LASTMA urges clerics to preach road safety in sermons

The appeal was contained in a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq.

According to the statement, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, made the appeal during the investiture, rebranding and induction of over 100 LASTMA Mayors (Volunteers).

Bakare-Oki said the initiative is aimed at strengthening grassroots engagement and supporting traffic management before, during and after the Yuletide season.

He described religious institutions as key partners in promoting responsible motoring because of their influence and large congregation.

He said road safety education should not be left to government sensitisation alone, but should become part of regular religious activities including Sunday services, Friday Jumu’ah prayers, fellowship meetings and youth gatherings.

He urged Christian and Muslim clerics to consistently warn their followers against speeding, reckless driving, dangerous overtaking, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, distracted driving, indiscriminate parking and obstruction of traffic corridors.

He also urged them to discourage deliberate violation of traffic laws.

According to Bakare-Oki, protecting human life a core principle of religious teachings  must be reflected in how motorists behave on the road.

He described reckless driving and disregard for traffic regulations as not just offences, but acts of civic irresponsibility with devastating consequences for individuals, families and society.

“The preservation of human life on our highways is a collective moral obligation. A safer Lagos cannot be achieved through governmental enforcement alone; it demands responsible citizenship, spiritual guidance and the collective conscience of society,” Bakare-Oki said.

He urged religious leaders to use their platforms to promote compliance with speed limits, seat-belt use, obedience to traffic signals, pedestrian rights, avoidance of driving against traffic and regular vehicle maintenance.