38 Flowers For Federal Road Safety Corps

Road Safety

On Wednesday,18th, February,2026, the Federal Road Safety Corps marked 38 years of unwavering service to the nation. Just like it was in 2025, while commemorating the 37th anniversary under the leadership of Shehu Mohammed, the Corps Marshal, there were no African drumbeats.

There were no red carpets. Glasses were not clinked. No big speeches. No gatherings of dignitaries. No 38gun salutes. It was all sober reflection on the road travelled thus far, the journey ahead, the pitfalls to maneuver, and the projected milestones in bequeathing a legacy of service and service delivery.

Today, I present ‘’38 Flowers of honor, service, dedication and of impact created within a short span. Each flower symbolizes a life saved, a near miss traffic crash prevented, an innovation, the numerous sacrifices that cost the limbs of some and that took some seven feet under, as well as the innovations.

I will structure these flowers into thematic clusters of operations, technology, public education, partnership, welfare as well as pitfalls. For the records, our beginning was modest. From Gbagada, in Lagos to now the befitting National headquarters of the Corps at the heart of the Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, with structures spread all over the 36 States, among others.

Today, that modest beginning has crystalized to a model road Safety Lead Agency that, according to the World bank, stands out in Sub-Saharan Africa. We have become a model in the West African Sub-Region as well as the African Continent. We are respected by the instrumentalities of the United Nations, the World Bank among others.

It’s been 38 years of steadfastness in our mission to eliminate road traffic crashes and create a safe motoring in Nigeria environment. I have chosen to divide my piece in two parts with part one focusing on the 38 symbolic flowers representing the journey and the road travelled by the Corps thus far.

I will start with the foundation flowers one to five which captures the days of little beginning, of the Corps establishment and identity. My salute goes to former Military President, General Ibrahim Babaginda for his foresight in midwifing a lead Agency even before the United Nations muted the idea.

For the records, the UN first extensively   muted and formalized the concept of a lead Agency in road traffic and safety management in 2004; a concept that was prominently introduced in the World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention, which was jointly sponsored by the World Health Organization and the World Bank on World Health Day, on April 7,2004.

Although the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) had worked on traffic safety since the 1950s, specific high-level advocacy for a national lead Agency as a foundation for road safety management was concretized in the 2004 report which was the precursor to the Decade of Action For Road Safety (2011-2020) and the Global Plan, which reinforced the need for a Leas Agency as Pillar 1 of road safety management.

Yet, in 1988, under the bold response of the General Babangida Administration to redress rising crashes, a Lead Agency idea was birthed and today remains one of the enduring legacies of President Babangida. It was birthed with the necessary legal backing and institutionalization through the enabling laws, expansion to all the states and the FCT.Its paramilitary structure emphasizing Command and discipline was instituted with a clear mandate focusing on road safety administration and enforcement.

Flowers six to twelve captures the enforcement flowers. We navigated the country from the archaic and analogue to our digitalized process, with standardized traffic enforcement, introduction of speed limit policies, vehicle registration and number plates standardization. The driver’s license reform and digitization were transmuted to a new pedestal while mobile courts for traffic enforcement were muted. This was complimented by daily enforcement to crack down on overloading and reckless driving, resulting in a reduction in fatality from the 1988 scary figure that grouped Nigeria alongside Ethiopia as the worst.

Of all the flowers, the World Bank singles the Corps’ rescue and emergency as top notch, though needing further finetuning. This was my focus when we were bashed over the Anthony Joshua incident and my emphasis was that our ambulance and rescue stand out. So, flower thirteen to eighteen captures this strength and novelty that has been instrumental in saving lives.

The components range from the establishment of rescue units,24/7 emergency response structure, ambulance deployment, strategic partnership with National Emergency Management Agency, hospitals and other emergency agencies. Meanwhile, first aid and trauma care training for personnel is prioritized as well as improved post- crash survival rates.

The Corps is uniquely a technology, innovation and data driven outfit. Flowers nineteen to twenty-four covers our feats in the National Vehicle Identification Scheme, digitalized license systems, automated number plate production-an upgrade from the road side production that lacked the necessary safety and security guarantees. Others include data-driven crash analysis systems, ICT- based monitoring and surveillance, robust public education and advocacies that has changed mindset, nationwide public education campaigns, road safety clubs in schools, drivers’ education programmes, community engagement initiatives and robust media partnership for safety awareness.

How can I forget FRSC partnership flowers which covers flowers thirty to thirty-three such as strong partnerships and collaboration with States, Corporate organizations, transport Unions, international cooperation resulting in knowledge exchange which I benefitted while in service.

In the area of human capital, flowers thirty-four to thirty-six, captures our trainings and capacity building, improved welfare courtesy of the current Corps Marshal, improved career progression through promotions, and recognition of fallen heroes and injured operatives.

Before I talk about flowers thirty-seven and thirty-eight, let me doff my hat for the founding fathers, past Chairmen and members of the Board, Past Corps Marshals and the current Sheriff. The biggest and colorful flower for me, goes to President Ibrahim Babangide for   bequeathing to Nigeria, Africa and the world, a novel model, which foot-print on the sands of time has been monumental. I doff my hat for you, sir.

The last reflective flowers capture the challenges and possible pitfalls ahead such as logistics, public resistance to enforcement, highway infrastructure deficit, funding constraints, need for renewed commitment on highway improvements by all as well as citizen-centered service delivery by the Corps.

Despite these pitfalls, the Corps in the words of the Corps Marshal is determined to blossom more, through resilience, sacrifice, reform and impact. As we reflect on these flowers, we remain undaunted in our commitment to save more lives even in the face of the verbal and physical assaults, and the hit and run incidences. The Corps is committed to deepening community and public trust, strengthen technology integrations, enhance inter agency collaboration and partnership and promote and project safer roads and fuller lives while trailblazing as a road safety giant