Seeing him riding past with his four-member family sitting at the back of his home-made three-wheel bike along Egbeda road, in Lagos, one will ordinarily mistake Seun Amodu, simply called ‘STA Omo Naija’, for Charles Oputa, the musician popularly known as Charly Boy. Amodu is a 31-year-old adventurous school certificate holder who has become an expert in assembling motorbike spare parts to produce three wheel motorbikes.
He was riding through Egbeda, Lagos after church last Sunday when the strange-looking bike caught the attention of passers-by including the wife of the former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, Mrs Oluremi Obasanjo who flagged down the bikers and asked her security details to invite Seun and also took photographs of the 12 meters long three-wheel bike. Mrs Obasanjo who sat quietly inside a tinted black 2010 Ford Jeep model later collected Seun’s contact.
“Yes, she promised to put me through to the former president”, elated Seun told Daily Trust as the former president’s wife bade him farewell with a smile.
Dressed in a navy blue suit with white shirt underneath and beret cap to match, Seun told Daily Trust how he was able to develop the bike and the story of his life.
“I don’t believe in formal education. I managed to finish my secondary school education and refused all pressure from my parents to further my education,” he said. Seun said it cost him between N250,000 and N290,000 to produce his own ‘designer’ bike. “It all depends on the choice of the customer.
Seun’s bike’s components include a steering on two long silver coated pipes, motorcycle engine, two barrel horns, five exhaust pipes firmly held at the back seat steel and a 15-litre tank concealed under the passenger seat. A Nigeria flag is hoisted firmly on top of its front fender – to buttress his patriotism.
“This is tricycle, if I can design something like this, it shows that I can do something better than Keke NAPEP. Government should show love and encourage me. I know in 20 years time, Nigeria is capable of having the biggest bike manufacturing company,” he said.
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