LAGOS BRT BUSES AND THE FUTURE OF 'AGBERO'

Recently, I used the air conditioned blue BRT bus from Ajah to CMS, and paid with Lagos Travel Card - Cowry. I must say Lagos felt like London - except that the bus stop at Ajah is still dirty and rowdy.

The bus queues were quite orderly, passengers were automatically checked in using their card and the ride was quiet and comfortable. I said it will be a better Lagos if the blue BRT buses completely phased out the small yellow ' Agbero' bus (more Lagosians will be happy to use public transport) - but what will happen to the 'Agbero' and their Lords?

I thought about the over 80 BRT buses that were burnt during ENDSARS protest and saw how they may have been deliberate target of 'Agberos' who saw the buses as a threat to their own business. I mean, if those burnt BRT buses were in use it will be serious competition for the small yellow ' Agbero' buses that are already struggling for passengers in some parts of Lagos.

For example, when I was returning from CMS, two blue BRT buses that seat almost 70 people were filled while a conductor of a small yellow bus that takes only 13 people continued to scream for passengers. It was obvious that Lagosians prefer the air-conditioned BRT buses to the 'Agbero' bus. They were willing to wait in queues and may pay extra for the blue bus.

So, if these yellows buses have no market and lose passengers to BRT buses, where will the Agbero go with their yellow buses? What business will they do?

It is expected that Lagos State Government begins to think about 'Agbero' and bus conductors and drivers. How will this group be carried along in the state's vision for a more efficient transport system? What opportunities, what platform will they join to retrain and retool, so that they can be part of the progress - instead of enemies? Because it is no wonder that new BRT bus terminal was a target for hoodlums during ENDSARS protest? These are people who probably saw the use of these buses as enemies to their own trade and chose to burn them...

I especially like the idea of using card payment for BRT buses, it is a welcomed innovation.When the new BRT buses are fully integrated in Lagos transport system, I believe it will ease a lot of challenges - especially noise pollution, traffic gridlocks and violation of traffic laws, insecurity, as well as banditry, and hooliganism at Lagos bus-stops.

However, Lagos Government must work to engage owners of small yellow buses and 'Agbero' in their plans to phase out the use of yellow buses - or remove them from business as it presently seems. People who are not part of progress- will be enemies of it.

Agbero or Area Boy - is a culture of unruly miscreants and/ or political thugs in Lagos, who work for community leaders or politicians to collect levies or extort commercial bus drivers, usually in motor parks. Sometimes, they work as bus conductors and motor-park security.