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Lessons From Former World Heavyweight Champion, Anthony Joshua (AJ)'s Accident in Nigeria...

I drove on the roads in Nigeria for many years before I left 21 years ago, and I still drive on the roads every time I am home... I drove more than 1000 km (700 miles) when I traveled home this year. I can tell you unequivocally that Nigerian roads are some of the most dangerous in the world for many reasons... I know there are worse...
 
1. Many roads are not properly constructed and maintained... the one on which AJ had an accident is one of the newly reconstructed roads in the country, and perhaps in excellent condition, so what went wrong is where the lessons are for the system in the country....
 
2. Road signs are either absent or inadequate....Road lanes are not usually properly marked with dividing lines between lanes and arrows and other signs to guide motorists... so vehicles change lanes without any form of guidance on the ground....
 
3. Nigerian roads are not being properly monitored... You see cameras at every stretch of major highways in the West... Nothing on Nigerian roads... 
 
4. Over speeding is a common occurrence because no patrol vehicles traverse the roads, no speeding cameras to capture plate numbers for automatic fines, and people just drive anyhow on the road.... I usually put on my Nigerian driving mentality when I am driving at home, and avoid crazy drivers and ensure I do not speed myself...
 
5. A lot of vehicles are not roadworthy. Many are fitted with expired or wrong tires - you will find winter used tires on vehicles in Nigeria ...hence, frequent tire bursts...
 
6. There is also the failure of emergency services and response teams like the 999 or 911 system, with quick dispatch of EMT and ambulance... Instead of a response from a trained team to attend to AJ, you see a crowd of individuals trooping around the accident spot, rescuing the victims, which could have exacerbated the injuries of the victims...
 
7. The worst of these is the menace of semi-trailers and trucks that are parked indiscriminately on the roadside... They damage the road, and worst of all, they create an accident of the nature that almost killed AJ and took the lives of two of his closest pals... This is sad...
 
My heart goes out to the families of AJ's friends who lost their lives in the accidents. Maybe they would have survived if there had been an emergency response team to resuscitate them and provide first aid.
 
I hope this particular incident with AJ will cause the authorities and those in power in Nigeria to start by enforcing "no parking" along major roads and ensuring over speeding is curtailed. AJ's accident was reported to have been caused by a tire burst, which led to loss of vehicle control and then the obstruction of the semi-trailer on the side of the road that made it fatal...

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