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SANI ABACHA: A cripple with a heart of service

Although fate denied him his childhood dream of becoming a military officer, Sani Abacha, a cripple, currently controls traffic at the junction of Olowu Street in Ikeja area of Lagos State. The self-appointed traffic officer took Amidu Arije through his life’s journey. 

But for his crippled legs, Sani Abacha would have enrolled in the Nigerian Armed Forces. As a child, his wish was to become an army officer but fate obviously had a different plan for him.

Recalling the experience that made him a handicap, Abacha said: “I was not born like this.  This happened when I had a motor accident when I was still very small. I was treated but the places where my bones broke were too much. So, they could not help it more than this. On my leg, I had seven broken parts; on my left hand, I had two of my bones broken. Even on my right hand. It is by God’s grace that I am still alive today; I thank God.  If I had my legs strong and intact, I would have joined the armed forces because I like any uniformed work with passion. Unfortunately, because of my broken legs, I can’t do it anymore. So, when I see that I have hands, eyes and brain, I feel I can do this traffic warden I am doing instead of staying idle.”

But this indigene of Bumi Local Government Area of Zamfara State would not give up on his dream.  Instead of joining the host of his counterparts on the streets to beg for alms, Abacha, as he is popularly called by commuters on the road, voluntarily opted to help in controlling the regular traffic at the Olowu Street junction in Ikeja.

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He took this decision in 2015 when he came to Lagos in search of daily income.

 “It is not government that gave me the job of traffic warden, I like to do it because I don’t want to go and be begging for survival,” he said.

Though doing the voluntary job earns him little that he feeds his family with, his hope is to find God’s favour in the face of a Good Samaritan, who will in turn help him to purchase a tricycle, which, he said, he could ride well.

“I make money when people pass in their vehicles. They sometimes give me from N50 to N1000 and with this I feed myself and family. I go home daily with a certain amount of money between 1500 and 2000 to feed my family. It is my prayer that one day, God will send somebody, who will help me out of my predicament. I hope to have tricycle soon. I can drive Keke Marwa very well but for now, I don’t have anyone and I don’t have enough money. All I make here can only feed me and my family,” he said.

However, the cliché, ‘no pain, no gain’, plays out in his life as sometimes, he encounters little challenges, ranging from harassment from unruly motorists to miscreants in the area.  “Although most people around here, I mean the road users, appreciate my efforts, they are quite cooperative, as they obey my directives when I control the traffic, so much that sometimes when anyone wants to prove stubborn and tries fighting with me, they will fight them on my behalf. The miscreants still come around to put up fights; some motorists also try to disobey because they are always in a hurry. But the people’s support always gives me the strength to go on,” he told The Nigerian Xpress.

Abacha’s work hours usually kicks off from noon till 7pm every day and his presence has been of great help on the road.  “There is no time I am not here except there is no gridlock. Whenever I am around, I make sure that there is no gridlock here except when I am not around. Whenever people see me around they thank God that I am here; because there will not be gridlock again once I start controlling the traffic. Sometimes, the police come but I will still be with them, controlling the traffic. But when the police people see me on ground, they just walk away on their own,” he said.

Abacha is married with two kids, a boy and girl. He recently lost his wife, leaving him alone to cater for the kids.

“After the death of my wife, I have not married another woman. I am the only one catering for the children and you know, it has been very tasking but I thank God I have been coping,” he said.

In spite of all the challenges, Abacha’s resolve is to impact on humanity, which informs his plea for government’s assistance of any form.

“I want the government to help me in any way positive they feel they can because I am a Nigerian and I am always ready to serve my country. That is why I am doing this traffic warden even without being paid,” he stated.

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