…Says ‘I was blackmailed, physically attacked, impersonated’

By Dapo Akinrefon

MR Adekoya Hassan is the Head of Operations, Lagos State Special Traffic Management Committee and Enforcement Team on the Apapa gridlock. Hassan was also the former Task Force Chairman for the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO.

In this interview, he narrates how he and his team were able to clear the gridlock on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway that had persisted for over 10 years without any hope in sight. He reveals the many challenges he faced before the chaotic gridlock could be cleared. Excerpts:

How were you and your team able to clear the chaotic gridlock on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway that had become a menace?
As NARTO Chairman, NARTO played a vital role in the Apapa gridlock situation (along with the then Executive Secretary, Aloga Ogbogo) before it became an interest of the Lagos State Government. At the federal level, Senator Oluremi Tinubu moved a motion to find a lasting solution to the Apapa Gridlock situation).

I also visited TVC, Channels TV, and Arise TV amongst others discussing how to end the Apapa gridlock situation, in collaboration with the Dean of Transport at the Lagos State University, LASU.

All these led to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu requesting my input and wealth of experience to end the situation.
It helped in fulfilling the governor’s campaign promises to create a conducive environment and ensure the ease of doing business within and around the Apapa Metropolis.

I resigned from NARTO to become Head of Operations, Lagos State Special Traffic Management Committee and Enforcement Team on Apapa gridlock.

I was happy to work for the betterment of lives and business especially in the Apapa area.

However, I now had to work with the team I had loudly critiqued and became a watchman for my previous colleagues. I stood by my oath, however, and carried out my duties.

My teammates, however, were reluctant to put an end to the situation because of the personal benefits they enjoyed from the degenerating situation. They were also unhappy about my appointment. I was also blackmailed, physically attacked, and impersonated in the process.

With experience, strategy, wisdom, and willpower, I, however, went on to collaborate with the institutions of government and agencies on the roads to put an end to the Apapa Gridlock situation. The story is different today. Apapa experiences the free flow of humans and vehicles, and normalcy has returned to Apapa. A drive to the airport is less than 20 minutes. This has earned me the name, ‘Mr Gridlock’ in the industry.

What were the challenges you and your team encountered in the process of clearing the gridlock?

As a NARTO person, we are transporters. I have been in Apapa doing business for over two decades now, and we run from the ports to Iyana Isolo. Before the gridlock, our trucks made two trips in a day from the port. Since the concession of the port, we have had so many interests. It used to be a national interest, but suddenly we had a divided interest. The gridlock started from the multiple interests we had in the port, and that is just the summary.

Would you say corruption was responsible for the divided interests?

I call corruption multiple interests. The number one challenge was that when the Lagos State governor announced my appointment, the entire existing team resisted.

Why?

Because they knew their days were numbered because they knew the gridlock that was seen yesterday would be seen no more. As transporters, we knew the real source of the gridlock. That was why Mr Governor picked interest in the real stakeholders because of our input to put an end to the gridlock.

As you can see today, we had to take the battle to their doorstep in the language they understand.

Kindly share the challenges you encountered

All the challenges I encountered were things I had seen before. Before I picked up the appointment, the governor asked if I was sure and I told him, he should be rest assured.

The language now is to stop them before they stop us, so we won’t even allow them to get to another realm. To stop them, we will always be ahead of them.

My word to Vanguard is that they did a wonderful job. I hail their resilience because, like a town crier, they went on crying, calling for solutions. It helped. I will also advise that now that we have a solution, they should not go to sleep. They should continue.

How do you ensure the success you have recorded on the Apapa axis is not overturned?

To maintain the successes we have experienced, all hands must be on deck to enforce, collaborate, and uphold law and order in Apapa.

I must commend Vanguard Newspapers for being resilient in using their platform to cry out for solutions to the previous Apapa gridlock situation and all the media houses.

I also want to thank Mr Governor for the platform. The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola must be commended for giving me the needed support for the successful resolution of the Apapa Gridlock situation.