By Toye Olori
CALABAR, Jul 19 1996 (IPS)

About two decades ago, the chaotic state of public transport in Nigeria provided musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti with material for one of his many hits.

‘Forty-nine sitting, ninety-nine standing/ Suffering and smiling/ Everyday na di same tin (It’s the same thing every day),’ sang the renowned social commentator.

His song depicted the plight of commuters in Lagos in the 1970s, when Mercedes Benz 911 buses meant for 60 people used to carry about 100, with some passengers perched precariously in the doorway and on the tailboard.

The buses are still overcrowded but they are becoming scarcer on the streets of Nigeria’s towns. “Maintenance of existing fleets has even become problematic as the cost of spare parts skyrocket,” explains economist Chris Bodunrin.

Moreover, the fall in the value of the naira against hard currencies over the past few years has made it difficult for transporters to replenish their stock of taxis, buses or minibuses, which have to be imported.

As in other West African nations such as Benin and Burkina Faso, their place is being taken by motor-cycles, which are easier to maintain and cost less.

A second-hand 14-seater Volkswagen Kombi, the most popular minibus in Nigeria, costs the equivalent of 2,500 to 3,750 U.S. dollars depending on its condition. On the other hand, used 50 cc Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda motorcycles –imported from Asia — can be had for between 430 and 625 U.S. dollars and spare parts are easy to get.

Up to the mid-1980s, motorcycles in Nigeria were ridden mainly by dispatch riders and traders. Now, however, most are used as public transport.

In the western state of Imo, motorbikes account for over 70 percent of passenger movement in urban centres and more than 90 percent in rural areas, where many tracks cannot be used by cars or buses.

Sanni Adamu, a journalist from the northern state of Kano, told IPS: “Until recently, motorcycles were alien to our part of the country where horses and donkeys were the main mode of transportation. Today the motorbikes have taken over completely. They are now used in all the states of the north.”

In the south-eastern town of Calabar, relatively few four- wheeled public transport vehicles can be seen on the streets. About nine out of every 10 passengers here use motorcycle taxis, although not everyone does so willingly.

“I would not be risking my life if there were taxis,” says Calabar schoolteacher Hellen Okon. “It is dangerous to ride ‘Akauke’ because of the rate of their involvement in accidents as they meander between vehicles carelessly. But what can we do about the situation?”

But if the popularity of motor-cycles has grown here over the past few years it’s not just because other means of public transport have become scarcer but also because, since they are cheaper to keep on the road than other vehicles, the motorbike- taxis charge their passengers less.

IPS paid the equivalent of 3.75 U.S. dollars for a one-hour ‘Akauke’ (motorcycle-taxi) ride around Calabar town and to the airport. A four-wheeled taxi charges 6.25 dollars from the city centre to the airport.

It’s not just buses, taxis or donkeys that are being replaced by the ‘Akauke’, which is called by different names, all of them meaning ‘Do you want a ride?’ in the various regions of Nigeria.

In Lagos, the ‘Akauke’ or ‘Okada’ as it is called there, has also replaced the train that used to ferry commuters from one end of the city to another before lack of funds caused it to ground to a halt.

In Nigeria’s commercial capital, perennial traffic jams and the potholes that slow down cars and buses have made the ‘Okada’ the fastest means of transport.

“Even if you own a car, it is still faster to use a motorcycle if you are in a hurry,” businessman Emman Oigbochie told IPS in Lagos. “I have two cars. If I have a nine o’clock appointment, I either leave home before 6 o’clock or ride an “Okada” if I must leave home any time after seven”.

Chidi Carlos, manager of a auto dealership here, agrees that for the chaotic traffic in Lagos, the Okada are the best option.

“Talking about time, speed and space, Lagos presents a peculiar case study,” he says. “An important appointment or business contact can easily be lost to traffic hold-ups. If you are lucky to wriggle your way through the jam, searching for a space to park a car may pose another delay.”

Motorcycles have a much easier time since they are small and have greater manoeuvrability, he says.

The majority of commercial motorcyclists hire the bikes they ride. “I take it every morning from my ‘master’ and pay him 250 naira (about 3 dollars) at the end of the day whether I make money on that day or not,” says John Dickson, a 26-year-old former trader.

“I came down from Owerri (in the east) when our market was gutted by fire and I had no money to continue my business. At least now, I sometimes make about 1,500 naira (18.8 dollars) especially when students of the University of Calabar are on campus,” Dickson who shuttles between the campus and town told IPS here.

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