August24news.com Publisher To Host Best Driver, Best Conductor of The Year Awards

As part of efforts to sanitize and project the image of the transportation system in Lagos State and ability to reward good deeds and eliminate the bad eggs among the drivers and conductors in the state, the Lagos-based frontline journalist and publisher of Nigerian Online Newspaper, August24news.com, Ajagbe Adeyemi Teslim is set to present the best driver and best conductor awards to deserving professionals in the state.

The competition is expected to start in January 2026 and end by December 2026, and it has been designed to be a yearly competition after the maiden edition.

The parameters and measures put in place to pick the Best Driver and Best Conductor in the state are through commuters’ commendations, score cards, an online voting system by the general public, public opinions, and other relevant methods.

Many drivers and conductors in Lagos State are known for their lackadaisical attitudes, but there are still good ones among them, which is the reason we want to reward the good ones so that the wrong ones will emulate the rewarded ones.

Speaking at a news conference in Lagos, the convener of the Award and Publisher of August24news.com, Ajagbe Adeyemi Teslim, highlighted some of the marks expected in every driver and conductor before winning the awards.

He said they should possess good characters, good dress sense, good driving skills, saying that drivers and conductors should charge their passengers reasonable transport fares, possess good communication skills and relate well with their passengers, they should avoid stopping at undesignated bus-stops, avoid handling our naira with care because the way they are mishandling our naira is one of the reason why our currency is fading and changing faces.

In addition, he said that they should avoid bribing officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, and other road transport officials because they want to have their ways, they must receive and welcome their passengers with smiles and greetings, avoid pushing and roughhandly their passengers into and outside the bus, they must not smoke and drink before or while on duty..

He said that they should be able to help passengers with free ride if the person pleads with them and they should not fight passengers whose fare is not complete, they must not make calls while driving, they should sit properly and avoid hanging on the bus, avoid picking passengers at unapproved bus stops and his or her bus must be in good condition before plying Lagos roads.

On what would be the benefits of the winner, Ajagbe stated that the winner will go home with over dozen gifts which include, a brand new bus, a brand new private car, a duplex, free 20 liters of fuel daily for a month, twenty four million naira cash, brand ambassador contract, driving contract, tour of 10 notable places in the state, courtesy visit to 10 dignitaries in Lagos State, automatic employment for two of his children in Lagos State, 24 different native and English attires from a popular designer, 24 new tyres, an award plaque, conductor and driver bet, a befitting gala night and Letter of commendation from the Lagos State Government, adding that the best conductor will also get whatever the driver gets.

When asked about what prompted the idea, the publisher said that he had witnessed many ugly incidents among Lagos drivers and conductors, which he said made him think of a way to change the narrative and to rebrand the profession.

According to him, “we want to put them on the watch, we want to set an agenda for them, we want to curb their lackadaisical act and nonchalant attitude, such as drinking and smoking while on duty, as well as reward the best among them, eradicate the bad ones, and also encourage others so that they can be emulated.

He added that no agency monitors their activities in the state, claiming that what the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and local governments do is just to collect fees and levies from them.

Speaking further, he said, “I have witnessed a situation where drivers and conductors beat passengers because of a mere N10 change during an argument.

“I have witnessed where drivers and conductors abused and insulted passengers, which led to trauma.

I have seen where a passenger was stranded, trekked home, and even begged for transport fares simply because a wicked conductor took his change away.

I have seen where people were properly dressed, clean and neat, unfortunately, a public bus tore and dirtied their clothes.

These are people who are set for their daily jobs, going for job interviews, and attending social gatherings.

He said that on numerous occasions, he had seen situations where conductors and drivers returned lost phones, gadgets, loads, and even bags of money to their passengers, saying that “we must not shy away from the truth or be economical with the truth, the good ones are still living and must also be recognised and rewarded.”I have not seen when conductors give passengers a free ride out of the 365 days in a year.

Some of them are not friendly with their customers; they should be able to give back to society or their passengers, and they should be ready to partake in CSR. Anyone who does this will win the award of the year,” he said.