As part of efforts to sanitize and project the image of the transportation system in Lagos State and reward good deeds and eliminate the bad eggs among the drivers and conductors in the state, Lagos-based frontline journalist and publisher of Nigerian Online Newspaper, August24news.com, Mr. Ajagbe Adeyemi Teslim, is set to present the “Best Driver and Best Conductor” awards to deserving professionals in the state.
The competition, which is expected to start in January 2026 and end by December 2026, has been designed to be a yearly competition after the maiden edition.
The parameters and measures put in place to pick the Best Driver and Best Conductor in the state is through commuters’ commendations, score cards, online voting system by the general public, public opinions and other relevant methods, Mr. Ajagbe said.
“Many drivers and conductors in Lagos State are known for their lackadaisical attitudes, but there are still good ones among them, which is the reason we want to reward the good ones among them so that the bad ones will emulate the rewarded ones,” he stressed.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, Mr. Ajagbe highlighted some of the marks expected to be attained by drivers and conductors before winning the awards.
He said they must possess good character, good dress sense and good driving skills, insisting that drivers and conductors must charge their passengers reasonable transport fares, possess good communication skills, relate well with their passengers, avoid stopping at undesignated bus-stops and handle the Naira with care.
In addition, he said that they should avoid bribing officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and other road transport officials because they want to have their way. “They must receive and welcome their passengers with smiles and greetings, avoid pushing and rough handling their passengers inside and outside their buses, and they must not smoke and drink before or while on duty,” he noted.
He said they should be able to help passengers with free rides if a person in need appeals to them for help, that they should not fight passengers whose fares, for some reason, are not complete, and that they must not make telephone calls while driving. He stressed further that the conductors must sit properly inside their buses and avoid hanging on the tailboards while vehicles are in motion, and that they must also avoid picking passengers at unapproved bus stops. The award convener equally noted that drivers and conductors that will be considered must have buses that are in good condition before they ply Lagos roads.
On what the driver that wins will take home, Ajagbe stated that over a dozen gifts which include, a brand new bus, a brand new private car, a duplex, free 20 liters of fuel daily for a month, twenty four million naira cash, brand ambassador contract, driving contract, tour of 10 notable places in the state, courtesy visit to 10 dignitaries in Lagos State, automatic employment for two of their children in Lagos State, 24 different native and English attires from a popular designer, 24 new tyres, an award plaque, a befitting gala night and Letter of commendation from the Lagos State Government will be made available, adding that the best conductor will also get whatever the driver gets.
When asked what prompted the idea, the publisher said that he had witnessed many ugly incidents among Lagos drivers and conductors, which he said made him think of a way to change the narrative and to rebrand the profession.
He added that there is no agency that monitors the activities of bus drivers and conductors in the state, claiming that what the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and local governments do is just to collect fees and levies from them.
He said: “I have witnessed a situation where drivers and conductors beat passengers because of arguments over mere 10 Naira change.
“I have witnessed, where drivers and conductors abused and insulted passengers which led to trauma. I have seen where a passenger was stranded, trekked home and even begged for transport fares simply because a wicked conductor took his change away. I have seen where people who were properly dressed, clean and neat, unfortunately had a bus driver or conductor tear or dirty their clothes.”
He said that on the flip side, he had seen numerous occasions, where conductors and drivers returned lost phones, gadgets, luggage and even bags containing money to their passengers, saying that “we must not shy away from, or be economical with the truth, the good ones are still there and must be recognized and rewarded.”
When asked what his organisation stands to benefit from the awards, Ajagbe told newsmen that he wants “the best for Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole. We want them to be responsible and accountable to their passengers and the general public. We want commuters to get value for their money, We want them to be good ambassadors because foreigners also see them at work.
“We want to set an agenda for them, we want to change the narrative, we want to change the public perception and get people to begin to see bus drivers and conductors as responsible people.”
Speaking on how they will pick the best driver and best conductor among the thousands in the business, Ajagbe stated that members of the public will be voting based on the parameters.
The drivers and the conductors will have to appeal to their passengers to vote for them via hard copy forms, sms text code and online voting.
Ajagbe said that all commercial bus drivers and conductors in Lagos State are eligible to participate in the competition because it is free, adding that no payment is required to participate once the individual is a registered member of the union in a specific garage attached to a route in Lagos State.
When asked if the project will be accepted by members of the public and even secure sponsorship, Ajagbe said that 90 percent of Lagosians use public buses on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis and must have had one or two experiences with some of these drivers and conductors and will be willing to share their positive or negative experiences.
He said that his organisation will “work with the Lagos state government, the state Ministry of Transportation, Lagos State Branch of the NURTW, State, local government branch and Unit Chairmen, drivers and conductors association and other relevant agencies attached to transport business in Lagos state.”
Ajagbe revealed that the whooping sum of one billion naira (N1,000,000,000) is proposed for the project and called on the Lagos state government, the ministry of Transportation, corporate bodies and well meaning Nigerians to key into the idea and respond promptly to the proposal sent to them. He can be contacted through: August24online.com@gmail.com for sponsorship or partnership to produce the best Driver and Best Conductor in Lagos State.
Commenting on the initiative, a former Lagos State commissioner for Transportation, Hon. Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN) stated that it is a laudable project that will add honour to the work of the commercial bus drivers and conductors in Lagos State. He also appealed to sponsors to fully support the project.
