Federal Road Safety Corps social media platform, I have been elated at the positives for the Corps. Meanwhile there are varying reactions and I have also chosen while honoring him to run these commentaries by interested members of the public. Please enjoy the comments which are run unedited; Lovely story. And it inadvertently asserts that good people in government will go a long way to change our country. The FRSC Boss here is “government” We need more of him in other MDAs.May we have a positive change of attitude to be able to change Nigeria positively. Tunde Tudor was however different .Hear him speak his mind: I beg to differ. We already have a mess and it was created by the leaders. What will fix this nation, are the leaders not the followers. The FRSC man, chose to be different. How many of him will you see if you gather 100s of his type? How many correct policemen will you find if you gather 100s of them? If we are waiting for all of us to be correct, it won’t happen till Jesus come. But if there’s a single leader, who gave laws and followed up with the laws, and actually enforce them, 100percent of the policemen will change within the shortest possible time.100percent of the Nigerian institutions will work within the shortest possible time. I salute the FRSC man.

Just like football supporters with varying view points ,please hear this reaction to -Tunde Tudor; Mess, created by our leader! Yes we agree. But if we will individually make efforts to do that which is right, it’s the beginning of progress which will in time lead to change. Take it or leave it, we must start from somewhere!Nice post, let not focus on leaders that are not doing well but we the followers contribute our positive quota to the development of the country.Yes I testify, the man is overly nice and really good!. Since I met him during the process, he made the process seamless. Oluyomi Femi observed that ,I suspected that a lot more people have met him.Same kind of experience I had with the port health service at Abuja Airport. One Dr Izu and a guy named Joseph. Their professionalism have given me a lot of hope for Nigeria

Chibuzor Sleekcheese Leopardi L’Infinito summed up his views this way:Hope he keeps it up, because the Nigerian syndrome has a way of creeping up as he climbs the ladder. Very commendable while another said;You are right Deji Yesufu, individual efforts is key in any society. Thanks for sharing your experience. I am an albino .do u think I can pass the test

There was yet another view from Adeosun Kemi who said, I was told that there are different licences granted drivers. See an eye doctor. Let them give you a written report of the state of your eyes (on a hospital letter head) and FRSC will give you the permit suited for you while Adedapo Sunday Adeniyi said Kudos Sir, Good name is better than Gold. Keep it up Sir. Greater heights in Jesus name as well as Bolaji Alabi-Makanjuola who said-Well done officer Adedokun, God bless you. To Amuzie Nwachukwu ,both the leaders and the general public must be involved for any meaningful change to take place. But it must start with the leaders. If for example, you are a seating governor of a state and walk into that FRSC office to renew your drivers license and encounter the same discussion and obeyed as you did, there is no way that FRSC man will do a different thing for any member of the public who came to renew his own. When the leaders are leading by example, it will be easy for the ordinary man on the street to follow. You will lead me to follow you, not the opposite. In my opinion 70% of Nigerian problem is with leadership. Olufisayo Awe; My own story is this I never belief the renewal of my driver’s license can be that smooth and easy. Everything was done to time and in an organised manner. Gone are the days when you will have to come to register your name by 5am when you get there you… Ojelade Olalekan Matthew JP-Sir is bcos u av a good heart & stand to be corrected too.

Dis is wat some other people will see as stress nd tag d road safety man with different names “d man is wicked, he is devil praying not to last in dat office etc” and instead of going to the doctor he will rather be loitering and be looking for whom to bribe. Deji Bobade yes sir. Dr. Oluleye said there’s a vision type which he will never recommend to drive. I did three tests for him to write the cover letter for me. One of the tests, I was to spot little bright lights that appear randomly inside a machine.In conclusion, Meeme Timothy noted that Job satisfaction is another thing , stressing that he is satisfied with what he has thus adding value to it and bringing out results.