By Fidelis Ugbomeh
It all started in the early hours of June 15 this year as passengers thronged Iddo Terminus to board an Osogbo-bound free passenger train endorsed and financed by Osun State government, in commemoration of the just celebrated Eid-el-Kabir.
Governor of Osun State, Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke, had, through the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Bunmi Jenyo, announced that the gesture was aimed at reducing the financial burden of indigenes of the state who wished to travel home from Lagos, Abeokuta and Ibadan to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir with their families and loved ones
He stated that about 2,000 passengers from Lagos boarded the train from Iddo on June 15, 2024, with another 2,000 passengers on a return trip from Osogbo to Lagos on June 19.
According to him, “The Imole free train trip, which cut accros Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Osun states, brought relief to passengers and boosted the economy of the state.”
Jenyo also said that indigenes of Osun State seized the opportunity to visit the state, adding that they expressed satisfaction over the service by management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and appreciation to the governor for financing the return trip from Lagos to Osun.
According to one of the passengers, Mrs. Funke Jeje, the train departed on schedule and arrived Osun State, to the admiration of passengers on board.
She stated further that, “Prior to the announcement of the free train ride, I calculated the cost of road transport to Osogbo and decided to stay back and use my money to feed, instead of travelling at an exhorbitant cost of about N10,000.
“But when I got the information about the free train ride on Friday, I confirmed it on Friday before proceeding to Iddo Terminus the next day because, last year, the free train ride was suspended due to derailment in Oyo State.”
Jeje commended the state governor for sustaining the free train ride policy inherited from previous governors of the state, adding that any good policy that touched on lives of the underprivileged should be sustained and not politicised to score points.
Another passenger, Mr. Timothy Ajase, arrived Osogbo from Abeokuta by road and was shocked to hear the news later that the governor approved the free train ride.
“I, however, took solace in the return trip from Osogbo on June 19, 2024, and seized the opportunity to travel to Lagos for an earlier scheduled official assignment,” he enthused.
A first-time passenger on the train, Madam Tutu Mojisola, spoke glowingly about the free train ride, saying, “The journey was quite interesting, devoid of fear of insecurity associated with road transport as there was adequate presence of securitymen at the Iddo terminus and designated stopover stations.”
She noted that there were some delays, especially at the Iddo Terminus and Osogbo train station due to passengers boarding the train during the departure, respectively.
Mojisola also implored the state governor to increase the frequency of the train to two in the near future so as to accommodate many others who went home disappointed because the train was filled to the brim.