Commuters, Motorists React To Students’ Protest On 3rd Mainland Bridge

Motorists and commuters on Wednesday expressed mixed feelings as protesting students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), now Moshood Abiola University, disrupted traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge, following the institution’s name change.

President Goodluck Jonathan, had in his Democracy Day broadcast on Tuesday, announced the change in honour of the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola, the presumed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election for his contributions to Nigeria’s democracy.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that many workers heading for work after the Democracy Day holiday were caught in the traffic jam caused on the bridge after students protesting the change laid siege to it early in the day.

Some motorists and stranded commuters, who spoke with NAN, condemned the protest, saying that the students should go back to school and not cause unnecessary chaos.

A motorist and civil servant, Mr. Jonas Azubike, said that protest that caused the gridlock was not worth it because “residents of Lagos should not be suffering for a federal problem.”

“The announcement was made by the Federal Government to change a federal institution’s name, why should the problem affect Lagos citizens?” he queried.

Another motorist and a business woman, Mrs. Ijebusoma Dokai, said that although the change in name of the university was not welcomed, the protesting students should know that barricading the road would not help.

Dokai urged the students to stop the protest, which entered its second day on Wednesday, to go back to class before hooligans and area boys hijacked it.

A transporter, Mr. Lamidi Ajala, said that the students should limit the protest to their campus and its environs and not disrupt free flow of traffic on the bridge.

He said that the disruption of traffic in the early hours of the day had affected business for him as it was the peak period when passengers were hurrying for work after the holiday.

Another motorist, Mr. Ralph Okolie, condemned the protest on the bridge, saying it was not a wise thing to do because disrupting people’s movement was not the solution to the problem.

“What is in a name? The change of the name of the university was not the first and will not be the last. The University of Ife was changed to Obafemi Awolowo University and the standard still remained.

“The students should go back to their school and be in a sober mood over the death of their vice chancellor.

“They should prepare for a befitting burial for him rather than cause commotion in the state,” Okolie said.

Two stranded commuters, Mrs. Adunni Anifowoshe and Mr. Muyiwa Makinde, however, supported the protest, which they said, could make the government have a rethink.

Makinde said that the Federal Government should have considered immortalising Abiola in the Federal Capital Territory which is the seat of power.

Anifowoshe also spoke in a similar vein.

NAN reports that the protesting students, however, left the bridge after some hours following the intervention of policemen, leading to a free flow of traffic.