As long as you reside in Lagos State, you must have had a one or two encounter with bus conductors, these encounters are usually not pleasant if you ask one or two person. As often as we are quick to tag bus conductor as quarrelsome, there is need to understand why they act irrationally, what exactly do passengers do to trigger this reaction.
Who else can explain to members of the public how to ensure that there are less frictions between passengers and bus conductors other Jimoh Ogunbenwo, a 41 years old conductor with 25 years of experience.
As a conductor, what are the things that upsets you?
The job on its own is not an easy one, you are mostly under the sun or rain as the case may be, in spite of this when you tell passengers to come with the precise amount of transportation fare, complying is difficult task. They will start blowing grammar, because they already have a mind-set that we are illiterates so we are lesser human beings, this can be annoying honestly, and people most times are disrespectful because you are a bus conductor.
Take for instance this well-dressed man entered the bus, when I asked for my money he said he will give me when he gets to his destination, one would have thought as an enlightened, because he was corporately dressed, only for him to start making calls, if I jerked him by his tie or collar, Passer-by would have concluded that I’m the trouble maker.
So many countless experiences, but already we have a tag for being troublesome so people are quick to judge us. As long as I’m working hard for my daily bread, it is only a thief, a kidnapper that shouldn’t be proud of whatever job that he is doing as long as it is legal.
Is there a code that says bus conductors shouldn’t be neatly dressed?
(Laughs) no not at all there is no code that we always have to appear shabby, look at me for instance I look decent enough.
In your years of experience what has your job thought you?
Not everyone that is corporately dressed is okay, people have all sort of behaviour, one needs to be calm so that you can understand each temperament. Market women at time act more responsibly, so at times we never can tell, people’s mood dictates how they react so, I have learnt patience, even though it Is not easy but been patient had in the past saved me from trouble,
Most commercial buses are law and traffic breakers why is this so?
At times the pressure to meet up to target, if I have to deliver N5000 I have to do everything to maximise my time. I need to work smart so that my boss and I can meet up with our daily target, and Lagos traffic can make one misbehave when under pressure.
