In Ukwuani South-South Nigeria, It’s One Woman, One Okada

IT has long been said that what a man can do a woman can do better. This widespread saying may have found full expression among certain women in Delta State who have taken to biking.

Motorbike riding by women is extremely rare in Southwest Nigeria and almost non-existent in the north because of religious and social factors.

However, in the South-South and Southeast women riding motorbikes is more common. This is also the case among the women in some parts of Delta State.

In Oghara, and other towns within the Abraka-Agbor axis including like Umutu, Obiaruku and Umuaja, in Ukwuani Local Government Area of the state, it is not unusual to find them. What is intriguing is the fact that unlike female riders in other places, these women do not restrict themselves to ladies’ brand of motorcycles, or what the locals in Delta call ‘madam-pass-madam.’

These women travel from town to town covering several kilometers, using inner roads and expressways.

Mrs Patricia Nduka who spoke with Nigerian Tribune said women riding the same kind of motorcycles that men did was borne out of necessity, not fun or a desire to compete with the men folk.

Mrs Nduka said her motorcycle served the purpose of taking her to and from her farm.

She said, “It is not strange to find women riding motorcycles in this place. It is because we used to ride bicycles to the farm. But carrying our load on a bicycle and riding long distances to and from the farm makes us very tired at the end of the day. Our legs end up aching us. That is why we have moved to riding motorcycles.”

Continuing Nduka said that some men were somewhat jealous because they no longer had to depend on them when it came to movement on motorcycles. She said, “Some men actually feel threatened that we can do the same thing only they used to do.”

Nigerian Tribune, however, noticed that these female riders used the motorcycles for transporting goods for sale, farm produce and personal commuting. The use of motorcycles for public transport is still dominated by men.

The women, Nigerian Tribune, observed were quite confident on the roads. Their boldness while riding on the Abraka-Agbor highway remained unshaken even when large vehicles like tankers passed by.

Their presence on the streets also attracted no stares as it would in some other parts of the country because women riders in this area seemed to be just as numerous as the men.

According to Mrs Julia Metieh, she said motorcycle riding for her began at age 12. “I began learning to ride a motorcycle when I was 12. Whenever I was alone in the house, I would take the keys and try riding the bike. I found a way of manipulating the bike even though my legs could barely touch the pedals.”

Now, Mrs Metieh, a mother of two, says she uses her motorbike to transport her kids to school. “Today, the motorcycle is what I use to transport my children to their school.”

She explained that motorcycles provided succor for lower-class women who could not afford cars yet needed to move themselves and their goods from place to place.

Mrs Metieh, a primary school teacher, added that some of the women were not quite safety conscious by overloading their motorcycles.

“Some of the women can load their bikes to the full, and when there is no more space left, they sit on part of the load and go for a ride. I know of one woman who did this and she ended up having a serious accident.”

Do these women have issues with the law? “I observe the usual rules like wearing helmets and avoiding overloading. I have never had issues with the FRSC. But those who flout the rules have their motorcycles impounded and have to pay a fine to retrieve it,” Mrs Metieh said.

Nigeria’s federal road safety laws thankfully are not gender biased. There are no rules restricting women from riding motorbikes.

Nigerian Tribune, however, observed that there were instances of underage motorbike riders in these towns. These underage riders appeared to be doing it for fun. Mrs Metieh said that these underage riders kept off the highway. “They usually ride within the towns. They don’t go out,” she noted.

Via - Tribune