The management of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State has warned students against the excessive use of commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada as a means of transport.
The warning was issued through the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olanrewaju on Thursday.
The warning is coming following the death of Chisom Nwankwo, a final year student, department of Agric Economics.
This online medium had reported that Nwankwo died after a commercial motorcyclist conveying her lost control at the scene of another accident on Tuesday morning.
The OAU spokesperson disclosed that the commercial motorcyclist conveying the deceased student was careless.
He revealed that he lost concentration while watching another minor accident which caused another bus to hit the motorcycle from the rear.
“We need to warn Okada riders, because they have what they hold on to, but the passengers do not have anything they would hold on to. That’s why the majority of the victims of Okada accidents are the passengers.
“So, those who are passengers on bikes should not be chatting with their phones. You will see some boys and girls on okada, they will be using their phones to chat, and would not know what is happening in the front. If anything happens, it will hit them more.
“If anything happens on Okada, there is no way someone pressing a phone would have prepared themselves. People should just be mindful of where they are going,” he said.
Olanrewaju disclosed that the university had contacted the family of the deceased.
