Veteran actress, Kate Henshaw, has expressed her deep concerns regarding Nigeria’s pedestrian laws, highlighting how they are frequently disregarded in comparison to those in other countries.
In an interview with News Central TV, Kate Henshaw emphasized the importance of understanding pedestrian etiquette and the sense of order that is often missing in Nigeria. She pointed out that in many developed nations, there is a strong respect for pedestrians, which is glaringly absent in Nigerian society.
Kate shared her thoughts, stating: “It is advisable to travel the world or to as many places as one can afford, to see how others function in their societies. 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 continued by discussing the Nigerian highway code, which 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.’ Kate boldly declared, “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,” she explained.
The actress also voiced her broader concerns about traffic management and pedestrian safety in Nigeria, emphasizing the lack of orderliness that is prevalent in other countries' systems but missing in Nigeria.
Recalling a personal experience, Kate narrated, “An incident occurred while I was being driven on the expressway in a province in Canada. The traffic lights suddenly stopped working for a bit, and there was no chaos, hassle, or disruption to the movement of traffic. 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 zoo’s should be our natural habitat?”
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