Tales of a Keke Passenger From Opolo to Ekeki by Victor Oroyi – Episode 4 | A Bargaining Passengers

Tales of a Keke Passenger From Opolo to Ekeki by Victor Oroyi - Episode 4 | A Bargaining Passengers

Tales of a Keke Passenger From Opolo to Ekeki by Victor Oroyi – Episode 4 | A Bargaining Passenger

A Bargaining Passenger is the title for episode 4 of the online short story series Tales of a Keke Passenger From Opolo to Ekeki written by Victor Oroyi. Do have a great read and share with a friend.

IT’S TWO HOURS BEFORE NOON, on a Thursday morning in January 2024, and this passenger bargained the price of his fare from the pharmacy where he entered up till the former NEPA office at Opolo. To some, it appears awkward but a discerning mind, it’s the right thing to do.

I guess, since an ugly incident occurred one early evening in the heart of Yenagoa, passengers became more conscious about the price for their fare and bargain to know the cost before riding on the keke to their destination. The incident led to the government-imposed ban on keke from 7pm to 6am.

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Although, many road users have criticized the government , however, government knows what’s best for its citizens and ways of resolving issues.

A rough estimate of 100 kekes got burnt within a space of 4 hours, it took the deployment of high powered security operatives from the military commands and the Police in Bayelsa State to quell the situation. To put the matter to rest, a top politician from the Epie extraction had to mediate between the Keke riders Association and the youths of the community. The situation was not funny.

So, both riders and passengers became cautious to bargain before taking the ride.

Stepping out this Thursday morning, under the rusty-rays of the scotching sun, eating deep into my skin, I did not have luxury of patience to find a good ride or healthy keke. I turned and saw this keke making a U-turn at the popular Opolo Junction. His keke is empty as the last passenger alighted just before the junction, I purposed in my heart to join it as I sighted it.

Opolo junction leads to Elebele community in Ogbia local government area. It is a transit point for commuters using that route to the community.  The road links with a round-about on the Isaac Boro Expressway leading to AIT and Army Headquarters in Bayelsa State.

The road leading to the junction on Mbiama-Yenagoa Road is famous for various reasons, ranging from religious, politics, military formation and having a health facility.

The road houses the JTF Taskforce Command (now relocated), right opposite the Diete Koki Memorial Hospital constructed under the Chief Timipre Sylva-led administration as governor of Bayelsa State.

For political activities, during the administration of Goodluck Jonathan as governor, the road has guesthouse belonging to top politician from the community, Opolo used by politicians for politicking, and critical decisions are made but today, that guesthouse is now an top hotel.

The Green Movement, a political engine-room working for the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as governor of Bayelsa State in 2007 was birthed in that guesthouse according to sources.

On the religious, Greater Evangelism World Crusade founded by late Apostle Godffrey Numbere had its Bayelsa State headquarter with imposing edifice on the road.  Another notable religion worship center is Daddy-Ken Bitere’s church, Refined Peoples Assembly right behind the memorial hospital.

Serving as Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, Late Justice Kate Abiri hosted the church service for the New Legal Year for the judiciary and lawyers in Greater Evangelism World Crusade. The service is often held between September and November where top government officials and legal luminaries meet yearly.

Daddy-Ken Bitere is one of the leading spiritual voices in Bayelsa State and his newly erected cathedral of the church is an edifice to behold. Although, there are a litany of other religious bodies including a mosque in the former JTF facility.

I joined this keke with the usual question, Ekeki, how much? Already, seated and he is riding off.

Na N150, he replied looking out for another passenger for his keke. Just then, a man standing in front of a popular pharmacy opposite Opolo Market, whistled at him, and the rider applies his brake and stops a few miles away. He makes a reverse to catch up with him.

Swali, he said initially, and resting on the divider of the keke, and asks the rider again, how much?

N200, the rider replies.

The passenger is still resting on the divider and looking around. He is holding a branded polythene bag, apparently containing some drugs he had purchased but appeared bothered as the keke makes to speed.

You know that place after Government House, secretariat wetin dem dey call that place, resting on the divider he asks the rider again.

The rider looks at him, na road safety or hospital junction, takes off his face from him and looks forward.

No, that place, wey one big pharmacy for one-storey building dey by the road, using his left hand to indicate the location of the pharmacy on the road. Apparently, the pharmacy is on his left side of the road.

Looking straight up with inaudible notes, It’s Stamford, I know it, he replies in a simple English this time. From his intonation, he is from the north. Most keke drivers in the Yenagoa metropolis are from the north.

Okay, na how much, the passenger enquires.

The rider without looking at him replies, it’s N200, then he slows down just after a filling station before a U-turn still on the Opolo axis.

No bi N150, he solicits still resting on the divider and looking into the face of the rider who looking forward but slows down, I thought, he wants to pick a passenger.

He stops, No, it’s N200‘ in a provocative tone, he parks the keke properly, If you don’t want to go, come down. Looking mean and uncompromising to the passenger, who is stirring at him.

Dey go abeg, and tells the rider, if Swali na N200, that place suppose to be N150. He seated and looking at the rider.

The rider appears unmoved Na N200, if u no wan go, come down na‘.  The keke is parked by the roadside.

I don tell you to dey go na, he persuades the rider, as the rider zooms off.

Bargaining and pricing for keke ride became a norm for riders and passengers since after that ugly incident that claimed the life of a promising young man. He has returned to Yenagoa, after staying away for sometime. According to sources, he is returning to see his wife and their new born baby. However, for a price difference of N50, he did not get home to see them.

Most passengers have blamed the government for the lack of regulations in the transport sector in Yenagoa. The fare are too irregular and high, but for some passengers, bargaining is the answer. Just after that incident, the government through its Ministry of Transport held a meeting with Road Transport Workers to come up with a fair price.

The agreed price for transportation was given adequate publicity both on radio and social media yet, riders and passengers must negotiate before they commence any ride. Hmm… the government agreed price did not stand even for 48 hours. Not entirely the fault of the Bayelsa State government, there was hike in the pump price of petrol across Nigeria.

As at September 2023, some passengers thought the keke riders were being exploitative but getting a fuel at N510 per litre as against N210 per litre within 24 hours, an unimaginable percentage increase in the fuel price, who should we blame?

Don’t forget, most of the keke riders are on hire purchase while others balance their ‘Ogas’ as high as N4000 daily. A further probe tells you that the cost of purchasing a keke is equivalent of getting a car and the riders complain about the high cost of getting spare parts and maintenance.

I am a keke passenger, just like any other passenger. I am not on either side, because we feel the harsh reality of the economy differently, so we react differently when we provide our services to the other person. A Keke rider is not different from that government official that asked you for ‘tips’ before your file can leave his/her table or secondary teacher in a government school that will not go to school to take her lessons allowing the students roam in their classes.

So for us to live and live for the next day, please, do as this my co-passenger today to ensure you bargain for the right price before you take the ride. That’s how I left the passenger and rider as I alighted at Ekeki.

Tales of a Keke Passenger from Opolo to Ekeki written by Victor Oroyi is an online short story series titled A Bargaining Passenger for episode 4. I know you enjoyed reading this series, please, share the link with a friend.

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