•Daddy Showkey
In its determination to make rail transportation a preferred choice of movement among Nigerians, the Nigerian Railway Corporation(NRC) has deployed a mechanism to entertain passengers on its train services.
Recently, the Corporation engaged the services of a popular reggae artiste, John Odafe Asimoh, otherwise known as Daddy Showkey, to entertain the passengers on its train service along the Warri- Itakpe route who had a short delay while the train was fueling, reports Daily Independent.
On this account, the Director of the Corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa, recently invited the artiste to the Corporation’s headquarters in Lagos to share his experiences on the route.
Opeifa said the corporation is determined to make the trains a preferred mobility alternative across the country.
He listed the provision of passenger coaches and wagons as top priority of the management in its determination to provide a convenient mobility alternative that is affordable, safe and secured to Nigerians.
Opeifa expressed the Corporation’s gratitude to Daddy Showkey for converting an issue into an opportunity, assuring that the management is doing all it can towards ensuring hitch-free train operations that would attract Nigerians’ patronage.
He appealed to esteemed passengers to take advantage of the existing customer care portal to enable better service through their observations and suggestions.
Opeifa commended Nigerians for appreciating the services offered by the corporation and patronising train services as an alternative to getting to their destinations safely and at more affordable rates.
“It is gratifying that celebrities like Daddy Showkey find time to take a ride on our train.”
Responding, Daddy Showkey said that though his invitation to meet with the management of the corporation was a pleasant surprise, he was not entirely surprised as it reaffirmed his conviction that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made the right choice in appointing Dr Kayode Opeifa as the Managing Director of the corporation.
He said: “I have confidence in Dr Kayode Opeifa’s competence in driving positive change in the railway corporation, judging from his past track records as the Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos State.”
He noted that though his experience during the trip from Warri on the train was a mixed bag, it showed him clearly that the route is very lucrative as passengers are yearning for increased frequency in train service to accommodate more passengers and farm produce.
However, Daddy Showkey said it is thrilling to travel by rail. He was accompanied by his manager, Morrison Ovedja.
