Soyinka, Amaechi, Alake of Egbaland, Amosun, others in launch of Lagos-Abeokuta rail test run

Notable public figures participated in the launch of the test run of the Lagos to Abeokuta train ride.

Following the test run, residents can now take rides for free for about a month.

This was disclosed by Fidet Okhiria, managing director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, who spoke with Tolu Ogunlesi, special assistant to the president on digital communications, during the test drive of the #LagosIbadanRail Project.

He said free test-rides or non-commercial operations will begin next week, between Iju and Abeokuta.

Tweeting about the trip and the Buhari administration’s rail projects, Ogunlesi said, “I’ve now been on all 4 Rail Projects: #AbujaMetro | #ItakpeWarriRail (I’ve ridden the 327km track twice) | #AbujaKadunaRail | and #LagosIbadanRail.

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“All 4 have been or will be completed by @MBuhari. None completed in the 16 years between 1999 and 2015. #16vs4

“MD, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mr Fidet Okhiria, speaks on the #LagosIbadanRail Project. Free test-rides (‘Non-commercial operations’) starting next week, between Iju and Abeokuta. #PMBMeansBusiness #Infrastructure #RailUPng pic.twitter.com/nEs9MyWMqJ”.

Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, who led other dignitaries to the test run from Iju to Abeokuta, said it was part of the dividends of the Buhari administration to Nigerians.

Amaechi, who spoke at the flag off, said the train was moving at a speed of 60 kilometres per hour, but could potentially go as fast as 150 kilometres an hour.

The minister also seized the opportunity to call on Nigerians to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari on February 16, 2019.
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The test-run ceremony was also attended by Nobel Laureate Prof Wole Soyinka, who said the next expedition from the site in Abeokuta will be a rocket to another planet.

The Alake of Egbaland and Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State were among those who took part in the ride from Lagos to Abeokuta.

Soyinka, while speaking at the ceremony in Abeokuta, said the site where the new megastation would be was his field for hunting in his youthful days.

Soyinka, who recently endorsed Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Peoples Party (YPP) for president, said he does not care who fixed the rails.

“This plateau seems to be naturally donated for this kind of enterprise, one of these days, from this platform, a rocket will go to the next planet,” he said.

“I don’t give a damn who put this there, it doesn’t matter whatsoever, as the Yoruba adage goes, let a man see a snake, let a woman kill the snake, just let the snake be killed,” Soyinka said in a mix of Yoruba and English.

Also present at the ceremony in Abeokuta were officials of the South African railways and the CCECC.

The rail project was commissioned by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in 2017, and executed by South African Railways and CCECC.

The rail line is expected to connect the capitals of the South-West states and then proceed to Kano State.

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