Buhari, Odumosu and Apapa Augean Stables

Dipo Kehinde/

One may not readily see any similarity between Hercules, the mythical Greek Hero and Commissioner of Police (CP) Hakeem Odumosu besides their names that start with the Letter H.

But when CP Odumosu was assigned by President Muhammadu Buhari as the Head of a Presidential Taskforce to decongest roads leading to Apapa Port and its environs where motorists were spending all day grounded, the task brought to mind the Fifth Labour of Hercules in which King Eurysthesus had sent him to clean the Augean stables in a single day.

Augeas was king in Elis and had great herds of cattle. These herds were kept, according to the custom, in a great enclosure before the palace. Three thousand cattle were housed there, and as the stables had not been cleaned for many years, so much manure had accumulated that it seemed an impossible task for anyone to clean them in one day.

Like the 3000 cattle at the Augean stables, Odumosu’s labour involved about 3000 trucks that have paralyzed business activities in and around Apapa. He was given one month, May 24 – June 24 to clear up the notorious ubiquitous Apapa gridlock and restore law and order in the region that has been hell over the years.

The directive followed an emergency meeting convened by President Buhari and chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on April 25, 2019.

After he tore the foundations away from one side of the Augean stables, Hercules directed to it by means of a canal the streams of Alpheus and Peneus that flowed nearby and let the waters sweep away the filth through another opening.

Like that labour accomplished by Hercules in one day, Odumosu has also accomplished the mission of decongesting the ignominious truck-congested Apapa environment that is now breathing fresh air.

A visit by NewsmakersNG on Friday revealed that the major roads and all inner roads in Apapa have been liberated three days ahead of the June 24 deadline.

Before the President’s assignment, Odumosu has made a reputation in Lagos as a worthy warrior nicknamed Tango Fire Fire, when he was the Officer-in-Charge of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) that kept criminals at bay in the state after which he took up other national assignments as a deputy commissioner and as commissioner of police.

While Vice-President Osinbajo chairs the task force, its daily operations are supervised by an Executive Vice-Chairman, Comrade Kayode Opeifa. Members of the team were drawn from the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigerian Shippers Council.

Other members include a special unit of the Nigeria Police Force led by Odumosu, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), representatives of the Truck Transport Union, the Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and other relevant MDAs.

As part of the mandate of the Presidential Taskforce, new parking bays are being built for trucks along with electronic call-up system at the port.

The task accomplished is expected to create an efficient port environment for the economy and business to thrive.

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