In the wake of Yusuf Buhari’s motorcycling accident, there has been a trail of condemnation of superbike riders, and the practice of riding superbikes, with an article published on the website of Businessday Online on 31st December 2017, citing Yusuf’s accident as proof for the need for strict regulation on super bikes.
The Nigerian biking community exoressed its disappointment with the inaccuracy of the details provided as well as the absence of facts to corroborate them.
The story cited the deaths of Tonye Claude-Wilcox and Fred Omame from super bike accidents in 2011, but failed to mention that in both cases, it was due to bad driving from motorists.
In the case of Tonye Claude-Wilcox, the vehicle that collided with the late Tonye’s bike was on the wrong side of the road, and coming in the opposite direction or what is popularly called driving “one-way”.
Ogbonnaya Kanu, a chemical engineer, and renowned adventure motorcyclist was present when the accident happened. “When I saw Tonye thrown up in the air after the impact, I knew he wasn’t going to survive it. I carried my friend in my arms, and watched as his life slipped away, and there was nothing I could do about it. It’s an image that stays with me till this day.”
With Fred Omame, Kanu was also present at the Lagos Island General Hospital where Fred was brought in by the Lagos Ambulance Service, following the accident which had occurred on the Third Mainland Bridge. “Fred was still conscious when he was brought to the hospital, conscious enough to tell us that a woman in a red car, who had tried to overtake a bus in the middle lane, rammed into his rear and drove off. Fred was on the ‘slow’ lane, while she had crossed from the fast lane. Unfortunately, there was another vehicle parked along the ‘shoulder’ of the bridge, and Fred, who was already on the ground with his bike, slid into the stationery vehicle,” says Kanu.
Fred passed on over a year later of his injuries and as is the norm, news of his death was met with the usual disdain for superbike riders, along with the general perception that superbike riders are rich, irresponsible and reckless, except that in this case it was a “Hit and Run”.
In recent years, the biking community in Nigeria has grown to encompass a large group of men and women in various professions, who are united by the passion they share for motorcycling, whilst adhering to a uniform code that promotes safety, honour and integrity. Some ride because it frees them from the hassles of Lagos traffic, others for adventure, and even those who have a need for speed take part in the annual Bikers Trophy which takes place in Benin, Edo state.
There are motorcycling clubs and riding schools across the country, which which are not funded by government, yet, doing their best to impart safe motorcycling practices to their students.
The Ride Easy Motorcycling Club, one of the foremost motorcycling clubs in Nigeria , and of which Kanu is a member, even brought in an international riding instructor from Canada to give Advanced Rider Tactics training to its club members in 2014.
In other parts of the country, different motorcycling clubs engage in various acts of charity, caring for their communities, as they try to make a difference. Initiatives like Ryker’s Ride – which unites the African Biker Nation to support and highlight the work of children’s charities, such as the SOS villages; and The Fotodadi Foundation, which awards scholarships to orphaned and fatherless children from primary through to first-degree level.
According to investment banker, Kwesi Amanor-Boadu, “Motorbikes are machines like every other form of transportation. The person operating the machine is responsible for all eventualities. My safety and the safety of other road users is important all the time. This is the ethos of the well trained and oriented Rider. One crazy car driver does not make all drivers bad same with motorbikes.”
