The story of a 32-year-old Pius Abayomi Abiodun is one which causes remorse, pity and at the same time, could go for one of the ‘Wonders of Lagos’. The handsome well built light complexioned gentle man is one of the thousands of Commercial Bus Drivers, popularly called Danfo Drivers, in Lagos.
For a passenger boarding his bus for the first time, nothing suggests Pius has no legs. When a reporter boarded his bus 2 weeks ago at Town Planning junction towards Western Avenue in Lagos, he didn’t notice Pius had no legs to drive the Danfo. After about 10 minutes journey, a driver who rode a mini truck pulled up on the lane Pius drove and before the passengers could blink their eyes Pius increased his speed and got at par with the truck, looked towards the driver and said, “Iwo, ma deal pelu e (You, I will deal with you). You dey try me?” Despite words of caution from his conductor, who said “Leave am” severally, Pius did the unimaginable as if he was instructed by the Road Safety men, he applied his breaks and forced the mini truck to a slower speed, one of the Road Safety men gesticulated to the truck driver to pull over for retinue check. Pius didn’t say a word but this reporter could read something like, “You drivers with legs, I will make you all to respect me by force!”.
A more careful look at Pius behind the wheels, the reporter was in for a shocker. Pius controlled the accelerator and brake pedals with his hands. He exhibited the mastery of his specially built Danfo which he operated without any qualms. The reporter and Pius exchanged phone numbers with a promise he would get in touch for an interview soon.
As nature would have it, Pius and the reporter met at the Town Planning Road Junction Bus Stop, where they first met. The reporter quickly hopped into the front passenger seat Pius had instructed his conductor to reserve for the reporter. It was a trip through Western Avenue to Nigeria Breweries Area to Orile Iganmu linking Coker (Ijeshatedo Area) and through Apapa-Oshodi Express Way to Oshodi Terminus and down to Town Planning Road Junction. The trip lasted for 1 hour 20 minutes, a trip that also got Pius very sober because a few of the questions took him back down memory lane when he had both legs and functioned like every other Lagos Driver with two legs.
Pius who hails from Mowo, Badagry in Lagos was not born without legs. According to him, he was involved in a fatal accident.
“I was driving a Danfo bus on April 3, 2011, along Lagos Abeokuta Expressway by May Flower Hotel close to Olorunsogo Bus Stop. Suddenly the bus developed a fault I felt I could fix. I went down from the bus to the rear where the engine compartment is. While trying to fix my Danfo, another driver was driving on a top speed hit me against the rear of my bus and that was all I knew. I was rushed to the National Orthopedic Hospital, Gbobi, Lagos. Two days after the accident, my two legs were amputated. I was at Igbobi for 4 months. The operation, medication and physiotherapy cost me all my savings. And I had to go to people seeking for financial assistance. In all, it cost about 4 Million Naira to get me out of the hospital.”
Thereafter he was discharged and what could be least described as frustration set in for Pius who had never taken to begging to live.
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