In Contradiction to the general belief; that Professor Wole Soyinka invented the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Nigeria; the former presidential candidate of the National Action Council. Dr Olapade Agoro has stated that he invented the Road Safety concept in Nigeria as well as the entire black Africa.
In a document made available to Sharpedgenews.com, Agoro stated that he invented the road safety concept as way back as in 1971 when he became involved in road safety activities having had his training under Mr. Stephens of the World Bank.
According to him, after his training he was placed in charge of the Ijebu Province (now Ogun State) and that he was later appointed to head Ondo Province which was then the largest in Nigeria.
Part of the documents made available to Sharpedgenews.com showed that in 1971, the then Ministry of Works and Transport wrote him a commendation letter dated 18th October, 1971.
According to him, he voluntarily left the service of the then Western State Government on July 1973, to pursue a Master degree program and that his Master’s degree work and dissertation were based on Road Safety.
Agoro added that between the periods of 1973-1974 he sold the concept to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and which thereafter led to the formation of National Committee on Road Safety.
He further stated that he later sold the concept to the then Oyo State Government and consequently served as one of the Board Members of the then Oyo State Road Safety Corps and which Professor Wole Soyinka was made its Chairman for political reason.
“Unfortunately, I had to voluntarily quit the Board Membership of the Oyo State Road Safety Corps due to the unexpected and unusual overbearing and dictatorial behaviors of the Chairman, Professor Wole Soyinka in the running and management of the organization.”
Dr Agoro added that when things took the wrong for the then Oyo State Road Safety Corps, he was invited by the Nobel Laureate to fix the problem.
“When things took the wrong turn for the then Oyo State Road Safety Corps an expert touch was needed to put it straight, Professor Wole Soyinka did not fail to recognize my importance though I had then for long distanced my humble self from him and his management of Oyo State Corps. He thereafter constituted me into a one-man Probe Panel and mandated me to probe the malaise prevailing the then Oyo State Corps and which assignment I successfully did with dispatch”.
He stated that in recognition of his major contribution to Road Safety activities, the Nigerian Army invited him to contribute to its Road Safety week and which a commendation letter was given to him in that regard.