Ember months: "Priotise safety first before praying against accident"- Ifabiyi urges Nigerians

...Highlights safety precautions

Bemoans superstitious beliefs

The lawmaker representing Odigbo constituency 1 in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Ifabiyi Olatunji (JP), has advised Nigerians to prioritise their safety first before praying against accident as today, (Monday) September 1 ushered in what the people popularly call the ’ember month’.

He said vehicle owners should make every effort to do the necessary maintenance on their vehicles before praying against accidents and blood-sucking demons.

The statement is coming at a time when many Nigerians still hold beliefs suggesting heightened risks, including road accidents, during the ’ember months’ including, September, October, November, and December than in other months.

It is noteworthy that many Nigerians believe and attribute the phenomenon to superstitious practices often referred to as ‘juju’ operations.

Recall that, the Federal Road Safety Corps had severally in the past dispelled the widespread notions linking the ember months with superstitious, many still hold tightly to the belief.

In a statement made public on Monday to congratulate the good people of Odigbo Local Government Area for the month of September, chairman house committee on information at the State House of Assembly listed five things people should do to avoid exposing themselves to danger.

He said: “While you pray against accidents and blood-sucking demons these “Ember” months, please do us the favour of keeping the following five points in mind"

"Make every effort to do the necessary maintenance on your vehicle. Change the oil, check your breaks, change your shock absorber if necessary, and check your car coolant"

“Do not compromise on your car tyres; you are putting yourself in danger. The tyres of the car are what support the vehicle’s load, transmit traction and braking forces to the road surface, absorb road shocks, and change and maintain the direction of travel. . . If they are bald, they are bad"

“If you must drink, don’t drive; if you must drive, don’t drink. Alcohol consumption remains a major cause of road accidents"

“Use your seatbelt always. If you think the distance is too short for you to use a seatbelt, then it means the distance is too short for you to drive. Trek instead"

“The road is not an athletic ground where you compete with other drivers on who can run the fastest. There is no medal for the driver who overtook every vehicle on the way. Kill some of those childish instincts making you think the mark of a driver is to speed. Speed kills.” Ifabiyi warned

The lawmaker, in his remarks, asked residents of Odigbo Local Government Area and other citizens of Ondo State with intelligent information not to hesitate to report any suspicious movement by suspecting miscreants to the nearby security outfit to curb crime and criminality in their various domains 

Sam Mercy Ajide,

Chief Press Secretary 

For:Office of the Honourable Member,

Odigbo Constituency 1

@ODHA