. Prof. Gbadebo Odewumi
Professors Gbadebo Odewumi of the Lagos State University,Ojo, Lagos, and Olukayode Oyesiku of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State have made a renew call for integration of non-motorised transportation into the country’s transport system to forestall pollution and ensure clean environment.
Odewumi who is of the Department of Transport Planning and Policy, School of Transport and Logistics, LASU made his call in his presentation as the institution’s 99th Inaugural Lecturer.
In his presentation titled:’Walking our way back to the garden of Eden: Envisioning a model of the complete metamorphosis of the urban transportation system trajectory’, the don enunciated the need to incorporate non-motorised means of transportation like cycling, and even walking to promote clean energy and environment.
He noted that most of the roads in the major cities and towns in the country have no provision for these means of transportation and thus creating conflict on these roads.
Prof. Odewumi said there is the need to promote green house gas effect if we intend to experience the ‘allures of the garden of Eden.’
He said,”There is the need to embrace non-motorised modes of transportation like cycling and even walking. It is cheap, it is convenient.This promotes good health and good for mother earth, because there will be no pollution.
“We need to take care of the mother earth, we are the ones that need the mother earth, the mother earth can continue without us.”
Prof.Odewumi advocated adequate planning in the nation’s public transportation sector, as opposed to what he called the present “disjointed and incrementalist development’, adding that “that is not the way transport works.”
He noted that “road is accountable for 90 per cent of mobility, yet there is nobody in charge.”
Prof. Odewumi who equally called for a policy document to guide the transportation sector, however commended the Lagos State Government for having an articulated policy on its transport sector, which could be seen in the rail lines development.
On his own part, Prof. Olukayode Oyesiku, who is the chairman of the Technical Committee of the Lagos State Transport Policy, said “if there is adequate planning we will all look outside fossil fuel for our mobility.”
He added that in non-motorised transportation “you don’t need to generate any pollution and part of it is cycling, noting that most of the urban planning has failed to incorporate non-motorised transportation as part of its design.
He said, “There is no need to run a conflict between pedestrians and motor traffic on our roads, it is not necessary. Once that design is available and the transport engineer can incorporate it, then the garden of Eden is in reality.”
Prof. Oyesiku also commended the Lagos State Government for its innovative approach in promoting modern rail transport system in addition to waterways and road.
The event attracted notable personalities in the government and public transport sector among which are TRACE Commander/CEO, Cdr ‘Seni Ogunyemi, Area Commander, TRACE Ogun West, Cdr Adekunle Ajibade, and TRACE Public Relations Officer, Babatunde Akinbiyi.
Colleagues of the inaugural lecturer from LASU and other institutions were equally in attendance, and scores of students from the School of Transport and Logistics, LASU.
Guests were later treated to sumptuous meals at the reception held after the event.
