Renowned Nigerian actress and activist Kate Henshaw has voiced her frustration with Nigeria’s traffic laws and the lack of respect for pedestrians, drawing comparisons to the practices in developed countries. During an appearance on News Central TV, Henshaw emphasized the importance of learning from other societies to improve orderliness and respect for pedestrians in Nigeria.
“It is advisable to travel the world or to as many places as one can afford, to see how others function in their societies,” Henshaw stated. “To see how orderliness can indeed be a mindset that must be imbibed. One thing I have seen is the power of pedestrians in developed countries as opposed to here, where if you’re not driving a car, you are considered persona non grata.”
She pointed out that Nigerian pedestrians are not afforded the same respect as their counterparts abroad, despite what is stated in the Nigerian Highway Code. “The Nigerian highway code states, ‘You have no right of way at a pedestrian crossing or zebra crossing until you have stepped on it; when you do, traffic should give way to you.’ I boldly state that this is a complete fallacy. The pedestrian has no right whatsoever and is even dared to step on the faded zebra stripes if they are so emboldened. Abroad, pedestrians and even animals are respected.”
Henshaw also shared a personal experience to illustrate the differences in traffic management between Nigeria and other countries. She recounted an incident in Canada where traffic lights stopped working, yet there was no chaos. “Everyone from each junction took turns waiting for two cars from each lane to drive. No traffic warden stepped in to organize the people. Why behave like zoos should be our natural habitat?”
Her remarks underscore the need for a shift in mindset and practices in Nigeria to ensure better traffic management and pedestrian safety, advocating for the adoption of more orderly and respectful systems seen in other parts of the world.