As part of efforts to sanitise and project the image of the transportation system in Lagos State and ability to 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 is expected to start in January 2026 and end by December 2026 and it 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.
Many drivers and conductors in Lagos State are known for their lackadastical 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 wrong ones will emulate from the rewarded ones.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, the convener of the Award and Publisher of August24news.com, Mr. Ajagbe Adeyemi Teslim highlighted some of the marks expected in every drivers and conductors before winning the awards.
Best driver, best conductor awards requirement
He said they must possess good characters, good dress sense, good driving skills, saying that drivers and conductors must charge their passengers reasonable transport fares, possess good communication skills and relate well with their passengers, they should avoid stoping at undesignated bus-stops, avoid handling our Naira with care because the way they are mishandling our Naira is one of the reason why our currency is fading and changing faces.
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 ways, they must receive and welcome their passengers with smiles and greetings, avoid pushing and rough handing their passengers into and outside the bus, they must not smoke and drink before or while on duty.
He said they should be able to help passengers with free ride if the person pleads with them and they should not fight passengers whose fare is not completed, they must not make calls while driving, they should sit properly and avoid hanging on the bus, avoid picking passengers at unapproved bus stops and his or her vehicle must be in good condition before plying Lagos roads.
On what would be the benefits of the winner, Ajagbe stated that the winner will go home with over 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 his children in Lagos State, 24 different native and English attires from a popular designer, 24 new tyres, an award plaque, conductor and driver belt, a befitting gala night and letter of commendation from the Lagos State Government, adding that the best conductor will also get whatever the driver gets.
When asked about 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.
According to him, “We want to put them on the watch, we want to set an agenda for them, we want to curb thier lackadaisical act and nonchalant attitude such as drinking and smoking while on duty as well as reward the best among them, eradicate the bad ones and also encourage others so that they can be emulated.
He added that there is no agency that monitors their activities in the state, claiming that what the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, and local governments do is to collect fees and levies from them.
Speaking further, he said; “I have witnessed a situation where drivers and conductors beat passengers because of a mere 10 naira change during argument.
“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 conductor took his change away. I have seen where people where properly dressed, clean and neat, unfortunately a public bus tore and stained their clothes. These are people who are set for their daily jobs, going for job interviews and attending social gatherings.
He said that on numerous occasions, he had seen situations where conductors and drivers returned lost phones, gadgets, loads and even bags of money to their passengers, saying that “We must not shy away from the truth or be economical with the truth, the good ones are still living and must also be recognised and rewarded.”
“I have not seen when conductors give passengers free ride out of the 365 days in a year. Some of them are not friendly with their customers, they should be able to give back to the society or their passengers and they should be ready to partake in CSR. Anyone who does this will win the award of the year,” he said.
When asked what his organisation stands to benefit from the awards, Ajagbe told newsmen that his targets are numerous because “We want 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 and the international communities see their practices.
“We want to set an agenda for them, we want to change the narrative, we want to change the public orientation that public bus drivers and conductors are respected people and not bad people as people see them.
“Some of them are always the cause of accidents on our roads due to their lackadaisical attitude. We want the government to put them on a good pedestal. We want them to put a stop to their hooliganism and fighting during the course of their business.
“The NURTW and the local governments are levies collectors. We want the state government to mandate drivers and conductors to start wearing uniforms and have numbers to identify the erring ones among them,” he stated.
Speaking on the measure and yardstick to pick the best driver and best conductor among the thousands in the business, Ajagbe stated that members of the public will engage in voting after evaluating all the requirements.
The drivers and the conductors will also appeal to their passengers to vote for them via hard copy forms, sms text code and online voting.
Ajagbe said that all commercial buses 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 in the competition once he or she is a registered member of the union in a specific garage attached to a route in Lagos State.
When asked if the project will fly and accepted by members of the public and even get sponsors, Ajagbe said that 90 percent of Lagosians ply public buses on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis to their various destination and they must have had one or two experiences with some of these drivers and conductors and they will be willing to share their positive or negative thoughts.
He stressed that the job is taking a new look and dimensions, particularly when it’s coming with rewards and that sponsors are always keen to assist creative ideas and concepts like this.
“We would work in hand 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 added.
Ajagbe revealed that the whooping sum of one billion naira (1,000,000,000) is proposed for the project and then called on the Lagos State government, the Ministry of Transportation, corporate bodies, well meaning Nigerians to key into the idea and response promptly to the proposal sent to them as he can be contacted through; [email protected] for sponsorship and partnership to produce the best Driver and Best Conductor in Lagos State.
