Lagos LG poll: Teenagers take over Ikorodu Road, skating, cycling
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Scores of teenage boys were on the Ikorodu Road in Ketu and Mile 12 areas to engage in cycling and skating as Lagos State held the local council election on Saturday.
The teenagers swarmed both sides of the road in the afternoon to ride bicycles along Ketu, Iyana School, Ile-Ile, and Mile 12 junctions.
Others wore skate helmets and shod their feet with inline skates to get themselves busy with skating in front of the Kosofe Market, down to Ketu Bus-Stop by Ikosi Road.
Some of the young Nigerians who were ineligible to vote also played football, as a few motorists who used the road drove with caution to avoid accidents.
A 13-year-old boy who identified himself as David said he saw the election, which restricted vehicular movements, as an opportunity for him to improve on his skating.
“I’ve been practising skating for a while, but today is an opportunity for me to boost my confidence in skating since the motors are not on the road,” David said.
Another teenager, Hassan Abubakar, said his parents were at home and allowed him to go cycling as there were no other chores to do at home.
He said, “My parents allowed me to go and ride bicycles with my friends. They said today is election in Lagos, so I don’t have anything to do at home.”
Also, some girls created an avenue for themselves to practice sprints on the deserted road.
Meanwhile, some traders, food vendors and PoS operators opened their shops for business as residents shunned polling units to patronise them.
Lamenting the apathy, the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission official, Mrs Chinatu Godswill, who was the Presiding Officer at PU 031, Ward F, said the exercise was not encouraging.
At her PU in Kosofe Market under Ikosi-Isheri, Godswill, lamented a low turnout, especially among women.
“People didn’t come out to vote. As you can see, there has been a low turnout,” Godswill said. “I don’t know if men are up to 20. But, there was only one woman who came to vote since morning.”
