The Federal Road Safety Corps RS2.1 Special Marshals has held her 2019 sectoral workshop in grand style at the Fountain of Life Church, ILupeju Lagos, tagged “Special Marshal Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”.
The program which drew all members across the state witnessed all stakeholders in the road safety sub-sector in view to foster solutions to road safety as road safety is everyone’s concern.
In a welcome address by the State Co-ordinator, Special Marshal RS2.1Lagos, SM Olusola Olojede, said that “the event is what people should look out for every two years. It is an event that brings all the special Marshals together, have appraisal and review of all our projects so far.”
He also said that the idea behind the printing of a sticker which is to be shared amongst drivers, was that “we looked all round and we found out the vehicle is an equipment which is handled by a driver and the psychology behind it was, if the driver can handle the equipment to last for him, automatically he will have respect to those he is carrying with that equipment and that was why we came up with the concept of “I pledge to be a good driver”.
In a keynote address by the Sector Commander, FRSC RS2.1 Lagos, CC Hyginus Omeje, he appreciated everyone who made it to the venue and those who could not make it but have the intentions to be here.
He commended the Special Marshals for the voluntary work they are doing to save lives and properties as well as the school buses they donated to road safety clubs to aid their movement to and back from school.
Giving a lecture at the 2019 Special Marshals Workshop, the guest speaker who is also the Pioneer Corp Marshal of the FRSC and former Minister of Defence, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Olu Ogunloye, shade more light on the theme: ‘yesterday, today and tomorrow’, saying during his time as the Corp Marshal, there were more Special Marshals than the regular marshals.
He said that the Special Marshal project should look into partnering with the public in the area of community partnership so as the work of special Marshals will be more effective.
According to him, “the duty of the Special Marshal cannot be compromised because if you look at most African Countries, they don’t have Special Marshals and they have been looking for a way to key in which is more difficult for them to achieve and here we have it fully functional.”
Addressing the members of the Special Marshal RS2.1, the National Coordinator, Special Marshals, SM Simi Titsi Kwabe, observed a minute silence for all members and to those who lost their lives in the cause of serving their father land and to road crashes.
The National Coordinator, appreciated the corps commander for lifting the ban on the recruitment of special Marshals and approving the 2019 workshop.
In addition, the Commissioner for Transportation Lagos State, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, pledged that he will continue to support the activities of the Special Marshal in the State.
Those who received the awards of excellence were Chief Joju Fadairo (1991-1994), Chief Austin Nchuchuwe (1995-1997), Aare Bisi Lawal (1998), Prince F.A.B Adenekan (1999-2004), Alh. Toyin Kadiku (2004-2011) and George B. Benson (2011-2016), former state coordinators. Others who were also awarded were the National and Zonal Coordinators (zone 2) of the Special Marshal.
